eTidings March 2008

THE PROBLEM OF BEING STUCK
Haggai 1-2

Haggai 1:1-15
1 In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest: 2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "These people say, 'The time has not yet come for the LORD's house to be built.'" 3 Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 4 "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?" 5 Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." 7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD. 9 "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11 I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands." 12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD. 13 Then Haggai, the LORD's messenger, gave this message of the LORD to the people: "I am with you," declares the LORD. 14 So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the LORD Almighty, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius.

Robert Coleman says in The Master Plan of Evangelism that Jesus' life was ordered by His objective to reach the world. "Everything He did and said was a part of the whole pattern. It had significance because it contributed to the ultimate purpose of His life in redeeming the world for God. This was the motivating vision governing His behavior. His steps were ordered by it. Mark it well. Not for one moment did Jesus lose sight of His goal."

Allen Hadidian – “Discipling others is the process by which a Christian with a life worth emulating commits himself for an extended period of time to a few individuals who have been won to Christ, the purpose being to aid and guide their growth to maturity and equip them to reproduce themselves in a third spiritual generation.”

If it is true that Jesus’ motivating vision is to redeem the world, and if he was serious in his command to us to go and make disciples, the question for us then us, “Why is the church not doing that?” Why is the American church able to grow a little, decrease a little, grow a little, decrease a little—but seem to be unable to show sustained New Testament growth. I believe we must face several issues that require biblical solutions. Some of these problems and solutions are found in the teachings of the prophet Haggai.

Students may ask, “What is the least amount of work I can do and still get an “A” in this class?” A worker may inquire, “What is the minimum amount of labor I can perform without losing my job?” Believers sometimes want to know, “What is the minimal obedience that I can do and still be called a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ?” These questions and others similar to them are a part of the problem of a church that is neither winning the lost nor making Christlike disciples in a regular, sustained, on-going strategy to redeem the world for God. We are generally failing at the one motivating vision and purpose of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are at least six problems that a church that is stuck faces. This month we will look at one of them.

THE PROBLEM OF LEADERSHIP Vs. 1:1-15

We Have a Church that is Stuck, Sick, and Dying that Needs to be Healed
The leadership of the church cannot afford to accept this condition as normal or final. We are stuck because we are not doing what it takes to win the lost to Jesus and to make Christlike disciples of the believers with whom we have been entrusted. Sickness and death are not the appropriate conditions of a Christ loved church. There is healing in the blood of Jesus from the soul sickness that threatens to annihilate the church. We are “A glorious church, without a spot or wrinkle, Washed in the blood of the Lamb.” (Ralph Hudson, A Glorious Church) Let’s live like it.

We Have a Church that is Asleep that Needs to Awaken
Matthew 25:1-13 tells the parable of Jesus about the ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five were foolish and took no oil with their lamps; five were wise and took oil in jars along with their lamps. It is interesting to me that the five foolish and the five wise fell asleep while waiting for the bridegroom to appear. [The King James Bible says in verse 5, “they all slumbered and slept.”] While Christ tarries his church is asleep. While souls perish the church of God slumbers.

We Have a Church that is Comfortable that Needs to Change
The Church of the Nazarene began 100 years ago with “the declared purpose of preaching holiness and carrying the gospel to the poor.” (Girvin, Phineas F. Bresee, A Prince in Israel, p. 104) We have come a long way. From the early days of struggling and facing opposition for our distinctive doctrine of entire sanctification, we have become a church for the more well-to-do, and holiness is once again a by-word in our churches. In Luke 12:16 ff, Jesus tells the parable of the rich man whose crop was so great he no place to store his bounty. He said "This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." Finances are not the only way that His people can rob God. What are you doing to win the lost to Christ? What are you doing about making Christlike disciples?

We Have a Church Living in Spiritual Poverty that Needs to Receive the Grace of God
Revelation 3:14-21 is the record of the words of Christ to John. Verses 15-18 speak to us today. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

We Have a Church that is Lazy that Needs to Develop Energy
We have no excuse for lacking the energy to carry out the commands of our Lord. He promised power to the church in Acts 1:8. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

We Have a Church that is Bureaucratic that Needs to Become Entrepreneurial
I am convinced that God is calling His church, and in particular, the International Church of the Nazarene “To make Christlike disciples in the nations.” In order to operate at maximum efficiency we must step outside of the bureaucratic boundaries that we have set for ourselves and do something entrepreneurial in following Jesus. Entrepreneurs take chances. Entrepreneurs live with risk. Entrepreneurs get a vision from God and allow that motivating vision to govern their behavior. Jesus explained this principle in this way in Matthew9:17. 17 Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." We have trying to put new wine into old wineskins. When we do we lose both the wine and the wineskins. When we use new wineskins everything is preserved. God is trying to do a new thing in our church. Will you allow Him to use you to accomplish His purpose?

