Author: jerrythinks

Revived.

/ jerrythinks / 1 Comment

Last month, I spent 4 days with the people of New Life Baptist Church.  Its been a long time coming, but I wanted to–no–HAD to write about that time we shared together.  And even as I type these words, I pray that they’re moving through what God did among us as we sought/seek that oft-elusive thing we call “Revival”.  If you’d like to read what I wrote BEFORE those 4 days, click here.

What must be said before I get into what we shared together in God’s Word is this one singular fact:  the people of New Life Baptist Church simply want Jesus.  They want Him proclaimed, they want Him exalted, they want Him in charge.  And as simple as that sounds for me to say about a church, it is the most profound truth a collective body of believers can hold to.  Their fellowship was intoxicating, their love for people was infectious, and their embrace of me as their “revival speaker” was humbling to say the very least.  In a nutshell, I absolutely loved every moment I spent with them.

When I am invited to speak somewhere (anywhere), I don’t go to the plethora of messages I have on file that I’ve delivered in the past.  I don’t “recycle” messages like I know many wonderful speakers do.  I go right to God and ask, “What do You want said to these people of Yours?”  Over the months approaching this revival  series at New Life Church, I clearly sensed God’s leading as I leaned in to hear what His heart wanted conveyed to the people He so desperately loves.

For my own purposes of preparation, I broke things down into 4 headings:

1. “Reviving Revival”

In this message, we discussed what life ready for revival looks like.  Namely, we considered 3 things: C.P.R.

Contrite Heart: Contrite is a fancy word for “busted” and without being broken, we are of no use to God.  This flies in the face of the statement I’ve heard so many people say so many times, “I’ve got to get my act together before I come to church/God.”  No, you absolutely do not.  Jesus Himself said He didn’t come for those who are well (no one is), but for those who KNOW they’re sick/broken and need a doctor!

Prayerfulness:  The people of New Life Baptist spent months in prayer for revival before I ever got there.  I could have sang “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and played Tiddly Winks and they would have been blessed by God’s renewing and refreshing Spirit.  Because as was said about me before my arrival, “He’s not bringing revival in his suitcase.”  Revival is a result of earnestly seeking God, and that’s precisely what they did and are doing.

Readiness: Simply put, readiness for Jesus’ return and readiness for revival are one in the same!  If we’re so distracted by the world’s issues and cares, we simply cannot be on the ready for what God wants to do in us and through us!  The simple question was/is: “Are you really and truly ready for revival?”

2.  “Revival comes from a refocus on Jesus as the centerpiece of both human history and heaven’s army”

We looked at 2 different instances from Jesus’ earthly ministry: when he healed the demoniac at the Geresenes (Mark 5) and his first recorded miracle (John 2) of turning water into wine.  We came to see that while we might follow Jesus (as a disciple), are we believing who He really is?  We learned from John 2 that Jesus had disciples who didn’t yet believe that He was the Messiah!  How many of us are involved in churchy activities without truly turning our lives over to the One who stands as heaven’s Savior as well as humanity’s ransom?  Is He a great idea or is He your intimate, in-control “Lord”?

3. Revival comes from reigniting our passion for salvation.

We exposed the popular doctrine that there is no literal hell; why its popular and why its anti-Scriptural.

We considered the calling of Matthew (Levi) and just why Matthew was so quick to forfeit his tax-collecting, money-grubbing lifestyle and instead take up the sheer uncertainty of following a Rabbi named Jesus.  I challenged those listening that “If you want revival, you can’t stay here.”  And no matter where your “here” is, God wants to lead you on into what He has for you.  But as slothful, lazy, and (let’s face it) disobedient children, we often would rather sink into our spiritual recliners.  I shared an illustration from a conversation with my youngest daughter.  I was having lunch with her one recent Friday when she was telling me about art class she had just come from.  She was working on a painting of a lighthouse and told me, “Dad, my lighthouse isn’t like everybody else’s lighthouse.”  Intrigued, I asked “Well, what’s different about your lighthouse?”  She explained, “Well, MY lighthouse isn’t near the water like the others.  Mine is in the hills with grass all around because I think that looks prettier.”  Are we building churches and growing “Christians” that have chosen to live far from the dangers of the mission we’re called into?  Are we lighthouses that serve no purpose because we’re not near the water, where the light we shine warns the world of the dangers of sin and hell?  Too often we choose safety for us rather than salvation for the lost.

