Getting Fired For the Glory of God

"A good pastor comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable.  A bad pastor does just the opposite, and will be much more popular for it."

I was taught the above quote when I was a young seminary student in the late 90's.  Little did I know that following it would get me as close to being fired as I ever would come.

I was in a church that was very comfortable.  I loved it.  I loved the people and I loved the students.  I had never seen a church that loved each other like this church.  They loved me and my family and we loved them. 

But the above quote stuck in my mind and allowed me no sleep.

So I began to afflict the comfortable students that were in my ministry by challenging them to move outside of their upper-middle class, popular, status-quo keeping lifestyle. I challenged them to move from lukewarmness to laying down their lives for the glory of God.  They didn't like it.  Neither did their parents- many of whom were elders.  There were at that time many afflicted kids that were a part of the youth ministry.  Many were from drug-addicted homes, many were into the whole emo/cutting thing, others were simply uncool and unpopular.  I began to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, and became pretty unpopular for it.

I was summoned to elders meetings where I was told, "We hired you to reach OUR kids, not THEM" (them referring to the black-clad, smoking, profane, disrespectful kids that I would preach to on Wednesday nights and sit in court with them on Thursday morning). 

I had never been so discouraged in all my life.  I thought to myself, "If I was to comfort the comfortable and afflict the afflicted, I would probably be hailed as the greatest pastor that ever lived, at least from these folks.  I would be Mr Popular, Mr Everything." 

But I wouldn't have been a good pastor.  Nor would I have done anything to further the kingdom of God, which is the only thing that really matters.

To the pastors that read this blog, it is very tempting to comfort the comfortable and afflict the afflicted.  You will be much more popular in your church and probably have much smoother sailing.  But that's not our calling.  We are supposed to do the opposite.  We are to challenge complacent and comfortable Christians to sacrifice all for the Kingdom. 

We are also to comfort those people who life has kicked in the teeth.  Comfort them with your presence, with Scripture, with prayer, with love, and with guidance.

And maybe you will get fired for the glory of God.

To the non-pastors who read this blog, realize that your pastor's job is not to keep you comfortable.  Realize that your pastor is doing his job when he challenges you.  Realize that a good pastor has no desire to "make your road to hell as comfortable as possible."  Only a bad pastor wants that.  Your pastor SHOULD be making you uncomfortable.  Instead of resenting him, accept the challenge and thank him for it.   

Or fire him.  Either way, it's to the glory of God.

I ate at Chik-Fil-A today . . . .

And it was good.  That's because Chik-Fil-A food is good.

The reason Chik-Fil-A food is good is that it is a restaurant.  It serves great chicken sandwiches with great service, and it is probably my favorite fast food restaurant.


I don't go there for political reasons.  I don't go there because the CEO has certain beliefs about family.  I go there because the food is good.


The recent outcry over CEO Dan Cathy's remarks in an interview have really hacked me off.  However, I stayed out of the fray until I heard that the mayor of Boston and an Alderman in Chicago have denied Chik-Fil-A the right to open restaurants in their town. 


These are towns with strip clubs, porn shops, music stores that sell rap music that demeans and degrades women, bars, nightclubs, and the rest (I wonder if those stores line up with the values of Bostonians and Chicagoans).  Chik-Fil-A sells chicken sandwiches.  I guess to the Boston and Chicago guys, the opinions of the CEO on traditional marriage is more important than the PRODUCT of the business.


I wonder now if there has been a line added to the application for a business license in Chicago and Boston- "Are you supportive of gay marriage?"  I wonder if Boston's mayor and Chicago's Alderman are going to go door-to-door to businesses and make sure all the business owners support gay marriage . . . . .  or ask them to close their businesses.


I use AT&T as my personal mobile carrier.  Why?  Because I have been a customer for years and like their service.  Now, AT&T provides benefits to its same-sex employees.  This goes against my personal beliefs.  Should I drop them as a carrier? No.

Why not?  Because I believe that a private business, and that's what both AT&T and Chik-Fil-A are, have the right to do whatever they want with their own business.  They are free to have their own opinions on whatever they want to speak on, and they have the right to give benefits to whomever they want to give benefits to.  This is a free country. 

