Tommy Mitchell / The Rurban Church Blog

Criticism!

A friend's post got me to look up this quote.

“Fear of criticism kills spontaneity; it prevents men from showing themselves and expressing themselves freely, as they are.  Much courage is needed to paint a picture, to write a book, to erect a building designed along new architectural lines, or to formulate an independent opinion or an original idea.

Any new concept, any creation, falls foul of a host of critics.  Those who criticize the most are the ones who create nothing.”

Paul Tournier, Guilt and Grace (New York, 1962), page 98.

All I can add to that is to say "How true!"   If we are not careful, we allow critics who often know nothing of us or what we are doing, to silence or stop the good that would be done!  Take courage!

Wild Goose Chase!

WOW!  The last 5 weeks have been wonderful on Sunday nights! Our breakout groups @ 5:00 pm have had an excellent "Chase the Goose" study!  Then I have enjoyed preaching on the themes of the "Wild Goose Chase" book by Mark Batterson.

Let me share a few of my favorites over the weeks - including some from those coming the sixth session this Sunday night.  (all of these come from Wild Goose Chase and are either direct or paraphrased quotes)

1. Overcoming the Cage of Responsibility!  (My message on this one was Pursuing Your Passion.)

When God puts a passion in your heart it becomes your responsibility!

Passion plus obedience is always greater than ability minus passion and obedience!  In other words -qualifications mean little if we won't pursue the passion!

Be responsibly irresponsible!

2. Overcoming the Cage of Routine! (My message title)

Change of place + change of pace = change of perspective!

(I loved this one! Batterson reminded us of the way the early church experienced nature as they followed Christ. Absent church buildings, they worshiped in the storms, the heat, the dry dusty roads etc..  This led to our first "Wild Goose Chase" prayer meeting, announced by Facebook, on a rainy day at the church pavilion. It is different praying outside while listening to thunder and rain.  We will do more "out of the routine" gathering!)

God doesn't want to be lip-synced, He want to be worshiped.

3. Overcoming the Cage of Assumptions (My message title)

When we make God in our image, we are left with a God who can never surprise us, never overwhelm us, nor astonish us, nor transcend us.  (p. 71)

Faith is not  logical. But it isn't illogical either. Faith is theological. It does not ignore reality; it just adds God into the equation!

4. Overcoming the Cage of Guilt! (My message title)

If you want to impact someone's life, love them when they least expect it and least deserve it.

Guilt has a shrinking effect. It shrinks our dreams. It shrinks our relationships. It shrinks our hearts. It shrinks our lives to the size of our present failures! (p. 114)

5. Overcoming the Cage of Failure! (My message title)

Failure is walking away from His plan!

How we handle the shipwrecks in our lives will determine whether our lives become a tragedy or a comedy!

When our plans fail, it enables us to consider other options.

6. Overcoming the Cage of Fear! (My message title)

We are so afraid of making the wrong decision that we make no decision.

One of the key missing ingredients in the church is guts!

As we grow, God gives us more difficult things to do!

Some Interesting Quotes to Ponder on Independence Day Weekend

Here are a few "eye-opening" quotes from our nation's founders!

John Adams - "It is the duty of the clergy to accommodate their discourses to the times, to preach against such sins as are most prevalent, and recommend such virtues as are most wanted. For example, if exorbitant ambition and venality are predominant, ought they not to warn their hearers against those vices? If public spirit is much wanted, should they not inculcate this great virtue? If the rights and duties of Christian magistrates and subjects are disputed, should they not explain them, show their nature, ends, limitations, and restrictions, how muchsoever it may move the gall of Massachusetts."

George Washington - from his prayer journal - written in his own handwriting -

"SUNDAY MORNING....Almighty God, and most merciful Father, who didst command the children of Israel to offer a daily sacrifice to Thee, that thereby they might glorify and praise Thee for Thy protection both night and day, receive O Lord, my morning sacrifice which I now offer up to thee;

"I yield Thee humble and hearty thanks, that Thou hast preserved me from the dangers of the night past and brought me to the Light of this day, and the comfort thereof, a day which is consecrated to Thine own service and for Thine own honour.