4. Revival comes when we reaffirm our God-given mission.

As we closed our 4 days together, I simply challenged them to identify themselves as one of three things: a lighthouse, a treehouse, or a warehouse.  As a lighthouse (as was mentioned the day before), we are willing to go to where the danger is, to where the help is needed, and shine the light of  God’s love in practical, tangible, visible ways so that those around us might “see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  Some churches though would rather view themselves as a “treehouse”.  When I was young, my cousin had a great treehouse in his backyard and we’d love to climb up in there to play with a “Us only!” attitude.  Are we going to be a people who are safe and secluded from the world below, and have we adopted a “no girls allowed” mentality when it comes to who we reach out to, and who we don’t.  Is our church more of a “members only” social club?

And finally (and most ghastly), are we identified as a “warehouse”.  We’ve been “saved” and we reckon ourselves as good-to-go when it comes to our eternity, but until then we’re just marking time as if life after receiving Christ becomes some waiting room while we literally do nothing until His return.  If that’s the case for us, then Scripture is already clear about what the outcome will be.  I closed with one of my favorite parables, the Sheep and the Goats.  When in the end it was not what we believe that determines our eternity, but what we DID with what we believe.  In this, they as a church and as individuals are faced with a “fork in the road”.  Will they move toward being the lighthouse God has called them to, or circle back and enjoy the comfort of the tree house or the rigor mortis of the warehouse?


I was honored and humbled to be a part of those few days at New Life Baptist Church and pray that not only them, but you and I would continually strive for a steady sense of “revival” as we walk hand-in-hand with our Creator, Savior, Messiah, and Lord!

You’re breathing Grace.

/ jerrythinks / 3 Comments

I wrote a blog post yesterday called “Moral Failure” (scroll down for that one) and while most of my posts have readership in the 10s, that post had readership in the 100s.  I was astounded to watch the “hits” on that blog post rise throughout the day.  Clearly, I hit a nerve.  And I wanted to follow it up with a somewhat related post today.  Go with me as we get there.

She may not know it, but my wife (before she was my wife) gave me one of my most valued possessions.  When we were in college, a folk musician by the name of Michael Kelly Blanchard came to a chapel service and sang.  (I wasn’t really into folk music, but I really enjoyed what I heard.)  That night, he held a concert for the student body.  I will never forget how mesmerized I was and still continue to be at the lyrics of his songs.  Some of them you may know, but perhaps didn’t know that he was the songwriter.  A popular tune in the Church is “Be Ye Glad”, made popular by an A Capella group called “Glad”.  The words though, were written by Michael Kelly Blanchard.

Last Saturday my wife and I were cleaning out our closet and I came across a box of cds.  Nostalgic as I am, I couldn’t resist sitting on the floor, opening up the box, and going through its contents.  I came across a cd called “Mercy In The Maze” by Michael Kelly Blanchard.  It was a cd my wife bought for me back in college when Blanchard visited our school.  Clearly, she saw how moved I was by his music and wanted me to have my own copy.  More on that in a moment.

Thousands of years ago, God spoke and created every thing you see.  The sky, the oceans, the forests, the mountains, the fish, the animals, the flowers, the grass, the deserts, the stars, the moon, the Sun, the galaxies.  Everything came into existence by the very will of God through the very spoken word of God.  He simply spoke and order came.  Perfect design flowing from the  mouth of the Perfect Creator.  What power is His, evidenced by what happened when He simply spoke.

But God didn’t speak humans into existence.  Genesis 2:7 tells us that God “formed a man from the dust of the ground”.  While God could have most certainly simply spoken man into existence just as He did the stars and fish, God wanted man to be a “hands-on” project.  Look down at your arms, your hands, your feet.  You are literally the work of God’s hands.  Psalm 139:13 finds the psalmist declaring, “You knit me together in my mother’s womb…”  God created you with His own hands.  Do you see how precious and priceless you must be to Him?