The reason I make such a big deal about this is that freedom of speech and freedom of religion are one and the same.  If Dan Cathy is denied the right to expand his business due to not toeing the line on some politically correct agenda, what will stop the church from being stopped as well?  What will stop the mayor of Boston from halting church planting efforts in his town unless they support the gay marriage agenda?  What will stop Chicago from closing churches that promote a traditional, Biblical view of marriage?

The answer is "nothing."  The church in America may have to adopt a posture of civil disobedience in the very near future if Boston and Chicago are markers of a governmental trend against the support of Biblical marriage.  I wonder how many Christians will be willing to go that far.  I wonder how many Christians will be bullied into silence by these people.

And, by the way, I'll be going to Chik-Fil-A tomorrow as well.  Hope to see you there.

What Penn State and the Colorado Shootings Have in Common

What do the Penn State scandal and the Colorado shootings have in common?

A:  Our only way of dealing with them is after they occurred.

There is no doubt that our nation is a nation in decline.  2/3 of Americans agree on this.  However, as I have stated before in this blog, I believe the decline is spiritual in nature, not economic.  There are economic consequences to spiritual decline, but the root cause of the decline is spiritual in nature.

We are a nation that has turned its back on God.

I was watching the NCAA announcement about the Penn State sanctions, and interestingly enough, the guy on TV said something to the effect of, "These actions by Sandusky and Penn State leadership goes against what we stand for and also against common human standards." Don't quote me on that, but that is the gist of it.

What ARE the common human standards anymore?  Do we even HAVE common standards?  Who decides them?

The two incidents referred to above were both overwhelmingly evil.  Sexual abuse of children and murder of people in a movie theater fall neatly into the category of overwhelming evil.  However, with the spiritual decline of our country and the removal of absolute-truth morals from our lives, we have rid ourselves of the best way to stop these things from happening.

Now that Americans have removed God from our lives, the only way to deal with evil is after it happens.

For example:  For me, the law on the books that tells me that murder is a crime is irrelevant.  I don't need it.  I don't follow it.  It wouldn't matter to me one bit if it were legal or illegal in this country.  I won't do it, because I believe murder is wrong.  My faith dictates to me that murder is wrong, and therefore having a law on the books is irrelevant.

In the same way, if Americans were to live the teachings of Jesus, police officers could go home.  We would have no need for laws or police, because we would be a people that were self-governed and self-policed.  We wouldn't need a law against murder- because no one would do it.

But now, because our moral and spiritual decline is increasing, we will see more and more news stories like these two, where the authorities' only solution is to wait until the next mass shooting happens and respond to it.  We will be a country playing defense, always reacting to what happens.

And teams that only play defense and always react never win a game.

How long will we be in this mode before we wake up and realize our need for spiritual revival in this country?  Throughout American history, great spiritual revivals are always accompanied by huge decreases in crime, drunkenness, divorce, etc as the Holy Spirit invades the lives of criminals and changes them into people who follow Jesus.

We can pray for spiritual revival in America now.

Or we can wait and respond to the next horrific crime given to us by 24/7 media and respond.

The Colorado Shootings and Media Coverage

As many of you were, I was shocked and saddened when I woke up this morning to hear about another mass shooting- this time in a movie theater in Colorado.  The evil that crossed my tv screen this morning cannot be overstated.  This was an act of pure, premeditated evil.

I found myself watching the coverage, and as the day when on, I suddenly stopped and turned off the tv.  Why was I watching this story?  More importantly, why was the media covering it?

Shooters like this James Holmes guy live for media attention.  That's why they do what they do- they know their actions will be broadcast worldwide and they will have their fifteen minutes of fame, even if it is as a despised mass killer.  Or, in a more sick way, ESPECIALLY if it is as a despised mass killer.

I remember the debate over the Virginia Tech shooter- he mailed a "manifesto" to NBC news and they had a debate over whether they should show it.  They decided not to.

Why can't news media outlets make a gentleman's agreement not to cover stories like this?  Any mass killings, whether they are school shootings or movie theater killings, should automatically be buried.  I am calling on news media outlets to announce that an incident happened, not identify the shooter's name, not glamorize his background, not show the "steps that led to his darkness,"- simply to announce that he has been tried and executed, and that his body was unceremoniously buried in an unmarked grave, or better yet, left out for the vultures to eat.

