continued...

Top 10 ways to make this lunch really, really, uncomfortable for John.

#6. "Thanks John for having lunch with me. So I have this one question that I really, really, have always wanted to ask you. So... [pause], what's it really like to work with Bill Hybels? Is it as cool as I imagine? I mean... you must be so honored to have worked with him...." [gushing about Hybels continues on through the entire lunch].

Everybody's Normal

Normal is good.

So today I flew to California to take a few days to study Menlo Park Church and, more specifically, to have lunch with John Ortberg. The flights were good... but man... I'm not sure you can cram many more people into that space. Sheesh.

By the way... my administrator rocks. She did all the logistics: booked my flight, car and room; and handed me a folder with all my stuff (in order) that I would need. She even included a sheet of bonus material, including an excellent Indian restaurant which I tried tonight. I can't tell you how much I hate doing that stuff... what a great gift to me. I don't want to post her name, but you Central people know who I'm talkin' about. Well done! Go give that girl a hug!

Tonight I went to the Saturday evening service at Menlo. I plan to go to 5 worship services this weekend: tonight, 3 on Sunday (including their satellite campuses) and their Sunday night "next gen." service.

Full Disclosure: It. Was. Not. What. I. Expected.

First, it's a traditional presbyterian church. Yes, they installed lights, screens and cameras.... but it feels "small church" in every way (Granted, it probably holds 700?) John's name is on the little sign out front. A lot of older people. I came early (of course), went around beforehand and just struck up conversations with people asking about Menlo from an insider's perspective.

They talked about it like it was the church down the street.

And what surprised me is that they talked about John just like he was another pastor.

This is very different from my other experience with John, which was while he was at Willow. Willow, by its sheer size and prominence, breeds a kind of "unapproachable pastor" aura. The pastors are the people on the stage. They are celebrities. Now, I'm not saying they are arrogant or even that they reinforce this image... but the medium is the message in this case. Put a person on stage in front of 7,000 people with their image on two huge jumbotrons... and you just can't help it.

John is a normal pastor here. He stood down front and talked with one or two people after the service... just like I do. People didn't crowd around him to get his autograph. (This is different from my common experience at Central, of course... where people clamber to get my autograph).

Actually, I spoke with 3 people for some time before the service and the first two people I met said, "Honestly, I'm not crazy about John's preaching. I liked the last guy."

WHAT!!! This is JOHN ORTBERG!

So honestly, this makes me feel better about my life. Because, if John can't please everyone... man... I'm not sure who can.

With rare exceptions (none of which I can even think of right now, so maybe it's "without exception"), I have never visited a church and wished I was the pastor there. I love Central. I love my community. Yes, there are days when I have wondered if it was time to move on. Yes, there are days when I'm sure Central wonders that as well!

But the grass is not greener on the other side.

Even if you are a famous author.

Or if you are in a church and you get a new pastor who is a famous author.

Leaving, on a jet plane...

So I'm sitting in the Columbus Airport at AA gate 32. My flight doesn't leave for an hour, but I'm one of those, "get-to-the-airport-really-early-so-you-can- leisurely-stroll-to-the-gate-and-watch-the-people-who-show-up-5-mintues-before-boarding-run-like-their-hair-is-on-fire" kind of guys.

I'm actually flying to California to have lunch with John Ortberg (see previous post). I'm also visiting their other sites to see if I can get a better sense of how they do the multisite thing. Turns out I also get to attend an meeting of the executive team to do some strategic planning, meet with some staff and attend a creative team meeting. I'm pretty excited.

People have asked me if I'm nervous or if I fear anything about meeting him. Honestly, what I fear most is being perceived as a stalker. I mean, really -- I'm flying to California JUST to have lunch with this guy.

I actually think I have a healthy perspective on "celebrity." Plain truth -- in many ways John has been my pastor and mentor through his writing. (Pastors don't get a lot of pastors as we are usually pretty busy on Sundays.) I respect him a great deal. But although I deeply respect John, I really am not all that star struck.