And after God formed man from the dust, Genesis 2:7 tells us that He then “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life…”  While scientifically it’s true that you’re breathing oxygen right now, can you embrace the truth that spiritually speaking you are breathing the breath of God?  You are alive right at this moment because of the breath on loan to you from God Himself.  Pause just a moment and contemplate that truth.

The book of Genesis, in the very next chapter no less, tells us that the serpent was the most crafty of any creatures the Lord God had made.  Let me tell you what one of the greatest and yet most effective lies the serpent speaks is: “You’re beyond grace.”  Everyday to as many people as he can, Satan whispers into their ear that they are beyond help, beyond forgiveness, beyond repair, beyond the reach of God’s love.  They’ve done too much, they’ve sinned too much, they’ve hurt too many people.  They’ve simply gone too far and nothing can bring them back to the redemptive embrace of their Creator.

How I desire for every person who is taking the time to read these words to understand and embrace this fact: No matter what you have done, no matter where you have been, no matter what you think of yourself, no matter how painful the pain is that you’ve caused or that you now feel; there is NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING that can keep you out of God’s reach.  I beg you to please reject the lie of the enemy as he seeks to pull you further and further into the darkness of your own shame.  Whatever you have done, the blood of Jesus Christ covers it.  You are still the object of God’s affection.  You are still the target of His love.  You are still breathing the very breath of God; the grace-filled breath of your loving Creator.  Please believe that.  Please embrace it.  Please accept it.  Please take that truth in to the deepest part of the darkest pain you have and allow it to be the salve, to be the balm that heals the hurts.  It is not merely words on a screen you’re reading–it is the most real reality there is.  It’s the truest truth that exists:  God loves you right where you are.

I want to introduce you to a song by Michael Kelly Blanchard.  The video that follows is dated, but the message being conveyed is as relevant and needed today as it ever has been.  And as you listen to this song, I invite you to place yourself in it.  Hear the words as they come from the singer and realize that this is God’s loving anthem over you.  If you have failed morally, if you have reckoned your situation as hopeless, if you have been convinced that you are beyond repair, beyond redemption, beyond God’s reach….listen to His message of grace today.  And breathe His grace in.

Moral Failure

/ jerrythinks / 25 Comments

You’re about to read a blog that comes from an extremely passionate and angry part of who I am.  Without any attempts at sensationalism, I’m going to be quite candid.  If you’re in a marriage relationship, please feel free to comment or even call me on the carpet for what you’re about to read.  I welcome it.

Nearly 3 years ago I had a friend.  He was more than a friend really; he was a partner in ministry.  In fact, he was someone I’d consider my closest friend in student ministry.  We spent tons of time together, we always got along well, we had a similar passion for students, we shared many interests, and we really enjoyed each other’s company. All in all, we were close.  Yet as it turns out, not close enough.

I say that because I clearly wasn’t close enough to see what perhaps he kept hidden from everyone; his inch-by-inch journey into moral failure.  Until one night, seemingly out of nowhere, I found myself sitting face-to-face with my friend, pleading with him not to leave his wife and kids.

He left anyway.

Soon after that, I heard someone say something about the situation that I still to this day disagree with.  It was a statement I’ve heard in other situations as well. You’ve probably heard it too.  It’s a statement that has nearly reached the status of cliche’:  “There but by God’s grace go I.” or more to the point: “That [moral failure] could have happened to any one of us.”  I completely disagreed.

You see, my friend who left his family didn’t slip and fall into a hole.  He climbed in.  Moment-by-moment, hour-by-hour, day-by-day, week-by-week, month-by-month, he CHOSE to keep hidden an inappropriate relationship; one that he KNEW would ultimately bring about the end of his marriage.  Do I feel compassion for him?  Absolutely.  But do I also hold him responsible?  You better believe it.

It’s utterly flabbergasting to me how many people in ministry (and those who are not) wrongfully justify immoral behavior.  And in today’s world of hyper-connectedness, we’re literally surrounded by ways that we can step into an inappropriate relationship.  But no matter how many traps are set for us, it is always our choice that leads us into sin.

