Loyalty is a devotion, duty and special attachment to somebody or something. Loyalty is often talked about, but rarely demonstrated. Athletes are not loyal to the hometown team, coaches leave players for better paying teams, fans are somewhat loyal, until the winning stops, and then they look for the next frontrunner to support.

I want to be a loyal person. I want to be loyal to God and the ministry He has given me. I certainly want to be loyal to Pam and our covenant of marriage. I want to be loyal to my children and to my friends.  Although relatively low in importance and high in carnality, I want to be loyal to the teams I have cheered for since childhood.

When I moved to Colorado, lots of people chided me for rooting for the Cowboys instead of the hometown Broncos.  It was all good natured and we have had a lot of laughs about it. But, when pushed on the issue, I tell people that I have always cheered for the Cowboys since I was a small boy growing up in Northwest Louisiana.  Staubach, Dorsett, Too Tall Jones, Harvey Martin, DD Lewis, Newhouse, Irvin, Emmitt, and Landry were my heroes. To root primarily for another team has never been an option. It’s a loyalty issue for me.

This season, the Broncos got off to a 6-0 start and the local fans were ecstatic and people were piling on the bandwagon. When the team sputtered to a 2-8 finish, local emergency rooms were full with people with broken ankles after jumping off the bandwagon.

I know these are worldly issues, but I am convinced that sports loyalties are a window into the soul. We certainly should not worship sports or make sports an idol, but if we say we are a fan of a team then mean what you say. Root for them when they win and stick with them when they stink.

Ultimately, loyalty to God and to others is much more critical. When tested, I want to be a loyal follower of Christ and a loyal friend. I want my devotion and my duty to be the same in the good times and in the bad times. Loyalty is a virtue that is hard to find in our culture today and when I spot it in others, I mark them as a person that I want as a friend.

I believe God wants to bless us and I believe in healing for our physical bodies. I believe God is capable and willing to bless people financially. I don’t believe any of these are the central focus of the Gospel. They are parts, but not the center. However, in the past 50 years, American Christians have focused a great deal of thought and attention to wealth and health. Certainly, we have a better understanding of healing and blessing as a result, but I suspect we have also wandered from our primary mission and lost any understanding of the theology of suffering.

Have we created a theological ideology that eliminates any discomfort and marginalizes any element that would cause us pain or even death? To be clear, I am not suggesting that we look for persecution or that we pursue suffering because it is my opinion that persecution and suffering will find us without us looking for it. But, have we, as pastors, teachers and leaders prepared our churches for difficult times? Have we created a sense of entitlement among our people that lead them to believe that any hardship is a direct reflection on their capacity of faith or the result of some secret sin?

I do believe that unbelief and sin can cause bad things to happen to us, but I also believe rough times can happen to even the most devoted of followers.  When it does, Jesus said to “take heart, for I have overcome the world.” So while Jesus is trying to help us regain our courage and move forward, we are being bombarded with messages from well meaning people that difficult days were probably our fault.  This has to stop or we are going to shipwreck people with an incomplete theology.

I suggest we keep teaching on healing and we continue praying for miracles. I suggest we keep teaching people that God wants to bless us financially, especially those who are willing to use those resources for the building of His kingdom on the earth. But, let’s not avoid the difficult teachings of Jesus and the Apostles that clearly describe seasons of suffering and loss. 

God promised to walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death and Jesus promised to enter into our suffering to comfort us and protect us.  Jesus guaranteed persecution but He also said we would always have the right words to say when brought before our persecutors. He promised us the Holy Spirit, who would teach us, lead us and guide us. 

My challenge to pastors and leaders is teach all of Scripture and not avoid the tough questions or sensitive issues. To preach and teach only on the comfortable topics is setting up our people for failure when their lives are not comfortable. Prepare the people for healing, blessing, suffering, and persecution and then the entire Gospel is really being taught.

This past year was one of the most challenging of my life, but in the midst of these struggles, I learned priceless things about God, myself, my family and my friends. It is not a year I would care to repeat, but like every difficult season, I am discovering I was more blessed than I imagined.

1.       I rediscovered joy

After the difficult first three months, I found myself staring at depression and wondering if there would ever be a stretch of days without drama. Pam confronted me at lunch one day in late April and asked me a question that I will never forget. She asked, “Are you enjoying yourself?” My candid response was “No, I’m not.”

That started me on a journey to rediscover the joy of my calling and assignment. While reading the story of the imprisoned Paul and Silas, I found the secret to living with joy even when our outside circumstances are dire. They worshipped despite being in prison and chains. I realized that I must guard my personal devotion to Christ and never lose my passion for knowing more of Him. My joy returned by mid-June and I can actually admit that on more days than not, I am enjoying what I get to do.

