September 14, 2015

"Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." Hebrews 9:27-28

Each of us have an "ever after". It is not just the stuff of fairy tales. But unlike fairy tales, a happy ever after is not a given.

Let me ask you, "How is your ever after looking?" Are you staring at a happy ever after or is it scaring the stuffings out of you?

Here's the really important thing about "ever" - it is never-ending. We are talking about eternity. You and I have a date with our "ever after". That is what these verses are telling you! You had best pay attention.

If you spend your "ever after" with Jesus in Heaven you will know a joy that is unimaginable. But, if you miss Heaven the only other destination is Hell and that, too will be unimaginable - unimaginable horror.

The good news is that you get to determine your "ever after" by the choices you make in your "here and now". It is within your power to determine your eternal destination. So, if you can determine your destination and choose Heaven or Hell, why wouldn't you? Who would choose to go to Hell?

From my experience working with people for many years, I would say that those who fail to choose Heaven do so because they fail to choose. By not making a clear commitment they revert to their default setting - sinfulness, separation from God and a very unhappy "ever after." I think they miss it by assuming they will have another opportunity to choose. Sometimes they do, but sometimes they don't. You can't afford to be wrong because you could be dead wrong.

Today is the best time to to assure that your "ever after" will be happy is RIGHT NOW. Christ was sacrificed for your sins. He paid the price for your forgiveness. He took your sin and your guilt upon Himself on the cross. He died as a sinner so that you don't have to! Why not receive His wonderful gift?

You don't have to wait until forever to be happy. Your "happy ever after" could begin today.

September 13, 2015

"For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first-fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."  II Thessalonians 2:7-17

Paul's counsel to those who would be facing the perilous days of the end times is worthy of your attention.

There seems to be a growing sense of foreboding that we may be in the end times.

Think about it. Not just Evangelical Christians are sensing the approach of the last days. 

Secular progressives who believe and promote the Climate Change doctrine warn that the rise of the oceans will usher in the destruction of civilization as we know it. In addition, the radical Islamic terrorists are motivated by their belief that attacking "Infidels" and destabilizing the world can usher in the return of "The 12th Imam" in their version of end time theology.

As dramatic as those various end time scenarios may be, that is not the focus of this portion of Scripture.

The concern of the Great Apostle was not the chaotic evil of the End Times but rather, how Christians should believe and behave in the midst of those days. I want to focus you on his wise counsel.

1) Be Thankful!

Despite the dark and difficult days, remain thankful to God and for fellow believers.

2) Be Faithful!

Demonstrate a strong and uncompromising belief in God's Word and the certainty of your salvation.

3) Be Hopeful

Depend on your faith and you will not get overwhelmed by the fearfulness that will be rampant in those days! Remember that you walk by faith not by sight.

Meditate on these verses and commit them to memory. You may very well need them and it could be sooner than you think.

September 12, 2015

5 Significant Attitude Differences That Separate Growing and Declining Churches

Carey Nieuwhof

So what’s the difference between a growing church and a declining church?

Well there are many, but one of the biggest differences I see is the attitude of the leaders.

The leaders of growing churches almost always share a common attitude.

So do the leaders of declining churches.

And the attitude has a huge influence over the results each church sees.

Attitude may or may not be everything, but it’s close.

Here are 5 attitude differences I see again and again in growing churches and declining churches.

1. We Can vs. We Can’t

2. Them vs. Us

3. Principles vs. Preferences

4. Proactive vs. Reactive

5. Now vs. Eventually

Growing churches act. And they act now.

Declining churches don’t.

Declining churches don’t actually say they won’t act, they’ll just say they’ll get to it ‘eventually’, or someday, or ‘when the time is right’—which means never.

By contrast, as I outlined here, great leaders and great teams banish the word ‘someday’ and other words from their vocabulary.

If you want to be effective, you act.

If you want to be ineffective, you don’t.

Talk without action has little value. And too many church leaders specialize in talk.

In addition, too many church teams meet for the sake of meeting.

If you can’t remember a the last time you made a major decision that changed the course of your church, your leaders are wasting their time.

If you talk about the same issues meeting after meeting with no resolution, you’re spinning your wheels.

Does that mean you have to act on everything? Well, yes and no.

If you’re not going to act, strike the item off the agenda and move on.

If you are going to act, act. Now.

Just make a decision and move on with it. Don’t get stuck in the no man’s land of believing the lie that talking about things solves things.

As my friend Casey Graham says, action produces traction. So act.

September 10, 2015

5 Significant Attitude Differences That Separate Growing and Declining Churches

Carey Nieuwhof

So what’s the difference between a growing church and a declining church?

Well there are many, but one of the biggest differences I see is the attitude of the leaders.

The leaders of growing churches almost always share a common attitude.