Consider 1 Corinthians 10:13:  “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”

Simply put, Satan sets a trap but God gives an escape.  According to this verse, you’re NEVER cornered by the enemy’s schemes.  God is always faithful to provide you with a way to get away and free from the destruction Satan desires for your morality and for your marriage.  ALWAYS.

Now, I know better than anyone else just how imperfect a human being and husband I am.  That being said, one of my desires for my life is to be one of those men that–if you know me–you think of as a man who is head-over-heels crazy in love with his wife.  But more than that, a greater desire is for my wife to know that and to feel secure in it.  To that end, there are certain things that I’ve set as principles/boundaries/habits in my marriage (I recommend them to every husband):

1. My wife has full access to my phone & computer; including all text messages, web history, call history, & calendar.  Period.

2. My wife and I have a standing weekly date–just the 2 of us–to talk about anything and everything.  (It’s the highlight of our week!)

3. I swat my wife’s behind every chance I get.  It’s my silent “I love you.”  (This is a multiple times daily occurrence.)

4. I tell my wife not only that I love her, but that I’m IN love with her. And when I say “love” I don’t mean “you give me butterflies” (though she does that too), but that “I’m completely committed to God, to you, to us, to our kids, to this life together. This love is a committed decision. Period.”

5. I consistently confirm that I’m in a spiritual relationship with my wife, not merely a physical and emotional relationship.  I faithfully remember that on our wedding day while I was surrounded by family and friends, I stood before God and made a covenant vow to Him that it is to this woman I am giving my everything; and all for no other reason than to have the joy of her company, the strength of her friendship, and the security of her love.  And God helping me I would provide these things to her as well.  That was my VOW TO GOD.  Oh, that husbands and wives would study carefully and understand the word “vow” before they make one.

No, moral failure such as my friend had (and still lives in) wasn’t a “oops, I slipped and fell” kind of situation.  We CHOOSE to fail.  We CHOOSE to stop loving. We CHOOSE to look where we ought not look.  We CHOOSE to get reconnected with that old “flame”.  We CHOOSE to show interest in that co-worker.  We CHOOSE to send that text message or picture.  We CHOOSE to cross the line of our marriage covenant into moral compromise.  We CHOOSE to put our spouse and children aside while we pursue utterly selfish and lustful desires.  We CHOOSE to get emotionally entangled then physically involved with someone other than the one we’ve made a vow to.  We CHOOSE.

And here’s what I CHOOSE:

I CHOOSE to grow old with the same woman I once was young with.

I CHOOSE to put on display for my kids the fact that their mother has no reason to worry about her husband’s commitment to her.

I CHOOSE to show my wife that I take completely seriously the fact that I am standing in God’s full view and accountability as I live my love for my wife out on a daily basis.

I CHOOSE to be a man of integrity, of passion, of morality, of mind-blowing monogamy, and of Godliness.

And when my vision fades and my eyes close on this life, I will look back and know that I have shown the world that in regards to marriage: “THAT is how it’s done.”

Striving Imperfection

/ jerrythinks / 3 Comments

I’m a closet perfectionist.  And I’m coming out.

“Hi. My name is Jerry and I’m a perfectionist.”

I can hear you all saying “Hi, Jerry.” followed by light applause.  Thank you.

Let me be even more honest.  I sometimes let my striving for perfection stop me from making any forward progress at all.  The rationale goes something like this, “If I __(write)__ and it isn’t phenomenal, then I’m not going to be happy, people won’t like it, and the overall quality of __(the blog)__ is going to be negatively affected.

Case in point.  I just started a new weekly schedule whereby I actually have allotted time to contribute to my blog twice a week.  However, because I got an unexpected phone call as the allotted time was approaching, I was left with only a few minutes to write and thought “Nah, won’t write today.” The problem is (in true perfectionistic form), I didn’t want to muff up my new schedule on my very first day of implementation!  See the cycle?!?  But I digress.

So, I’m just going to write about what’s going on in my head right now.

Tonight is “Trunk or Treat” at my church.  We typically have well over 1,000 people from the community come through our parking lot, picking up treats and hopefully a healthy dose of God’s love and maybe even a “I should check them out” thought in their mind.  I’m excited about my costume.  It cost me exactly $1.  I bought an old used work shirt from a company called “Lake Electric” that has the name patch “Justin” on it.  Total blue collar look with jeans and work boots.  Who am I?  I’m Bieber in 20 years.  My wife and I are helping with registration at the event tonight.