2.       I began writing a book

Any book of lasting value has to be birthed out of conflict, pain or revelation. Sometimes all three are required. I am not sure if I am qualified to write anything, but I am certain God has given me the ok to pen some thoughts and begin the journey. So, I began to write, pray and discuss a set of ideas that I hope will form a book that will bless and encourage others. I have an agreement with a major publisher and I expect a book to be released sometimes in 2011. The process of praying over ideas, choosing a publisher and writing down thoughts has invigorated me and I am grateful for the favor and grace along the way.

3.       I helped a friend with his dream

I imagine I will remember the events of December 6^th as one of my favorites of all time. It was on this Sunday that we announced that Pastor Ross Parsley would plant OneChapel in Austin, TX. Ross is one of my best friends and it is so exciting to help him launch this work and see him fulfill God’s call on his life.  It is a privilege to support him and launch him with resources and a capable team. 

It was a defining moment for New Life and I suspect something was implanted into our DNA that will define us for a generation. We are a Great Commission church that believes in planting other local churches with the best of our leaders.

There were lots of other great memories from 2009 – The Thorn, two epic Desperation events, praying for children who had been adopted into New Life families, the early morning prayer meetings on Thursday, serving with other New Lifers during Elevate, and a spectacular Wonderland experience on Christmas Eve.  We are moving forward into deeper waters and for that, I am grateful. 

A new decade dawns in a few days, and I believe the next ten years will be full of challenges, adventures, risks, and victories.  Let it begin – I am ready for what is ahead.

Seekers are defined as those people who are exploring spirituality but have not arrived at any concrete conclusions. They are interested in the person of Jesus, mostly turned off by the established church, but willing to live life with people who seem authentic. If the local church is committed to helping seekers find Jesus, we must know what questions they are asking and what things are of no interest to them. What are the primary questions being asked by seekers? I’m glad you asked!

1.       Do you really care about me?

Seekers believe the local church of today is nothing more than a corporate monolith interested only in established rituals, their attendance at events and their money. They wonder if church people really care about those who can’t speak church language, don’t dress like church people, and certainly don’t behave like church people.  They are willing to listen to our ideology but only if we will listen to their viewpoint with the same respect.  The local church must be committed to the intentional journey and not try to herd seekers into a box of ideas with our arguments or go for the quick sale.

2.       Are you for real?

Nothing turns off seekers like hypocrisy.  They don’t care if we make mistakes, but when we do, they expect us to own up to our shortcomings, asked for forgiveness and move forward.  In other words, they want us to take off those cheesy church masks. Seekers want to know if we are living out our beliefs in private in the same way we talk about our beliefs in public.  They expect us to say what we mean and mean what we say.

3.       Do you really love one another?

Seekers also need to see proof and the best evidence is when we, as followers of Christ, love one another sincerely.  Conflicts among believers are going to happen and seekers are certainly not looking for a fantasy world where everybody is perfect.  That world doesn’t exist.  But they are looking for a community that is committed to unity, forgiveness and redemption.  They earnestly desire a fellowship that is led by servant leaders who lead with integrity and for a group of people who are willing to sacrifice for one another.

Seekers are not interested anymore in leaders who are bible experts or leaders with a flashy, charismatic personality.  They care even less about the big staged events happening weekly at our buildings, although they are drawn to gatherings where they can have a spiritual experience.  In the end, seekers value honesty, transparency and candid conversations. If the local church is willing to engage them on that level, seekers will find the truth they so desperately desire.

This past Sunday at New Life we announced that Pastor Ross Parsley will be relocating to Austin, Texas to plant a life giving church sometimes next spring or summer.  It was a really special moment for all of us at New Life to send out such an amazing leader to fulfill an obvious call on his life. It was also special because church planting is one of my deepest passions and one of the most significant ways any church can fulfill the Great Commission.

Pastor Ross and I have been praying, planning and discussing this for months and after praying some more with the elders we all sensed it was time to launch Ross into this new adventure.  Pastor Ross will put a dent in the universe when he gets to Austin and we, as his New Life family, are committed to praying and supporting him.

I believe Pastor Ross and his team has been set up for success because he chose to leave the best possible way. Too many times, a young leader gets a call to plant a church, but then finds it difficult to get any support from his leadership or does not value the input of his leaders. I have found there are three common ways to leave one church and plant another, but only one gets the full blessings of heaven.

Most often, a young leader is not allowed to even talk about leaving for fear of punishment or the young leader does not value authority so they leave suddenly. I call this a divorce. It is ugly and hurtful, both to the young leader and to the church they leave.  The relationship is sometimes forever fractured which must cause God great sorrow.