"Let my heart therefore gracious God be so affected with the glory and majesty of it, that I may not do mine own works but wait on Thee, and discharge those weighty duties Thou required of me: and since Thou art a God of pure eyes, and will be sanctified in all who draw nearer to Thee, who dost not regard the sacrifice of fools, nor hear sinners who tread in Thy courts, pardon I beseech Thee, my sins, remove them from Thy presence, as far as the east is from the west, and accept of me for the merits of Thy son Jesus Christ, that when I come into Thy temple and compass Thine altar, my prayer may come before Thee as incense, and as I desire Thou wouldst hear me calling upon Thee in my prayers, so give me peace to hear the calling on me in Thy word, that it may be wisdom, righteousness, reconciliation and peace to the saving of my soul in the day ofthe Lord Jesus.

"Grant that I may hear it with reverence, receive it with meekness, mingle it with faith, and that it may accomplish in me gracious God, the good work for which Thou hast sent it.

"Bless my family, kindred, friends and country, be our God and guide this day and forever for His sake, who lay down in the grave and arose again for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible."

"It is impossible to account for the creation of the universe, without the agency of a Supreme Being. It is impossible to govern the universe without the aid of a Supreme Being. It is impossible to reason without arriving at a Supreme Being."

"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great Pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens."

UNLEASH UPDATE

We had a quick staff meeting this morning to make sure we had everything ready to go to UNLEASH at Newspring.  Well, we are turning into a mobile reconnaissance truck!  We figure these are the essentials we must take with us:

1.  IPOD
2.  MAC (the Student minister's) I won't have mine until Newspring - See this post!!!!
3.  Vehicle DVD Player
4.  Laptop (mine)
5.  Emergency rations - Diet Mt. Dew, Diet Dr. Pepper and Diet Rite - we drink diet so we can eat
                                   more
6.  DVD's
7.  DATA Cables
8.  DIGITAL MOVIE CAMERA
9.  DIGITAL CAMERA
10. 1 pair of blue jeans and two shirts!!!!!!!
11. 3 Cell Phones
12. Debit Cards,  Church Credit Card!!!!!!!!!!!
13. Empty Box to hold all the stuff we are getting at the conference!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
14. Resumes - You never know when God may move!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (ok-just kidding)
15. LIST OF GOOD EATING PLACES FROM PERRY NOBLE for before and after meeting reflection.
16. ___________________ (left blank on purpose)

Who Has A Hold on You?

Steve Ayers, is a friend who is lead pastor at Hillvue in Bowling Green, Kentucky.  I have never met anyone like Steve.  He, along with some other pastor friends who serve in Kentucky, came to help us after Hurricane Katrina. Steve wrote a great book, Igniting Passion in Your Church.  In typical "Steve speak" he says

"When a 310-hosepower motor pulls you out of the water, you are not taking hold of it. it's taking hold of you, and you have to decide whether or not to hold on!  The church cannot tell God what to be, how to be, or what to do. We simply have the privilege of allowing God to take hold of us."

God definitely has the plan, the place, the power, and the promise!  The iffy thing is if He has us, the people!  I want him to "take hold of me" and pull me up out of the water so I can ski!!!!!!!

Life Transformation

In Reggie McNeal's book, The Present Future, I stumbled onto a statement that gave me great pause.  Reggie says,

"The power of the gospel is lost on church members who can sign off on doctrinal positions but have no story of personal transformation."

WOW! First, I wish I had said it.  Second, every church member needs to internalize it.  Third, Praise the Lord we have been trying to do something about it.  Mosaic (a church) led by Erwin McManus occasionally does a "REVEAL" where they video interview a person's life transformation story.  I saw one of their "REVEALS" and it was a blessing.   

For several months we have been including in our morning worship a Focus on Life Transformation segment.  We take a variety of approaches - live interview, video interview, and sometimes the person just speaks an unmoderated testimony of transformation.   Every week I want our people to see that the gospel is about life transformation, not just knowing stuff about God!

Far too many people at our own church can tell you what the Bible says about a variety of subjects, but when asked "How are you being transformed by your relationship with Christ?"  have no answer.  Reggie is dead on with his statement.