“I am sending you…” –Jesus (Matt 10:16a)

1. Stop looking for a tool other than the church to change the world.  As Christians, we want to compete with the world,  it is part of the American psyche, we want Hollywood special effects, we want flash, splash and impact.  We want God to display His Glory through an amazing sight so that we (followers of Jesus) will be vindicated and the world will be sorry for ever having doubted our words.  That’s what we want, and that is how we think but…  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”  declares the LORD. (Isa 55:8NIV).  Strange truth is that God chose His church (people authentically living like Jesus), not the flashy construction, not the buildings or media we so love to display but HIS CHURCH to be the vessel to change the world. That means He (GOD) believes that you and me living for Him & like Him is the best possible way for the world to know Him. That is God’s plan.  Stop waiting for something to come along to replace the life we are supposed to be living.

New Series Starts This Sunday! For more information: mercyscross.com

Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be rooted up,  14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”  Matt 15:13-14 NLT

Just finishing up prep on our next message series “Difficult People” and realizing how necessary this series is going to be.  As a pastor, one thing I have had experience with is dealing with difficult people!  For those of you reading this that also attend Mercy’s Cross, I’m almost certain I am not talking about you anywhere in this document.

I do want to share a technique with you that I have found effective when you are being bombed by the needy, manipulative, hypocritical, or overly critical people that drive you crazy every day. I call this technique a funeral in your mind.  All of us have experienced the uncomfortable feeling of being manipulated, or the burn of criticism, or the sting of being used.  So what do you do about it?  Most of the time we retaliate, like a cruel game of tennis, we bat their remarks back at them in hopes that we can some how “win”.  This almost never works and the results are always bad.  I’m not saying you shouldn’t share your side of the story, or give the information that should change this person’s perspective, but way too often we waste time, energy and emotion on a person that isn’t going to listen.  So what do you do?  You have a funeral in your mind for them.  That is exactly what Jesus was saying in Matt 15, when He said “ignore them”.

When Mercy’s Cross had just started, we had a man visit who in his former life was a pastor. This man made it his mission to criticize me and everyone else in leadership at Mercy’s Cross. I mean this guy thought he had the spiritual gift of rear-end chewing and he exercised it each week on mine. At first I listened and took his barrage of junk, but later on I got tired of listening to his constant negative thoughts. So I let him know one Sunday that he had no idea about what he was talking about and really should find a therapist, his face turned red and so did mine and he stormed out. I thought praise God, a blessed reduction! To my dismay he returned next week unphased and bent on tearing me up once again. Week after week I left mad and so did he. Finally I prayed to God and let God know I was going to send this guy packing and that was that. I don’t know if you have had the opportunity (our should I say made the mistake) of telling God anything but it usually doesn’t work out well. In my quiet time, God let me know that I needed to love that man. Love him? Most of the time I wanted to trip him as he left! God was firm in His message to me and it was to love him and ignore him. The next Sunday, after a week of wrestling with God trying to change His mind, I showed up and so did Kill Joy. Just like always, he met me at the door after the service and let me know the message stunk, the worship sounded like a bunch of twelve year olds, and the carpet had stains. And with all the restrain I could muster I looked him in the eyes and said “Thank you Mr. _________ for sharing, see you next week.” What happened next was the most amazing thing ever. I would love to say he changed, his heart of stone melted and he became like Ebenezer Scrooge and longed for a second chance at life, but he didn’t. I would love to tell you he left and never came back, that didn’t happen either. What did happen is I no longer concerned myself with defending or answering his criticism. In essence, I had a funeral in my mind for him. Not to say I didn’t want him to surrender his life fully to Christ, but his toxic personality wasn’t going to change in this season and I could no longer be hijacked by his critical spirit. It was one of the most freeing things I have ever experienced.

A few years later I visited him when his wife died and spent time consoling him and praying with him. His answer “You’re really not cut out for this pastor thing are you? A good pastor would know better what to say at times like this.” My answer “Thank you Mr. _________ for sharing.” All the while funeral music was playing in my head.

“so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”

-Jesus Christ

Matt 15:13-14 NLT

This weekend was one of excitement and realizations.  First, it is exciting every time God’s people assemble to make themselves more like Christ.  We did that at our leadership lab.  It was one of the largest in our history.  We also assembled for the weekend experiences and began to understand parts of the new work that will be taking place in both of our regional campuses (Sherwood & Conway).  Get use to that title (Regional) because that is exactly what the Sherwood and Conway campuses are going to be.  They are becoming regional because they will be the hubs to provide a center for all the work we will be doing as we branch out and impact the communities around us.

The realizations I had this weekend having the experience of sharing time and listening to Barry Worcester (H2OChurch.TV) is that God expects us to influence, impact, and not implode.  Imagine the world as a stream, God expects us to be upstream.  The reason is how ever we affect the water will effect those down stream from us.  Far too many churches position themselves down stream and find themselves drinking in the influence of the world rather than changing the world they live in.  What is even worse is the temptation to remove ourselves from the stream altogether and have no influence on anyone or anything.  So my first realization is that we have to be upstream, in position to influence.

The second is that we must have an impact.  A statement Barry used is: “You can do way more than you think”.  It is amazing how you feel like you are doing all you can do and then all of a sudden someone comes in and shines a light and God says to your heart “Yep, way more.”  One of the challenges of being in a rut is you very often don’t even realize you are in it.  I have been in a rut.  It is time for new challenges; new heights, new goals, and new energy channeled in a direction that will help this work have greater impact.

Lastly, the realization of imploding is a real and dangerous one even for Mercy’s Cross.  Each time God calls us to step beyond ourselves we have two choices we can step or stop.  Stepping will bring challenges, conflict, and ultimately growth.  Stopping will eliminate you from God’s radar.  If you won’t step up to the challenges of growth you become a relic.  No one in this work wants to be a relic.

From time to time a church planter will ask me, “what do you wish someone would have told you before you began?”  Here’s a list of fifteen things I came up with…

#1 – Everyone Will Not Understand You…SO Stop Trying To Explain Yourself.  Cast Vision…And MOVE Forward!

#2 – Everyone Will Not Like You…So STOP Trying To Be Popular.

#3 – You Don’t Have To Be The Person Who Actually Solves Every Problem….Admit You Are Not The Smartest Person and Let Your Experts Be Your Experts.

#4 – Spend WAY More Time Talking About Who You Are Rather Than Who You Are Not.

#5 – A Leader Is Always An East Target Because They Are…A Leader.  So, Get Over Yourself And Get On With What God Called You To Do!

#6 – When The Holy Spirit Presses Something Into Your Heart…Don’t Ignore Him.

#7 – Do NOT Expect God’s Next Step To Make Sense.

#8 – You Can’t Plan A Move Of God…But You Must Be Prepared For One!

#9 – Do Not Resist Something Just Because You Do Not Understand It!

#10 – People Who Claim You “Are Not Deep Enough” Are Obsessed With Information But Have No Desire To Live Out Transformation.

#11 – You Don’t Need To Listen To Everybody…But You Had Better Be Listening To Somebody Because God Didn’t Ask You To Take This Journey Alone.

#12 – Never Apologize For Asking People To Commit To Something…Jesus Didn’t!

#13 – The Church Has Been Underachieving For Way Too Long…So Dream BIG And Don’t Apologize For It.

#14 – There Will Be Days When You Want To Quit…Don’t…Jesus Didn’t!

(Remember…DON’T GIVE UP…if you are discouraged, take a second and read this!)

#15 – The Gospel Changes Lives…PREACH Every Sermon Like It’s Your Last!!!