From My Heart To Yours

I have a question. When did we stop being the church and just settle for going to church? As I have been reading through the Bible I keep running across the call for us to go, do, and be the Church. I know that the church came together and met with one another, but that wasn’t Church. It was the people and their actions that made up the Church. When those people got up and left their meetings Church went with them. Many times I think we in the American church have gotten the wrong impression of what the church is. We think it’s a building, a time, an experience, when really it’s supposed to be a life lived by the Spirit. We have bought buildings and hired ministers, worship leaders, and staff to run the “church”, and God’s people have stopped being the Church! Certain days of the week have become a time to come together and get into the holy bubble and be entertained. Fifty-Two Sundays and Wednesdays in a pew does not produce Spiritual Depth that grows the Kingdom and shows the Love of Christ to the lost

So what can we do? We have two choices: 1. Continue to do what we have always done (that may be the easy way, but maybe not the right way) 2. Start being the church again. I think we need to start measuring the growth of the congregation in their life skills, spirituality, and service as the signs of success. Not the number coming, the amount given, and the participation in programming. Instead Let’s ask: Are marriages become stronger? Are parents becoming better parents? Are people serving others outside of the church? Are people sharing their faith? Are they connecting with those who may never come to the building and taking church to them? I challenge you to be the Church! Take the love of Jesus to those you know and run across, and serve our God. I would love to talk to anyone who wants to know how to get started. God bless and may you see Him in all you do.

Love for Love’s sake,

Levi

P.S. E-mail me and let me know what you are doing to be the church. Or ask me how to get started. love4lovessake@gmail.com

Looking

Look to the sky and only see rain clouds!

Look around and only see faces that need!

Look at them and see the hurt, pain, want!

Look at them and see the excess, wealth, smile!

Look at this and see the answer and GO!

Look at this and turn your back!

Look and walk away, NOT MY PROBLEM!

Look, they cry for you to make the first move!

Look at them and judge, they deserve it!

Look at Him and see the better way!

Look, and do, don’t just look anymore!

Look, they look no more!

Christian Culture!

It seems today that Christians have their version of everything. Christian Music, Christian Chirp (a knock off of twitter), Tangle (Formerly God tube) that has videos, Facebook like qualities, Christian bookstores, Christian Clothing, etc.

So my question is, is this really what God desires?

I know about not being like the world, “In the world not of it” and all but really this goes against all of that and I think is a black eye to Christianity.

We are saying we don’t want anything to do with the world and anything in the world. We aren’t doing that good a job at it either. You ever check any of this stuff out, it’s either a complete rip off or poor quality. That is a general statement not across the board.

We as Christ followers need to be more ready to follow Christ’s example and engage the world, with all it’s faults and love it. Wrap our arms around it and go yeah I’m not comfortable with all that you are doing, but I love you the person in the world.

We all know about salt and light and how we are called to be that to the world and all. Have you ever thought about the impact Christ had? Rejected by pretty much everyone when it came down to it. But he loved them anyways. He lived with the people of the world and loved them because they deserved to be loved.

So to keep this short, I want to send out a call to all of us who are Christians to begin to look more like Christ. Model his life. I love the scriptures but what if you didn’t get Acts through Revelation and all you had was the example Christ set. Would your walk look the same? If we are honest we would be out in the world more lving the unlovable and one’s that many Christians look down their noses at.

Get out in the world and be the love of Christ to someone today!

I’m tired

So I am going to rant a little, so if you don’t wan to hear it stop reading now. I warned you!

Why is it that the people who deserve to be praised get trampled on? (Not thinking about self)

Why is it Christians don’t take it seriously?

Why is it that we desire to be rich beyond measure and not try to help anyone else?

Why is it that those who work the hardest get more piled on them, and given everyone else’s job to make up for the others who can’t do their job?

Why is it that our politicians keep screaming they want to help the little man but keep taking care of themselves better then what they want to do for anyone else even each other sitting in the same room making the same decisions?

Why is it that our politicians have stopped listening to the people who elected them?

Why is it we the people sit back and say well that is just how it is?

Why is it Christians have stopped being a voice to the world?

Why is it that churches fight to steal one another’s sheep and ignore the lost?

Why is it that the most money spent on anything in the church is designed for the saved not the lost?

Why is it we do events that attract Christians not the lost?

Why is it that the typical Christian doesn’t talk to anyone about Christ?