The people that see this as their chance to make a big statement to the world about how powerful they are will stop doing things like this when they realize there is no media coverage.  They will not go down in history as the mass killer.  They will be a John Doe pushing up daisies somewhere off the beaten path.  They will not be able to make a statement with acts like this, and therefore, they will not do them.

The media coverage that I ate up so quickly this morning is probably the reason he did it.  He probably didn't know any of the people he killed this morning.  He didn't hate them or love them.  He just wanted to do a terrible and horrible act that would cause suffering- and put his name on the news.  My fear is that James Holmes has become a hero to some sick punk out there who would love to go down in the same way.

I will be writing to all major news outlets, asking them to make an agreement not to cover stories like this.  I doubt they will take my advice, but I ask you to join me in this.  Thanks.

The stunning news flew like arrows through the halls . . .

of the palace.  The king was dead.  He had been found in his bed, having died a natural death in his sleep.

"Where has he gone?" asked one of the king's shrewdest advisors.

"Why, he's gone to heaven of course," said the others.

"No," said the one gravely.  "I served the king for many years and traveled with him extensively.  He loved to travel, and would talk about his trips extensively beforehand.  Every detail was planned and anticipated.  But I have never heard him say a word about traveling to heaven.  It was a journey for which I saw no preparation.  I am quite sure he has not gone to heaven."

I heard this story a few years ago and the meaning continues to disturb me.  The reason it disturbs me is because it is true.  When I left for my mission trip to Nepal and India back in February, I had planned for 8 months.  I had raised money, gotten visas and passports, travel itinerary, set up housing, food, contacts, and knew day to day what I would be doing while over there.

That was just for an 18-day mission trip.  How about for a trip to the place where I will spend eternity?

I wonder if our closest friends and family, like that king's advisor, will look at our words, our actions, our preparations, and will conclude that we are someplace other than heaven when we die.  The way the Bible describes it, we spend about .00000000001% of our eternity here on earth, and 99.99999999999% in either heaven or hell.  And yet, do we live like it?  Are you more prepared for a week-long vacation here on earth than you are for an eternity in heaven or hell?

The Sign I Saw the Other Day

I saw a church sign yesterday that I thought I would share with you all.  It said:

"Church the way it used to be.  Hymns and Bible preaching."

I wonder why they are so glad about doing church the way it used to be. 

I wonder if they are "doing church" like the church in Corinth, where Paul admonished them for getting drunk on the communion wine and took a guy to task for sleeping with his father's wife.  Or maybe they are like the church in Galatia, where legalism was so rampant that Paul told them to emasculate themselves.  Or maybe they are like the church in Thessalonica, where everyone had quit working and were sitting around idle, waiting for the Lord's return.  Possibly they are like the church of Laodicea, where they were so lukewarm that Jesus said He would "spit them out of His mouth."

I guess that "church the way it used to be" isn't so glamorous after all.

Maybe they aren't referring to the churches in the Bible.  Maybe they are referring to past churches in America.  Are they referring to churches that years ago wouldn't allow blacks and whites to worship together? 

Beware of "church the way it used to be."

I would rather see a sign "Church the best way we know how to follow Scripture."

Anyone who knows me knows that I love the church.  I love the Body of Christ as much as anyone I know.  I love it too much to think that its best days are behind it, like this sign implies.  Any follower of Christ would not be interested in "church as it used to be."  A true follower of Christ will be interested in "church as it follows Scripture."  So many Christians spend their time wringing their hands, wishing for days that they seem to remember being so much better, but in reality they weren't.  I get so tired of hearing how much better things were twenty years ago, or thirty years ago, or whatever. 

The sign should read, "The Church that accomplishes the Great Commission" or "The Church that loves the poor," or "The Church that takes prayer seriously," or "The Church that teaches people who can't stand each other how to still worship together."  I think I like that last one the best.

Your best life . . . . . not now

I wonder if there is much hunger for heaven these days. 

Really, about the only time people talk about heaven is when someone dies.  The promise of heaven is quite a large comfort at times like that, but other than times when a loved one has left us, heaven doesn't enter much into the equation.