The leaders in the church are leading. The question is: In which direction are we leading? President Harry S. Truman reportedly had a sign on his desk that read, “The buck stops here.” In reality, the buck must stop somewhere. I tell you the truth. The condition of the church is the direct responsibility of the senior pastor. The buck stops here. The vision starts here. The motivation begins here. The salvation of souls begins here. Evangelism starts here. Discipleship begins here. Pastoral care begins here. Lifestyle changes begin here. I have determined that if the church is going to prosper and grow through the salvation of the lost and the discipleship of believers, it is up to me to change me with the help of God, until my leaders and the people they lead are changed by the power of God.

There are five principles that we should embrace in order to make that happen. Our first priority ought to be making Christlike disciples who make Christlike disciples who make Christlike disciples… I want to keep these principles in front of you. They are as follows:

1. PRAYER AND FASTING
2. THE AUTHORITATIVE WORD OF GOD
3. THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
4. GENUINE ACCOUNTABILITY
5. RELATIONAL MULTIPLICATION

Jot me an email note with any questions or suggestions at scnnazpastorgary@charterinternet.com. God is growing a great church in Eastern Michigan. We are blessed to be a part of his great kingdom work!

I look forward to greeting you at the Discipleship Summit on April 19, 2008 at Flint Central. God is growing a great church in Eastern Michigan. We are blessed to be a part of it.

Gary A. Slusher
Chairman,
EMD SDMI

THANK YOU TO ALL PASTORS WHO REPORT ON TIME EACH MONTH
Here are the February 2008 SDMI Reporting Results

WAY TO GO, PASTORS! WE HAD 100% REPORTING FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I HAVE BEEN SDMI CHAIR AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME BEFORE THAT. NOW THAT WE CAN SEE HOW GOOD IT FEELS AND HOW EASY IT IS TO DO, WE CAN HAVE 100% REPORTING EVERY MONTH. EASTERN MICHIGAN PASTORS ARE THE BEST!

First Zone to Fully Report: Detroit West Zone!
Second Zone to Fully Report: Thumb Zone!
Third Zone to Fully Report: Lakes Zone
Fourth Zone to Fully Report: Livingston Zone
Fifth Zone to Fully Report: Ann Arbor Zone
Sixth Zone to Fully Report: Flint Zone
Seventh Zone to Fully Report: Detroit East Zone

First Churches to report in each zone:

Ann Arbor Zone: Adrian First (& First online)
Detroit East Zone: Port Huron First (& First by phone)
Detroit West Zone: Allen Park (& First by email)
Flint Zone: East Flint (Very First Church to report District Wide!)
Lakes Zone: Williams Lake
Livingston Zone: Fowlerville
Thumb Zone: Colling

A Discipleship Summit is coming to Michigan on April 19, 2008. This “Listening Tour” will be held at Flint Central Church of the Nazarene. Those encouraged to attend are pastors, staff, and all SDMI ministry leaders of the local church. The Summits are an opportunity for ministry leaders - pastoral and lay - to explore together discipleship in the 21st century.

To be and make Christlike disciples implies re-thinking methods and priorities. Local church ministry leaders will learn from other local ministry leaders what is and is not working. Help build your local strategy for the pursuit of the mission. Find out the best practices in Sunday School and disciple-making that others are using effectively in your region. Send all your ministry leaders to a 2008 Discipleship Summit.

We need to learn from you. What is helping you accomplish your mission? What is hindering your effectiveness? What effective methods are you using? What resources do you need to make disciples?

Discover a fresh passion for pursuit of the mission. Re-vitalization of the Sunday School and passionate discipleship ministries are the future. Help create it.

Registration is only $25.00 for a day of inspiration and motivation in making disciples. Registration can be completed online. Why not register your entire ministry team today? You will be glad you did.