The second way is not much better. The young leader decides to plant a church and announces it later to the leadership without really asking them to be a part of the process. Most times, the leaders of the church pray for them and announce it to the church, but there is no permanent partnership.

Pastor Ross chose the best way. He was open and honest about his desire to plant a church and he allowed me and the other elders a chance to pray with him and give him counsel every step of the way.  He even gave us permission to stop the church plant if we felt he was making a mistake. That took a lot of courage and integrity for Pastor Ross, but it was the right thing to do and God will bless him.

This church plant feels like a wedding, not a divorce.  We are certainly sad that Pastor Ross is leaving, but just like a wedding, we are also happy for the new family that is being formed and we are already looking forward to Pastor Ross coming back for lots of visits. When he does return, he will be welcomed home with cheers and hugs.

I am proud of Pastor Ross and I am proud of New Life. I suspect we will send lots of young leaders to plant churches in the coming years, and I hope we can always celebrate weddings and not be saddened by any divorces. If we will commit to being a sending church and young leaders will choose to be sent, the Kingdom of Heaven will expand and our New Life family will only multiply.

All of us have internal batteries that determine how much energy or effort we have to expend on the matters of life. When these batteries are charged, we can take on multiple tasks and still have strength to charge hell with a water pistol. When these batteries are low, even everyday jobs can overwhelm us.  I have four batteries that need constant evaluation and re-charging and I have learned that if any of these four batteries run low, I am less than my best.

I have a personal spiritual battery that is only charged when I spend time with God in prayer, worship and scripture.  I talk to God every day, but at least five days a week, I need extended time alone with Him.  My goal is seven days, but in reality, that is not always possible.  When I am in a good rhythm of schedule, my spiritual battery is charged and I feel nothing can keep me from taking ground.

I also have a work battery. This is the energy supply for doing my job as pastor such as meeting with people, leading meetings, teaching, and studying for talks.  I keep this battery charged by saying yes to things that I should be doing and saying no to things someone else should be doing. When I am operating in my strengths and my calling, I feel fully alive and able to give my best to the assignment God has given me.

I also have a dad battery. This is the energy supply I need to be a good dad to Abram and Callie. Because they are 11 and 9, they want a lot of dad’s time and energy.  That means, I cannot give all my energy to New Life every day and come home with an empty tank. The 12-minute drive from New Life to my house is my time to switch off the work battery and plug in the dad battery.  My goal is to not take work home at night and to not be talking on the phone when I walk in the house. I also take either Abram or Callie out for breakfast every Saturday morning so we can be together and talk about kid stuff.

I also have a husband battery.  I mentioned this at the end not because it is the least important, but to confess that I have sometimes neglected this battery more than the other three. Pam has been kind and patient with me the past two years, knowing the weight I have been carrying at New Life. Today, though, I made a commitment to give this battery more of my attention and to make changes in my schedule that allows for more time with the girl I love.

Take an honest look at the batteries in your life. Are they all charged for optimum output or do you need to make some lifestyle or schedule changes today? God has enough strength for all of us. We only have to sit still and receive. It is a lot like re-charging a battery. You have to plug it into the wall and leave there it there for a length of time. Sit still this week and get re-charged.  Your batteries will be grateful.

I grew up in Louisiana where people generally are friendly and still wave at one another when they pass on the highway. It is not uncommon for strangers to strike up conversations in the supermarket or at the post office. In most Louisiana kitchens, there is always food cooking on the stove or something homemade to eat in the fridge. It is a culture centered around family, friends and food.  I wish local churches looked more like Louisiana, minus the bugs, heat and humidity.

I believe one of the most effective things we can do as followers of Christ is to be friendly to the people we meet, both inside the church and certainly outside the church. I am finding that most people don’t care about a crabby person’s theology or want to talk about Jesus with someone who never smiles.  Why can’t we be friendly first and bible experts second?

As a pastor, I hear lots of compliments and some criticism. I don’t lose a lot of sleep over most of the criticism except when I hear that someone has not been friendly to a guest or to a fellow member.  There is no excuse for being rude. Maybe, I am old school or just have too much Southern still in me, but I have a low tolerance for people who don’t care about other people.

Being friendly does not require a lot of formal education, but it does require basic training. We need to be taught good manners because we are not born with them, at least I was not. Here are some general rules for being friendly:

1.      Look at the person and not around the person

2.      Listen to them

3.      Don’t appear in a hurry

4.      Ask them questions

•  What is your name?
•  Where do you live?
• How is your family?
• What do you do for fun?
• How can I serve you?