Although, just for fun, my wife and I began a list of "Top 10 ways to make this lunch really, really, uncomfortable for John."

# 10. Have a shirt made with his head on it (older Central folks, think of the Aaron S. floating head shirt). Have something printed on the back like, "I [heart] John Ortberg."

#9. Bring a stack of his books (yes, I own all of them-- and a couple I have multiple copies) along with a pen to the lunch. Ask him to sign them all, "To my best friend Paul. I will never forget this wonderful day together. Let's do lunch again! Love, your friend, John."

#8. Bring a photographer along and stage random "grip and grin" photo ops. At various points throughout the afternoon, just throw my arm around him and smile. [FLASH!]

#7. Pull a picture out of my wallet and say, "Here's a favorite one I have of you and your family on that secluded beach. I had to use a really big zoom lens but eventually I worked my way closer."

I have a couple of more, but the plane is here. Time to fly.

But feel free to add to these. I would love your ideas. BTW, his wife nancy is joining us, so I also thought about asking for really explicit marital advice....

Hearing God

"I truly believe that the onslaught of social media, constant barrage of text messages, unlimited interruptions by email and the perpetual buzzing of a cell phone…has created such a wall of sound in our lives…that we can no longer can hear from God. In the 21st Century the quest for food is no longer the driving force that pulls us from our quest for God. What pulls us from our quest for God is the quest for…connectivity. We get distracted from connecting with God to connect with our families through texting, our friends through Facebook and the world through Twitter. We allow our churches to pay for retreats, conferences and events for us to connect with God…yet commit the sin of poor stewardship by spending the entire time with our thumbs flailing on the smartphone keyboard. We stand in the pulpit and declare that God has given us a vision and word…yet we never actually hear it because we fail to shut off the computer, smartphone, e-reader or electronic tablet. We lay awake in fear at night worrying if we are leading our congregations down the wrong road…but not in enough fear to block out the beeps, buzzes, ring tones and pop-up screens."

Chris Elrod

Again

poured out.

Nothing else needs to be said

The "cutting room floor"

"And by the way, lest you think that Jesus taught some wishy-washy, "can't we all just get along" kind-of-message, let me just say it this way: Nobody ever crucified Big Bird."

Paul Risler

___________________________


I wrote that line for my sermon this weekend. For some reason, I just like it. But this afternoon, I cut it out of my message (as well as the whole larger section of which it was a part).

I hated to see it go.

People often ask me what's the hardest part of preparing a sermon. I think most people expect me to say that it's the research, or coming up with illustrations, or getting started, or ending the message...

For me it has always been the edit.

Almost without exception, every message I write (a finished message is approximately 20 half-sheets of paper long) is whittled down from about 40 pages. Usually the Tuesday before I preach a message, I have this 2-hour-long message that I run through. I take it on the treadmill, on the elliptical... I carry a copy of it in my coat pocket. I have even been known to read the entire thing into a voice recorder and play it in my car on long trips. I work on it whenever I have an extra couple of minutes.

And with each section, each paragraph, each line, I try to ask myself, does this REALLY support the main point? Does this REALLY make people wrestle with this text? Does this REALLY shed any extra light on anything?

Or do I just like it?

See, here's the thing: I think some of my best stuff ends up on the cutting room floor.

It's stuff I WANT to say, but I have to discipline myself not to say it.

Sometimes it's stuff I have poured hours into finding, wrestled with theologically and personally, mulled over anywhere from 6 weeks to a year or more. It stuff that I think is funny, or clever, or illuminating...

And it never gets said.

At least in that message. At least for now. Maybe there will be a time. Maybe there will be a season and I will give it a shot. But not now. Even if I WANT to say it.

Discipline.

Focus.

Wait.

It's good... but is it the best thing I can say?

___________________

I think some of the best stuff in life ends up on the cutting room floor.

Or at least it should.

