What Are The Top Problems Facing Families?

Another local pastor is trying to be proactive about dealing with the top problems facing families today.  He has someone calling other local pastors to ask them what they think are the top problems.  I think that’s a great idea.  I have my list, but I’d love to hear what others think.

Here’s how I answered it (in no particular order):

1) the lack of solid marriages.  Between divorce and people having children outside of marriage why would we expect the next generation to have secure, enduring, loving relationships with a spouse and children?  Add to that adultery, pornography, the media culture…it’s tough!

2) Busy-Ness.  Why do we think our kids have to play every sport all year-round?  When do they just get to be kids?  I played a lot of sports growing up but there was always a break between seasons and we NEVER played on Sunday!  When do families get time together?

3) Consumerism/Materialism/financial pressures: Again, thank you culture!  We think we need more right now.  Easy credit.  Throw in a recession and job loss and there is some real stress right now, more than ever in our lifetime about money.  That has to effect families!

So what would you add or subtract from this list?

Come On Joel Osteen! Don’t be Silly!

I have always believed that it is unnecessary and counter-productive to attack or even point out the errors of other Christians and theologians.  Ultimately if we are proclaiming Christ as Lord, then we’re on the same team even if we do things differently.  But when I saw this video I laughed.  Then I almost cried.  Here is the pastor of the largest church in the United States who is preaching something that is false.  Sure, pork may not be good for you.  But is it a sin to eat pork?  Watch the video first so you can hear for yourself what he said.  What do you think?

Wouldn’t Hebrews 13:9 apply to the church today?  It says, “Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them.”

Or what about Acts 11?

The purpose of those Old Testament dietary laws for Israel was to make them a peculiar people and to separate them from the world.

In Joel’s defense, this is over a year old and maybe he’s recanted…but somehow I doubt it.  And don’t get me wrong.  I’m not calling him a heretic or anything like that.  But when you have a public ministry that large, you are accountable to a larger audience.

The World is Changing Fast: R U ready for the long-term consequences?

I have no clue what those consequences will be, but I can guarantee you that the world my grandchildren live in will be A LOT different than mine.  What do you see?

3 Questions That Become My Answers (part 1)

Finished reading Dave Gibbons’ “The Monkey and the Fish” this weekend.  Overall it was a good book that helped me understand what it means to help a church become a “third culture church.”  I heard him speak at the Leadership Summit and thought he was great, but his book didn’t add THAT much more to the discussion.  However, I was fascinated with one chapter, which is the title of this post.  He thinks, and I agree, that questions often guide us because the answer finds residence in the question.  In his case, 3 questions in particular have guided him.

Question #1: Where is Nazareth?

“Can anything good come from Nazareth?”  This question was asked about Jesus.  Can anyone worthwhile come from that place on the other side of the railroad tracks?

Where is the other side of tracks in your city or region?  In other words, who are the marginalized or the outsiders near you, people whom you feel pain for?

Focusing on them as a church may mean you won’t grow as fast.  And you may lose some people.  But your church will be fulfilling the most beautiful expression of who God is.

Paul said it perfectly  in his letter to the church in Corinth–God uses the weak of the world to confound the mighty and accomplish God’s biggest dreams.  1 Corinthians 1:26-29.  

While we at FCC have a long way to go, I am so proud of what we have accomplished in this area over the past few years, particularly because of the leadership of the Beverlys and Michele Menshouse.  Besides our mission trips, now we are helping kids “from the other side of the tracks” with homework on Tuesdays and feeding the hungry on Mondays.

Follow me on Twitter…if you’re into that

Still not sure about the whole Twitter craze…but I’m on board for trying it and hoping to use it as a way to get info out about emergency prayer concerns etc.  So if you’re Twittering, feel free to follow me at www.twitter.com/marcuslynn

Site update:  Over 16,000 hits at this blog, averaging between 30-40/day.