I’ve got a lot going on in my whole effort to shift my time around in order to make sure I’m more focused on the important rather than the urgent.  Taking my cues from Mary instead of Martha.  If you don’t have any clue what I’m talking about, read this.

Well, speaking of important, I’ve got an errand to run.  Thanks for checking in on what may or may not be what I consider a completely “imperfect” blog post.

SanctifiPod

/ jerrythinks / 9 Comments

I’m not a legalist.  I’m just putting that out there.  I’m not a follower of Jesus who’s in it for the comfort of rules and order.  I think Christians get far too well known for our proverbial “Don’ts” than for anything else.  There are people living right now who reject Jesus and (more accurately) Christians/Christianity because it seems most like a long list of what you’re not allowed to do.  So, before I get into what I’m about to say I want to say first that I hate the fact that I’ve had to say what I just said.  Now that that’s out of the way…

Something happened to me recently that has started/restarted a conversation with myself (yet another) about a specific issue; the issue of practical holiness or as some refer to it as “sanctification”.  I’d like to add to that “daily sanctification”.  Here’s what happened to me:  We recently signed up for Blockbuster’s “Combo Pass” which allows us to take out any movie or video game from our local Blockbuster store for any amount of time.  (If you’re thinking that a pastor shouldn’t be a member at Blockbuster, you might be a legalist.  If you’re not sure, reread the first paragraph.)  The Combo Pass allows us to take any movie or game out, one at a time, and keep it from anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks.  When we return it, we trade it in for any other item we’d like.  There’s a flat monthly fee and since we use Blockbuster a bit and since the monthly fee for this month is 50% off ($7.50 for the  month), we thought we’d give it a shot.  In a nutshell, we’ve used it to the hilt.

So, a couple of Friday’s ago I had the day off.  All the kids were in school, my wife was at work, and I was essentially on my own to do whatever I felt like doing.  I decided that I’d head to Blockbuster and get a video game to play.  I thought I’d try that “Black Ops” game everyone seems to be abuzz over, but when I looked over the selection, I decided on what I thought would be a bit tamer: Goldeneye 007 (A James Bond movie-based game).  With a few hours to kill and a video game under my arm, I headed home.

I put the game into the machine and was soon underway on my first spy mission.  Goldeneye is known as a “FPS”-style game, or “first person shooter” game.  The screen is filled with the images I would see as I walk through bunkers, up stairs, and around corners on my way to the rendezvous point.  Graphically, it was pretty cool.  But as anyone who plays or knows FPS games can tell you, the word “shooter” in the title is pretty much the whole point of the game.  So, as I glided, ducked, and snuck my way through the game’s first level, I had to–ahem–shoot people.

I could really draw this out, but I’ll just cut right to the chase.  Within about 30 minutes of playing this “first person shooter” game, I began to feel physically ill.  I quickly concluded that the stress of the game, the imagery of the shooting, the pressure of the mission, and the overall fantastical experience of being that shooter for 30 minutes had truly been detrimental to my mind, and quite literally my body as well.

I returned the game to Blockbuster within a couple hours of picking it up and the whole experience soon faded from my mind.  That is, until today.

I knew that today would be the day I’d cut the grass and for me, every chore is better with music.  So, I fired up my Pandora radio (built into my phone), chose the “80s Throwback, 90s Comeback” station, yanked the cord on the mower and started out on the work at hand.  I listened to the likes of Bon Jovi, John Cougar Mellencamp, and GNR.  And it was during that second Guns ‘N Roses song that I began to notice something.  Not quite as acute as my 007 incident, but I could have sworn that I had literally begun to feel “down”.  I can’t say that it was entirely physical though there was an element of that.  I suppose its best described as a “soul blah”.   Now I want to restate right here that I don’t think people who listen to secular music are bound for hell because they listen to secular music.  In fact, I own and enjoy several albums of non-Christian musicians.  Its just that I can’t deny the effect that this music was having on me.  Recalling my half hour as James Bond, I decided that right then and there I would stop the mower, change the station to one that played Christian/worship music and see what happened.  Guess what?  I almost instantly began to feel lifted, stronger, and overall better.  Again, I’m not proposing that Christian music is magical; I’m only conveying MY experience right there in my yard this morning.