Why is it we have lost focus on what God desires from us?

Why is it we put a couple dollars in the offering, attend church services occasionally, and think we are Christians and pleasing to God?

Why is it that most Christians believe their baptism certificate is going to get them into heaven when they do nothing with their faith?

Why is it that God loves us?

Why is it that God’s love doesn’t truly change us?

Why are we people who break our covenants? (Marriage, Parenting, God)

Why has hate become greater then love in the world?

I’m just asking and ranting a little just have these things on my heart and a little hurt, angered, and getting it out of my head and on here as a type of therapy.

God bless!

Serving Him,

Levi

Broken

I am back in the office after spending a week in New Orleans doing repair work with Crossroads Missions. This is always a dangerous time for me. I get out of the pressures of day to day ministry and focus on doing and being the hands and feet of God carrying the love of Christ and it always rocks me to my core. It is going to take days for me to process all that went on while I was there. But I will give you some thoughts that keep banging around in my head:

• God what are you doing? In me, with my friends, with Old Ford, and with my faith.
• God what is it you need me to do?
• God I am so thankful for your love!
• God you move without needing anyone else to be there and thank you for using me to step into what you already have begun and using me to help it come to completion.
• God why the hurt and pain?
• God thank you for the healing and tender care!
• Lord I am broken and need to hear your voice and have you show me what you desire of me.

I have so much going on inside of me. This past week has awakened a blaze inside me and I’m just searching to how best contain it and put it to the best use.

Father open up others to move to serve you and be your hands and feet as I try to share what it is you want from me. Give me the words to motivate others to take on a servants heart and to do what needs to be done.

God speak to me and lead me to what it is you are trying to show me and need me to do! I am yours to use in whatever way you see fit. Give me the strength, courage, and ability to do what it is you need me to do!

In Jesus name, Amen

America Really?

America is not God’s chosen people, Christians are!

So I posted this comment on Facebook and got some heat for it and some agreement. So I wanted to see what those who visited this blog thought.

It came from a conversation I had with a guy from africa the other week. Talking about christianity and he said America claims to be a Christian nation. Why is there abortion, homosexuality, etc. Don’t Americans believe in the Bible? He told me he had meet many american christians in africa who made it out like that to be american you where God’s chosen and he didn’t understand the inconsistency with the way america acts and the way God calls us to live through his word.

And my response to him was, “America is not God’s chosen people, Christians are.”

So let me hear what you think.

Women Teaching Men

We have been studying scriptures on this and I have my thoughts but what do you think? Can women teach men in the Church? Was the prohibition cultural? If you would defend your position with scripture.

Please play nice as this topic can get heated.

Wrestlemania

OK so I’m reading through the Bible and in my daily reading I’m in I John and run across this passage:

¹⁶If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. ¹⁷All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. -I John 5:16-17

What is this verse talking about? What sin doesn’t lead to death? Is it litteral a physical death or a spiritual? What is the sin that leads to death? The unpardonable sin? Why shouldn’t we pray for it? What kind of sin doesn’t lead to death?

I’m just beginning my wrestle with this. So any thoughts would help.

BUSY! BUSY! BUSY!

this blog has gone to the bottom of my to-do list and hasn’t been updated in a long time. I have been extremely busy with family, work, and just life in general. I have been thinking about the stress and overwhelmingness you can suffer doing ministry. I carry many peoples problems and pain as I try to deal with my own. I have to be questioned about decisions and not be able to tell some private stuff that has lead to decisions. I am just glad that I have a great group of guys in leadership with me who help carry the stress and struggles of ministry.

I need to figure out how to make work, work and not carry it around with me all the time. I find myself wrestling with with work stuff constantly and it takes away from me enjoying my family. Example, @ the beach the other day I was rolling over situations, work issues, etc. and my kids are dying for my time. I had to really check it and get it out my mind so I could spend a couple hours with my children in the ocean.

For any ministers who read this I could use some suggestion on how you do it. Or from anyone else. How do you leave work at work and not carry it with you all the time?

Thanks and I’m strong and happy just overburdened at times.

Serving Him,

Levi

Podcast!?!

Ok so I’m trying this podcast thing of my sermon and I’ve had some say they can’t download it. I’ve been able to play it from the site and get it to connect through itunes but not download it. So I’ll keep trying until then listen to my sermon and tell me what you think.

http://oldfordcofc.podbean.com/