Each of us has so much to do and so many options. And sometimes, the hardest part in life is the edit. It is asking ourselves, "Is this REALLY going to add to my life? Is this the right thing for my life right now? Maybe it will fit better later, but given my priorities and what God is calling me to do... is this really what I should do? Is this really something to add to my schedule? Do I really need to take this on?"

Discipline.

Focus.

Wait.

It's good... but is it the best way I can live?

I think some of the best stuff in life ends up on the cutting room floor.

Ian and Kelly's wedding

I'm leaving right now to go officiate Ian and Kelly's wedding. Decided to change the processional.

I keep finding these lists of accountability questions. I find them convicting and fascinating. First, it's not the questions are asked... in fact... I have several relationships where these kinds of questions are asked. It's the intentionality and the regularity by which they are asked.

Curious to know your thoughts.

Again, John Wesley's Small Group Questions:

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?

3. Do I confidentially pass onto another what was told me in confidence?

4. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work , or habits?

5. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?

6. Did the Bible live in me today?

7. Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?

8. Am I enjoying prayer?

9. When did I last speak to someone about my faith?

10. Do I pray about the money I spend?

11. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

12. Do I disobey God in anything?

13. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

14. Am I defeated in any part of my life?

15. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?

16. How do I spend my spare time?

17. Am I proud?

18. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisee who despised the publican?

19. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I going to do about it?

20. Do I grumble and complain constantly?

21. Is Christ real to me?

_____________________________


Wesley's Band Meeting Questions - these are the questions JW small groups would ask each other when they met each week.

1. What known sins have you committed since our last meeting?

2. What temptations have you met with?

3. How were you delivered?

4. What have you thought, said, or done, of which you doubt whether it be sin or not?

5. Have you nothing you desire to keep secret?

Reference: John Wesley's Class Meetings: a Model for Making Disciples, by D. Michael Henderson, Evangel Publishing House, 1997, pp. 118-9


_______________________________


Chuck Swindoll's Pastoral Accountability Questions:

In his book, "The Body," author Chuck Colson lists the questions used by Chuck Swindoll (pastor, author and Chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary).

1. Have you been with a person of the opposite sex anywhere this past week that might be seen as compromising?

2. Have any of your financial dealings lacked integrity?

3. Have you exposed yourself to any sexually explicit material?

4. Have you spent adequate time in Bible study and prayer?

5. Have you given priority time to your family?

6. Have you fulfilled the mandates of your calling?

7. Have you just lied to me?

________________________


Neil Cole (executive director of Church Multiplication Associates)

1. What is the condition of your soul?

2. What sin do you need to confess?

3. What have you held back from God that you need to surrender?

4. Is there anything that has dampened your zeal for Christ?

5. Who have you talked with about Christ this week?

______________________


HT: Journey ten questions:

1. Have you been a testimony this week to the greatness of Jesus Christ with both your words and actions?

2. Have you been exposed to sexually alluring material or allowed your mind to entertain inappropriate thoughts about someone who is not your spouse this week?

3. Have you lacked any integrity in your financial dealings this week, or coveted something that does not belong to you?

4. Have you been honoring, understanding and generous in your important relationships this past week?

5. Have you damaged another person by your words, either behind their back or face-to-face?

6. Have you given in to an addictive behavior this week? Explain.

7. Have you continued to remain angry toward another?

8. Have you secretly wished for another's misfortune so that you might excel?

9. Did you finish your reading this week and hear from the Lord? What are you going to do about it?

10. Have you been completely honest with me?

John Wesley's questions

Some questions Wesley (who was the founder of the Methodist Movement) would ask himself at the end of the day. He required his pastors to do the same. Might not be a bad idea for any of us.

John Wesley’s Small Group Questions:

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?

3. Do I confidentially pass onto another what was told me in confidence?

4. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work , or habits?

5. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?

6. Did the Bible live in me today?

7. Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?