These are the basic requirements for graduating Friendly School, but if you want an advanced degree, here are the course requirements:

1.      Invite someone to your house for a home cooked meal.

2.      Ask a stranger to sit with you and your family or friends at church.

3.      Personally take a guest to the right room on campus and don’t point in the general direction.

4.      Remember a stranger’s name when you see them next.

5.      Greet the kids in the family not just the adults.

Please help your pastor sleep better at night and remember that being friendly can mean the difference between someone following Christ or not. We are Christ’s Ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.  Practice being friendly in the mirror and don’t leave home until you get it right.

There is a lot of debate right now over the idea of submitting ourselves to those in authority, especially human authority within the local church. One crowd says that God’s approval and His authority is all we should seek and human authority is too corrupt to trust. Another group says no major decisions can be made unless approval is given from someone or some group of people here on the earth.

I understand the risk of submitting my life to others. What if they have hidden or impure motives attached to their counsel? What if their real goal is to manipulate me or control me somehow? What if they really don’t care about my personal welfare and actually desire my harm?

When I am faced with these types of choices, I ultimately yield to scripture because it is my guide for life. Here are some passages for all of us to consider:

Romans 13:1-2 NIV – “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.  2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

This is talking primarily about government rulers, but the command is still clear. We should submit ourselves to them and ultimately trust God.  Obviously, we should never do evil things or commit sin even if a ruler tells us to do so. This scripture is not telling us to be robots or to throw away our moral compass. The real issue is a heart issue. Are we rebellious at our core? Can we be lead by anyone? Can anyone tell us what to do?

Here is another passage to meditate upon this week:

Hebrews 13:17 NIV – “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

I believe we only have as much authority from God as we are willing to submit to.  I have willingly submitted myself to human authority and God has entrusted me with authority to lead in the local church. With this authority, I am supposed to serve, lead and protect those entrusted to my care. Notice, this scripture says those who have been given authority must one day give an account of how they used it. Therefore, if I use my authority incorrectly, God will judge those motives when I stand before Him in heaven.

It also says that we, as followers, can make this assignment a joy or a burden for our leaders. I hope I have added joy to the lives of Robert Morris, Tom Lane, Jimmy Evans, Jack Hayford and Larry Stockstill. These men, along with the elders of New Life, are all leaders who can correct and challenge me. I have given all of them permission to tell me “no”.

Do you have trusted leaders in your life? Do you have someone who can tell you “no” or even challenge you when you believe you have a command from God? If so, you are a person that God ultimately will trust with authority. If not, you may one day find yourself in a place of authority, but will be ill prepared to exercise that authority for the good of God’s Kingdom.

I spent last week in Europe, meeting with leaders in the U.K., Berlin and in Istanbul.  All three places have seen scores of missionaries and ministries come to their cities and countries, but all three regions have seen a dramatic decline in the influence of the Gospel upon the people and the culture.  For example, in Turkey, there are only around 3000 followers in a country of over 70 million. At one time, some believe there were as many missionaries in the country as converts. What happened that so many resources have been spent, but with such miserable results?

I believe the Gospel is still good news but how we share this news can make all the difference.  When I read the New Testament, I see three strategies for presenting the Gospel and I believe all three strategies have to be implemented in a culture before we will see significant results.

 1.       Proclamation

The message of the Gospel must be declared in public through preaching and testimonies.  All of us must take every opportunity to tell our story and explain the simple truth of Jesus and His redemption of humanity. This can happen at a church gathering, in a classroom, or anywhere we are given a public opportunity.  The early apostles looked for public settings where they could speak. It was done with love for the people who were listening and within the boundaries of common sense. The results were sometimes dramatic and sometimes not, but that did not stop them from proclaiming what they knew to be true.

 2.       Conversation

When Philip overheard the Ethiopian eunuch reading Scriptures out loud in Acts 8, he asked if he could talk with him more. What followed was a conversation, not a sermon. As a result, the eunuch chose to follow Jesus. We must be willing to engage in meaningful conversations with people and not always try to get the “quick sell”. Many times, we confront people way too early instead of being patient with the work of the Holy Spirit. We are here on earth to cooperate with God and sometimes that means months and even years of conversation with people.

 3.       Demonstration

“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35 NLT

Those who are not following Jesus should see evidence or proof in our own lives of real and radical transformation.  The fruit of our lives should be so compelling to those around us that it allows the Gospel to be both seen and heard. I am not talking about behavior that is rehearsed or superficial, because the world can spot posers. I am talking about authentic servant hood and genuine compassion coupled with the power of the Holy Spirit. I am convinced that in many cases, our message is not being heard because people cannot see the evidence of our own conversion.

All three of these strategies must be in place or we will not see significant transformation in the cultures where we live. Let’s proclaim the truth, engage in conversation at every opportunity and demonstrate the grace that has changed our own lives.