As a man who decided over 20 years ago to turn it all over to Jesus and His Lordship of my life, I must confess to you that as I get older, I see a direct connection between His Lordship and my sense of peace and ease.  Not at all that full surrender brings full bliss and problem-free living, but rather that full surrender brings confidence and certainty while the opposite brings, well, the opposite.  The Bible puts it this way, “You will keep him in perfect peace who’s mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”  (Isaiah 26:3)

Daily sanctification is the result of the day-to-day choices we make as to who we’re going to follow.  Those choices reflect our heart, for better or for worse.  And while its arguable that video games and music choices play a minor role in our overall holiness, I’d submit that they play just as much an integral a part as any other choice we can make; from running that red light to stealing that item to committing that adultery to ending that life.  How can we dismiss some choices, claiming they have no bearing on the choices we’d call bigger?  Doesn’t each small drop of rain contribute to the torrential downpour?

So, based on my experiences as of late with gaming and music and if I were to make a decision on those isolated alone, I’d have to say that filling my eyes, mind, and ears with things that don’t make God the center draw me farther from Him and likewise filling my eyes, mind, and ears with things that do make God the center draw me closer to Him.

The conversation opens when I realize (because its true) that there are plenty of Jesus-following, God-honoring people who are reading this post and love first-person-shooter games.  And there are people who love Jesus and are listening to Guns ‘N Roses while reading my blog.  And again, if you think they’re not really Christians then you need to go back and re-reread my first paragraph because you may need to check yourself for legalism.

Instead of drawing this all up with a nice bow, I’d like to invite YOUR thoughts on the effects in YOUR life of “secular” media choices; gaming, television, music, movies, etc.   This is a great opportunity for any who have been faithful readers but who have never posted a comment to do so!  All I ask for is honesty and respect for others viewpoints.

Why Do We Want

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While its true that I’ve been invited to speak at a revival series later this month, I’m not yet sure if I believe in the concept of revival.  At least, not in the way we have come to understand it, describe it, and daydream about it.  Hear me out.

It seems to me that we talk about revival like we’re at a bus stop waiting for a bus that may or may not exist; one that has no schedule, and worse yet — no clear destination.

So, approaching the idea of revival with the body of believers I’m honored to be invited by, I’ll begin with one often overlooked question: “Why do you want revival?”  I mean, it sounds like the right thing to want but if we look deeper than the surfacey nice-nice it portrays, I think we’ll see some hard truths that must be faced before forward motion can happen.

First, the desire for revival must, by definition, include an admission of the need to be “revived”.  Let’s not get too complicated here; if something needs to be revived, what we’re really saying is that it’s dead or nearly so.  The very desire for revival must first be okay with confessing our deadness.  And we’re Christians.  Ouch.

Secondly, revival by its very nature declares that we are not complacent to stay where we are any longer.  Inject a Christian with truth serum and they’ll likely tell you that they feel spiritually stuck more often than they care to admit.  But to all those who I’ll be joining in NC later this month, and to all those reading these words, I share a wonderful quote from the prolific, late Mike Yaconelli when he said, “Being stuck is the prerequisite to being unstuck.”  So, Christian stuck in your _________, rejoice!  You’re right now in the perfect position to be unstuck!  If we’re going to call for revival, we’re going to have to make up our minds that we can’t possibly stay here.  Here is where we’ve been.  Here is where we’re comfortable.  Here is what’s familiar.  Here is where our routine lives.  So, we must march on…and out of here.

Finally, revival calls for God to do something.  (As if He hasn’t done enough.)  Essentially, we prepare, we plan, we pray, we plan, we coordinate, we pray, we prepare….and then we wait.  And if God doesn’t “show up” in the way we have planned and prescribed for Him to show up, then…well…dangit.  We’ll have to try again next year.