8. Am I enjoying prayer?

9. When did I last speak to someone about my faith?

10. Do I pray about the money I spend?

11. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

12. Do I disobey God in anything?

13. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

14. Am I defeated in any part of my life?

15. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?

16. How do I spend my spare time?

17. Am I proud?

18. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisee who despised the publican?

19. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I going to do about it?

20. Do I grumble and complain constantly?

21. Is Christ real to me?

We got it right.

Okay, maybe the United Methodist Church finally got it right... at least in the advertisement.

I really like this.

The Solidarity Challenge

If you are doing the Solidarity Challenge in some form, I would love to hear how it is going. Please go to our Solidarity Challenge Blog and tell us what is happening.








Photos by Matt Eich

Haggard Update

Those of you who follow this site know that I have blogged about Haggard before. I find the whole situation so interesting. Recently, Haggard was featured in an HBO special. I have seen several interviews with him in the past couple of weeks, including the one below. My take is that he actually seems to be getting perspective and maybe healing. I'm curious to know what you, my loyal readers think.

We really want to know you.

Dear Blog readers who are a part of the Central community.

We really need your help.

If you haven't already done so, would you take some time and take the survey that is linked on our homepage called "Spiritual Life Survey"? Please only take this if you are a part of Central (or have left within the past year). It is really, really important to us. It will take about 20-25 minutes but we believe this will help us in where this congregation is headed in the coming years.

To my RSS readers... the first link didn't work for some reason. I tried to link it directly...

Again, please only take this is you are a part of Central.

Thanks

Dueling church signs

Okay, this is one of the funniest things I have seen in a long time. I must say that, in my opinion, the Catholics won the sign duel: certainly in humor.

And now...

A word from our sponsor.

Day off?

So I worked most of my day off. I could not turn my mind off. Yet I accomplished nothing that anyone will "see" in the next several months... it was all long-term stuff. Strategic, behind-the-scenes stuff. The stuff everyone assumes just happens.

Now, I'm smart enough to know that it's the long-term "important" work that often keeps an organization moving and healthy. There needs to be someone dreaming and planning. But when you have weekly "urgent" deadlines, sermons, budgets, appointments, stresses... yet all you do while working all day (on your day off) doesn't move you any closer to those "urgent" things... arg!

Most of my readers know by now that I LOVE my job. But just so you know... even people who love their jobs and feel called to do them have bad days. I feel a bit overwhelmed. Okay, maybe more than a bit. And although I know I will feel 100% better tomorrow, tonight I would trade this job for warm Diet Coke. It is definitely a Monday. (Funny, I dislike Mondays for a very different set of reasons than most people... but poor Monday always gets a bad rap.)

Of course, all this job stress will go away when I get elected president. Thankfully.

An Open Letter to New People Coming to Central from Other Congregations

Dear New Person from another local congregation:

First, I want you to know that I'm excited you are considering being a part of the community of Central. I have often said (and I really believe), there is no place I would rather be, and no other people I would rather be with than this community you are "checking out." I'm certainly biased, but I love the people and vision that is Central Avenue. I think you will as well.

With that said, you need to know, up front, that I'm more than a bit nervous you are coming.

1. I've never been much of a fan of what we pastors call “the annual sheep shift."

Consumer Christians. Transfer growth.

Now, to be clear, not everyone who transfers from one local congregation to another, does so for the wrong reasons. I believe there are right reasons to change local churches (I may hit on some of those in a later post).

But there are also wrong reasons.

And that is what makes me nervous.

You know, we pastors actually talk to each other. And we notice that some people just shift from one congregation to the next -- looking for better music, better preaching, better children's programs, the next "better" thing. And if you are coming to Central just because we are “better” than your last congregation, I have some news for you: soon you will find another congregation in town “better” than us. So I would just as soon give you some names of those churches and have you keep looking.


2. If you are coming to Central simply to have your needs met and “consume religious services,” please don't come.

No. Really.

I’m not kidding.

We need the seats.

This is the Church, not a shopping mall.