So do the leaders of declining churches.

And the attitude has a huge influence over the results each church sees.

Attitude may or may not be everything, but it’s close.

Here are 5 attitude differences I see again and again in growing churches and declining churches.

1. We Can vs. We Can’t

2. Them vs. Us

3. Principles vs. Preferences

Declining churches focus on their member’s preferences.

Todd didn’t like the music. 

Allison thinks we’re not deep enough. 

Bill wants to start a new program.

And so the leaders respond, trying to please everybody.

In reality, declining churches bend to the preferences of its members.

Growing churches don’t.

Instead, they focus on the principles (even strategies) that will help them reach new people.

Is your leadership team principle driven or preference driven? 

There’s a world of difference between the two.

Declining churches bend to the preferences of their members. Growing churches don’t.

September 11, 2015

5 Significant Attitude Differences That Separate Growing and Declining Churches

Carey Nieuwhof

So what’s the difference between a growing church and a declining church?

Well there are many, but one of the biggest differences I see is the attitude of the leaders.

The leaders of growing churches almost always share a common attitude.

So do the leaders of declining churches.

And the attitude has a huge influence over the results each church sees.

Attitude may or may not be everything, but it’s close.

Here are 5 attitude differences I see again and again in growing churches and declining churches.

1. We Can vs. We Can’t

2. Them vs. Us

3. Principles vs. Preferences

4. Proactive vs. Reactive

This is a close cousin of points 2 and 3 above, but the difference is deadly or life-giving depending on where you land.

Growing churches are proactive. They choose their agenda and immediately get on issues that can impact their future.

Declining churches are reactive, letting members determine the agenda and reacting to problems as they arise.

In fact, most declining churches are so busy reacting to problems other people raise that they never get around to charting a course for the future.

If you never get around to charting a course for the future, you will have no future.

Growing churches have a strong bias for setting their own agendas, not in the selfish sense, but in a way that determined leaders see what the mission requires and decide to deal with it.

The leaders in a growing church simply refuse to yield to the agenda of others that would take them off mission.

And as a result, they are far more effective.

September 9, 2015

5 Significant Attitude Differences That Separate Growing and Declining Churches

Carey Nieuwhof

So what’s the difference between a growing church and a declining church?

Well there are many, but one of the biggest differences I see is the attitude of the leaders.

The leaders of growing churches almost always share a common attitude.

So do the leaders of declining churches.

And the attitude has a huge influence over the results each church sees.

Attitude may or may not be everything, but it’s close.

Here are 5 attitude differences I see again and again in growing churches and declining churches. 

The first attitude I mentioned in the previous post  is "We Can vs. We Can’t"

2. Them vs. Us

Declining churches focus on themselves.

Growing churches focus on the people they’re trying to reach.

If your leadership table conversations are all about the needs and wants of your members, it’s a sign that your church is insider focused.

The mission of the church is to reach the world. Growing churches not only know that; they live it.

Besides, who likes to hang out with selfish people?

And ironically, selfish people almost always end up in a very surprising place: alone. 

Because a life devoted to self ultimately leaves you alone. That’s also true for selfish churches.

If you’re becoming smaller and smaller, is it because you’re selfish?

Selfish people ultimately end up alone. The same is true for selfish churches.

September 8, 2015

5 Significant Attitude Differences That Separate Growing and Declining Churches

Carey Nieuwhof

I received this article in an email last week and thought it offers insight into the importance of attitude and its impact on a congregation. Since churches are made up of people and since people have attitudes, churches have attitudes!

Throughout the week I will share one thought each day.

So what’s the difference between a growing church and a declining church?

Well there are many, but one of the biggest differences I see is the attitude of the leaders.

The leaders of growing churches almost always share a common attitude.

So do the leaders of declining churches.

And the attitude has a huge influence over the results each church sees.

Attitude may or may not be everything, but it’s close.

Here is the first of 5 attitude differences I see again and again in growing churches and declining churches.

1. We Can vs. We Can’t

Perhaps the biggest differences I see between growing churches and declining churches is the attitude around what’s possible.

Growing churches believe they can.

Declining churches believe they can’t.

They’re both right.

One of my all-time favorite quotes is Henry Ford’s “Whether you believe you can or believe you can’t, you’re right.”  He’s correct.

Growing churches make a way when there’s no way, which seems to be what God specializes in if you read the Bible.

Growing churches make a way when there’s no way, which is something God specializes in.

When you sit around your leadership table, do you come up with 20 ways to make it happen, or 20 reasons why it won’t work? That tells you far more about your church than you probably want it to.

Growing churches believe they can. It’s that simple. And even if they’re wrong, at least they tried. The mission is important enough to take significant risk.

Growing churches believe they can. Declining churches believe they can’t. They’re both right.