Pastors like Joel Osteen have influenced Christianity in a major way.  "Your Best Life Now" is a runaway bestseller.  The title says it all- Now can be the best time in your life. 

I have no doubt that by following Jesus' commands and living wisely that you can have a great life.  At times.  However, Jesus said that anyone who wanted to live a Godly life will be persecuted.  Hebrews 11, the Hall of Fame of the Bible, describes the incredibly difficult times that believers endured in the name of Christ. 

We live in a world where terrible things happen.  I experienced a parent's worst nightmare 8 years ago- my son died in my arms in a hospital room after only living ten days.  All of us have experienced a great deal of pain and heartache, and it is very easy to believe that if God is there, He certainly doesn't love us or simply doesn't care.

We reach those conclusions if we believe that we are supposed to have our "Best Life Now."  However, if we truly hunger for heaven and realize that our best life ISN'T now,  we will see hard times as simply God telling us the truth in His word.  We hold on to the promise that our best life is later, not now, and the joy waiting for us on the other side of the pain will make everything we have gone through worth it.  By a long shot.

Pastors like me, however, have done our congregations a major disservice.  We no longer talk about heaven.  We don't preach on passages like Isaiah 65:17-20 which talks about the new heaven and new earth, where infants do not die and people do not lose their homes.  We don't preach about the streets of gold.  We don't preach about the awesome benevolent reign of God promised in Revelation.  We don't preach about the judgment of Satan and the end to all injustice and evil and sin, with every knee bowed and every tongue confessing Jesus as Lord as prophesied in the Bible. 

Our people in our churches are suffering and questioning, because life is hard.  Take heart, all you believers.  This world is not our home.  This was never meant to be our "Best Life Now."  You have a promise of eternal joy just on the other side of your pain and suffering- all because of the cross of Jesus.  Therefore in this life we can have hope and joy, because we know that our suffering and pain is only temporary.  Like a woman who is willing to go through labor due to the future joy of holding her new baby, we will endure suffering and ridicule and scorn and depression and anxiety and pain due to the beautiful promise of heaven that awaits us, where we will will truly experience our best life.

For the promise of heaven, I am eternally grateful. 

Two-Thirds of Americans Say This . . . .

"America is a nation in decline."  I agree and I disagree.

I disagree that we are in decline economically.  The reason I disagree is that the word "decline" is relative.  It assumes that prior to this, things were much better and now, well, they aren't.  People usually compare the economy to the 90's when the US economy was "superheated" and everyone could buy anything and everything.

It's also when consumer debt exploded.

Could it be that we are simply basing our economic numbers on "real" numbers?  We used money we didn't have to buy things back then.  So, were times really all that good?  I am no economist, but I do know that comparing NOW to a time when people were spending money they didn't have is not a good thing.  I just wonder if we are simply dealing with the fact that all the imaginary money we thought we had has dried up and we are having to do what everyone else in the world has to do- live within our means.

And the thought of living within our means grates on us like fingernails on a chalkboard.

I think the real decline is in another area that doesn't make the news.  I believe the decline is spiritual in nature.  Now, I'm not a person that wistfully looks back to "the good old days" when things were so much better, simply because Scripture commands us not to do that.  If you don't believe me, look up Ecclesiastes 7:10- "Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions."

I believe America's decline is spiritual in nature, and it has economic, political, social, and religious consequences.  Two-thirds of Americans see the problem. However, they are seeing the leaves on the tree and not the root.  The root of our problems is a lack of recognition of the sovereignty of God.  Our problems don't stem from poor economic policy or lack of energy policy or the fifty-thousand other reasons I hear on the news.

A virus, tinier than the point on a pin, can destroy an entire human body.  It destroys the body by taking out the most basic unit of the body- the cell.  When the basic unit breaks down, the body breaks down.  So it is with our country.  Faith is the glue that holds the family together.  Destroy that glue and the family falls apart.  When the family falls apart, the country falls apart.

America is in desperate need of a spiritual revival.  I challenge all Catalyst Christians to begin praying for a nation-wide revival- an awakening and new obedience to God and His ways.