10 Reasons I Love Our Church (FCC)

Top 10 reasons I love FCC:

10. You are some of the best friends a man could have in the world.

9.  Many of you are transparent enough to grow!  You don’t mind emailing or telling your pastor how life (or something else) is kicking your butt.  You don’t mind being honest with me when life seems like hell.  Can you tell I like honesty and transparency and authenticity; not “masked Christians?”

8. We’ve got the best “staff” (paid and unpaid) in the world.  I couldn’t imagine doing ministry with people who are more equipped to serve God.

7.  You allow me to be me.  Sounds easy enough, but I’m not your normal pastor.

6. You compensate me well enough to not complain.

5. We have the best praise band in the world.

4. The building is pretty awesome.

3. Our children’s and youth programs are exactly what our community needs.

2. [And this from my kids] Because it’s our family and we act like family together.  yeah, that’s exactly it.  That doesn’t mean families don’t disagree or have their issues.  We ain’t perfect.  But we’re perfect for each other.

1. You take care of your pastor when he or his family are sick.  Even though my birthday on Sunday seemed terrible and my whole family is basically quarantined because of the flu, we got an ice cream birthday cake (thanks Marsees!) when there was no cake for my birthday, a birthday dinner (thanks Kimberly, Sandra, and Becky), and another dinner the next night (thank you Myra).  On top of that I got a ton of birthday calls, cards, notes, and emails.  Plus, there were even more people concerned about my family.  Thanks for letting me skip the Heritage service Sunday to take care of them.

Temptations for a Church

What are some of the temptations and pressures in the church that move us away from unity, away from integrity?

• group think
• lack of respect for others’ opinions
• triangulation
• avoidance of conflict
• gossip
• impatience (on my part)
• not following the proper process

Any others?

God Changes Lives (Part 1): Chad’s Story

I love hearing about how God changes lives.  I’ve told parts of my story on here.  Today I’m sharing a part of Chad’s.  You have one too.  I challenge you to email me your’s for inclusion at this site.  revmlynn@yahoo.com.

The context for his comments come from an email he sent after an online discussion group read the story of the fiery furnace in Daniel:

I love this.  I have been in the fiery furnace for some time now, and I’ve loved every minute of it.  It’s been hard to endure however.  The change in my relationship with Christ has been worth every pain, challenge, and heartache.   Ihave let more of my choices be made by Christ and i have found a better life for my family.   It is easy to fall into the trap of what everyone else is doing.   I have found that the more i pray and witness, the closer i am to Christ.  I am still wrapping my brain around what Christ has done in my life.   The mission trip helped to change me forever.   I hope that someday i can share with everyone what all happened in my walk with Christ.  On the mission trip I was shown my purpose for being here.  Never would of guessed it.   I am humbled that he chose me.  I also want to say that if you don’t have a church family, find one.  i am so blessed with the best church family ever!!!   I long for Sundays to see my friends… oh and to hear Marcus’s message.  ha !   Christ has also blessed me with my wonderful two children and a lovely wife that is my rock, saint, and best friend.   Wow, can it get any better than this?

Thanks Chad…now it’s your turn!  For those taking the “Spiritual Growth Summer Challenge” I’ll add 50 points if you do this assignment.

Como Te Llamas?

Karen Marsee, a member at FCC, recently led a beginner’s Spanish class for our members and community.  Here’s a video of their last class (impressive given that they only met for less than a month!).  Great job Karen!  Muy bien class! 

Church: Not Tired and Predictable, but Expressing the Creativity of the Creator

I was told that one Sunday morning the pastor of the church noticed a little boy standing in the foyer of their church.  The boy was staring up at a large plaque on the wall.  Small American flags were mounted on either side of it.  The boy had been staring at the plaque for some time.  So the pastor walked up to him, put his arm around his shoulders, and said, “Good morning, young man.”

“Good morning, Pastor,” the boy was still focused on that plaque with all those little flags.  “Pastor, what is this plaque?”

“Well, son, it’s a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service.”  Soberly, they just stood staring at the large plaque.

Finally, in a voice barely audible and trembling with fear, the boy asked, “Which service, Pastor?  Our early or late service?”

Fewer people are attending churches because they have become tired and predictable.