Here are 3 things that I believe revival does.  If you’re looking for complex and deep then get ready for disappointment:

1. Revival calls us out of the sin we’ve wallowed in.  And I’m talking about “Christians” here.

2. Revival calls us into the Word of God–for nourishment, for sustenance, for comfort, for counsel, for all we need.

3. Revival sparks within us an unquenchable love for the lost and for sharing the message of the cross in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Are there more thoughts I have on revival?  Sure there are.   And if the Lord enables me, I’m excited to share them with the people of New Life Baptist Church later this month.

Charis(auto)matic

/ jerrythinks / 3 Comments

Ask anybody.  Forgiveness is a very popular concept.  We all know we need it.  The idea that whatever you did can be forgiven–well, who doesn’t want that?  The gospel song “Amazing Grace” is one that is widely known and loved by Christians and non-Christians alike.  Let’s face it, grace rocks.

We’re headed into a season of focusing on God’s grace in a concerted and intentional way at our church.  Its going to be a wonderful journey into new truths and poignant reminders of just where we stand before a holy God.

In a staff meeting the other day, our senior pastor was talking to us about what God says about grace, forgiveness, and mercy.  As he was speaking, my mind went back to my college Greek class and the word for “grace”.  It’s the Greek word “charis”.  Many Christians define grace as “unmerited favor”, and rightfully so.  But charis is so much more than a wink from God we didn’t earn.

I also made the instant connection (as our pastor was speaking) to the term “charismatic”.  Charismatic has become a descriptive term used to explain a style of worship in some churches; as in, “I really love that church! Their worship services are so energetic and charismatic.” Or “That church is too charismatic for my taste.”  How has a description to a style of worship  hi-jacked the word that I believe should describe every follower of Jesus?!?  I mean, if “charis” means grace, then doesn’t “charismatic” describe a gracious person?  And shouldn’t all those who name Jesus as Lord be examples of grace on a daily, hourly, minutely basis?

I grew up in a fairly traditional Baptist church.  (That’s an actual picture of it to the right.)  If you’ve been reading my blog for a while now, you probably already know that my Dad was the pastor of this small church in South Jersey.  And as much as I loved my church as a boy and teenager, I can tell you without flinching that we were most certainly NOT a “charismatic” church.  If you raised your hand, you probably had a question.  If you clapped, it was only after the duet of the elderly couple whose name I can’t remember; he played violin and she sang; both rather squeakily as I recall.  And if you found yourself on the floor, the only possible explanation is that you fell.  Nope, charismatic we were not.  We left the snake handling to the pros.

But when we can fully understand and appreciate that the word “charis” (grace) is translated as “that which affords joy” and “blessing, concession, gift, credit”, well…things change.  That last word “credit” strikes me more than any.  The concept of credit is taking/using what belongs to someone else with the intention of paying back in the future.  We in America know it well.  Very well.  Most Americans are drowning (many secretly) in thousands upon thousands of dollars in credit card debt.  But because of the true meaning of the word “charis”, we who love, receive, and follow Christ are in a position of first receiving what we most certainly have no claim to on our own, and then having no expectation on the part of our Creditor to pay that amount back.  Indeed, if I understand the gospel correctly, the bill of my sin credit has been paid in full by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  A popular concept I’ve heard is that “Jesus dropped the charges” when in reality the truth is “Jesus paid the charges”!  Grace is the removal of the weight of my own sin from my soul and placed upon the shoulders of Jesus.  Instead of punishment, I get pardon.  Instead of condemnation, I get celebration.  Instead of hell, I get healed.

But the transaction of receiving grace from God is only fully complete when we become the conduit of His grace.  Certainly God loves you and forgives you, but only for the purpose of making you the kind of lover and forgiver that He is; not so that you can look into the mirror each morning and smile at someone who is forgiven and yet doesn’t forgive.  In fact, we’re warned in scripture that if you don’t forgive….wait for it….you can’t be forgiven.  How’s THAT for a loving nudge toward being a “charis-matic” person?

So, let’s not just use the term “charismatic” for that church down the road (you know the one), but let’s instead find the word useful to describe every grace-filled, fully-credited, freely-loving follower of Jesus.

If you want to read a cool experience I had 4 years ago, click here.  It’s all about grace, too.