"Revival is the sovereign work of God to awaken His people with fresh intensity to the truth and glory of God, the ugliness of sin and the horror of hell, the preciousness of Christ's atoning work, the wonder of salvation by grace through faith, the urgency of holiness and witness, and the sweetness of worship with God's people."-  John Piper, A Godward Life, p 111

The great encourager

Saturday, I received news that a friend of mine had died.  He was a few years younger than me, wife, three young kids, and a great minister.  His unexpected death has sent waves of sorrow over the people that knew and loved him.

I am getting to the age where I have known many people who have died.  Friends, acquaintances, family members- I've been to a few funerals.  However, this friend's death was different.

Matt Davidson and I worked together at Southern Acres Christian Church when I was Minister to High School Students.  I had always wanted to be a church planter, and I had sensed the Lord calling me in that direction, but I was hesitating.

Matt encouraged me. 

Matt asked me what in the world I was waiting for. 

Matt told me to go after the dream.

In my life, there have been very few people that I have met that truly encourage people to go after a dream or a calling.  When most people hear of some impossible task or out-of-the-box calling that someone has, their immediate reaction is to DISCOURAGE.  Most people I know feel that it is their responsibility to point out why it won't succeed, why it is foolish, why going after this dream is a foolish waste of time and energy.

I think people who discourage dreams are people who have had their own dreams discouraged.

Matt was a person who believed in me.  He was a person who believed in people.  He was a person who believed that the worst thing that could happen to a person is to be called to an enormous Kingdom-related task and be too afraid or too discouraged to go after it. 

Why do people laugh at the dreams of others?  Why do people discourage the entrepreneurs, the risk-takers, the pioneers, the Star-Trek-like adventurers who boldly go where no man has ever gone before?  What is it in human nature that makes us want everyone to be uniform, to be the same, to never take bold risks and risk both huge failure and huge success?

I am thankful for Matt.  God placed him in my life at just the right time to encourage me, to believe in me, and to never let me settle for mediocrity.  Without him, I doubt I would have planted Catalyst and been where I am today.  I wasn't bold enough to be a church planter on my own.

In the spirit of Matt Davidson, I say that when we find dreamers and risk-takers and pioneers in the body of Christ, willing to go where no man has gone before, willing to walk the narrow road, willing to risk it all for the glory of God, we should encourage them.  Encourage them to go after the dream, to go without fear and embrace that high and awesome work that God created them for.  If we had more encouragers like that in the church, I believe the church would be a much more exciting place.

Thanks, Matt, for being the person that saw through the immaturity and craziness and stupidity that was so prevalent in my life at the time.  Thanks for seeing past all that and seeing the heart God gave me for following Him.  Thanks for being the voice that said, "Go" in a world of voices that were constantly saying, "No."  Thanks for going to bat for me in elders meetings, setting up my church planting evaluation and training, and setting up Catalyst to succeed.  We're bringing to fruition the vision you saw four years ago.  We'll keep it going.  Hopefully I can be to someone else what you were to me- the great encourager.

Living on $20 per day

Last month my family spent too much money.

It wasn't necessarily awful- we spent $600 on sending our daughters to Bluegrass Christian camp as well as some other things like that- but the plain and simple fact is that we spent too much money.

This month we agreed to pull back on spending.  During the last ten days of the billing cycle, we challenged ourselves to not spend more than $200.  That equals $20 per day (I know, I'm a math genius.  You can stop the applause now- and for those of you who got out the calculators to check my math, well, that is just sad).

I call that pulling back and really being frugal.  Wouldn't you?  Could you and your family live on $20 per day if you had to?  How many Americans could live on $600 per month?  I know we couldn't- at least, without some major changes in life, like selling our house, cancelling health insurance, not driving, etc.

However, there are people in this world that think I am crazy.

Friends of mine around the world live on much less than that per day.  53% of the world lives on less than $2 per day.  So, in my "cutting way back and being frugal" I reigned in spending to only ten times what more than half of the people in this world live on per day. 

But it's not the guilt of having more that has me bothered.  It's the fact that I believe that my soul is in danger.

In Mark 10:25, Jesus says, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to get into heaven."

Now, all of my life I have never considered myself rich.  There are so many people, even in the city I live in, who make tons more than me.  By American standards, I am middle class (at best), but lower middle class is more accurate.

But if I think from a worldwide perspective, as God does, I am a rich man.  I am the rich man Jesus was talking about in Mark 10:25.  When I "reign in spending" to ten times what the average person in this world makes per day, I am a rich man. 

I am the person that Jesus says will have a harder time getting into heaven than a camel will have going through the eye of a needle.  And the biggest problem with that is that I would rather continue my lifestyle with my income than change, even though it may cost me my soul.

Now I know some of you are going to play the grace card and say, "Dave, you are saved by the blood of Jesus.  It's not your income or anything like that."  I understand that.  And I am thankful for that.  But when I look deep into my heart, does the fact that I am the rich man Jesus was talking about really bother me that much?  Does it bother you?

I don't know what I would have done had I been the man that Jesus said that to.  I don't know if I would joyfully give up my possessions to have treasure in heaven.  And that, my friends, is the problem.  I believe I value earthly treasure more than I value heavenly treasure.  You probably do too.  And that, more than anything, should cause us to stop and reflect about where our treasure truly lies.

Guarding the Mind

My wife and I have been talking about the two biggest things being marketed- successfully- to women right now.  They are a novel-50 Shades of Gray, and a movie- Magic Mike.

I haven't read 50 Shades and I haven't seen Magic Mike.  Nor do I intend to. 

As I was saying earlier, my wife and I were discussing them.  She was telling me about how so many of the women she works with rant and rave about these two things- how hot they are, how funny they are, how GOOD they are.

My wife told me that in spite of the pressure and the curiosity that is provoked by her co-workers' opinions, she was not going to indulge them.  She said very simply, "I have to guard my mind."

I have not heard those words very often.  In fact, I don't hear those words at all these days.  I am around many Christian people, and they talk about many different things (some wonderful and some not so wonderful), but the concept of guarding the mind is definitely so last century.  Or so it seems.

It seems like any mention of guarding the mind is met with scorn and laughter, or at least a condescending smile.  Maybe people who take guarding their minds (as Scripture commands us to do- Philippians 4:7 and Proverbs 4:23) seriously are just "not enlightened" or "need to lighten up." 

My wife doesn't need to lighten up.  Anyone who knows her knows that she is vivacious, outgoing, and a joy to be around.  If she was ever to be accused of anything, it would be having TOO MUCH fun, not vice versa.  However, she still takes guarding her mind very seriously, and for that I respect her. 

I believe many Christian women, and men, could learn a great lesson from my wife about what it means to guard the most precious resource God has ever given us:  our minds.  It pains me to see Christians running out to indulge these things, and then even worse, ranting and raving on Facebook and in person about how great they are.  As Christians, we are called to be different from the world we live in.  We are called to stand out, to make different choices with our time, our money, our entertainment, and our hearts than the people around us. 

Why Does God Want Me To Do This?

I'm not going to lie.  Sometimes I literally hate doing what God says to do.

My wife called me today and relayed some news that a person (who will remain anonymous) that I literally cannot stand is in the hospital and is in serious condition.  This person has caused me endless headaches and basically is an arrogant blowhard who looks down on anyone and everyone he can.  There.  I said it.  That's exactly how I feel about this person.

My wife said, "Maybe you can go visit him in the hospital and pray with him."

Honestly, I'd rather have a good root canal without anesthesia.

I knew the second that she told me that this is exactly what God wanted me to do.  God has the annoying habit of throwing us into situations that will heal us.  Do I have unforgiveness and bitterness towards this person?  Absolutely.  Does this person like me at all?  No.  Will going and praying with this man, showing him love and concern and visiting him when he is anxious and worried about his health, possibly heal both situations?  Yes.

But do I want to do it?  No.

I think there is a part of me that would rather be bitter and angry than have that taken away.  This is the part of me where pride dwells.  My pride is what we keep me from visiting him in the hospital and treating him as Jesus would.

So, guess what I'm doing this afternoon?

Pray for me, because sometimes doing what God wants is hard.  Sometimes it just really sucks.

And, by the way, it'll probably be one of the best days of my life.  That's usually what follows when you do what God wants you to do.