And honestly, it MAY BE that the children’s program (or whatever) at your last church would have been better if you had volunteered or given of yourself to make it better. Our children’s program is good, not because we are a “better church” but because of Serena and Sarah and Mike and Barb and Mary Ann and Linda and ... (on and on... ).

The church is people.

More than that, the church is people willing to lay down their lives for one another. It’s not always convenient.

It's not always easy.

It's not always about you.

Sometimes you have to take some nails.

So here is my suggestion: hang around for a while. Let’s “date” a bit. Find out if you like who we are and what we are about.

But then discover your gifts, roll up your sleeves and get to work. We have a world to change.

To be clear, we all have times when we need to heal and rest. We have seasons where we feel we just can’t make a contribution. Maybe we are wounded. Maybe we are in a period of transition with our families. Maybe we need a safe place to ask questions. But those times are not the norm, and they should be temporary. And they should lead you to deeper service and relationships, not apathy.

So, if you are coming to Central just to consume, honestly, I would rather have your chair for a person who is either ready to make a contribution or just checking out Christianity. And that goes for any of you current Central folks as well. Play ball or get off the field.

I’m serious.

I would rather have 100 sold out “sacrificial followers of Jesus” than 1000 spectators who think we are “relevant” and love our music.

BTW, I “love” when people call us "relevant."


3. If you are coming to Central because you like my preaching... you are a very wise person. ☺

Okay seriously... just kidding.

I am honored when people tell me that my preaching impacts them. One of the times I’m most alive is when I preach. It is what I love.

But know that I’m not the ONLY voice you will hear. We have an ever-expanding, gifted team of teachers that I love (and learn from) at Central. God speaks through different voices – the key is a gifting to teach (which our teachers have). But don’t mistake style with substance.

And since this is my blog, let me just rant a bit (as if that would surprise any of my readers!).

I think there are too many expectations placed on most pastors. We are not the paid Christians to do all the work. We are called to “equip the saints for ministry.” (Which means, if you are not doing ministry... ah...er... um... I guess you are not a saint. ☺)

People who know me well will tell you, I don’t do a lot around here. [“Amen!” from my staff]. That gives me time to focus on my sermon prep and those few things I do okay.

So before your put down your previous pastor’s preaching to me, know that I’m not a big fan of that. You don’t have to tell me I’m good by saying that another person is bad. And if you are saying that about that person now, what will you be saying about me in 3 years?

It may be your previous pastor’s preaching would have been better if the congregation didn’t place such unreasonable expectations on his or her time. Central has invested hundreds of hours in me -- and thousands of dollars. They have pushed me (yes, pushed me) to take sabbatical and study times. They’ve paid for me to go to conferences and given me money for books and resources. Yes, I believe I have a spiritual gift of teaching. But that gift has been nurtured and fanned by this community.

Please hear me: you are very welcomed here! Really. If you happen to be new and stumble on these posts, know that I’m not trying to talk you out of this community.

But know what you are getting into.

We are the Church. Not some club.

What makes Central attractive to you (or, as one of you said, “this place seems different!”) is that...um... this place... these people are different. There really is a hunger for God here. And hopefully an authenticity.

We are a people who don’t have it figured out (and aren’t afraid to say that) but we really do believe the Jesus Christ is the hope of the world and for some stupid reason he wants to us as channels of that hope.

So, we really only have 600 available seats (with 200 of them on a Saturday night) -- 450 were filled last weekend. We would love you to be a part of this body... but only if you are willing to BE a part of this body. We could use your gifts. Otherwise, we could use your chair.

Part 2 is coming soon... so don’t get ticked at me and quit reading.

But if this ticked you off... you probably wouldn't like Central anyway.

Thorn

"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

2 Cor. 12:7-10

__________________________________

I grew up as a magician, doing magic shows before very large crowds from a pretty young age. I loved being in front of people. I loved to "perform." I loved figuring out the timing of making people laugh. My dad and I would critique each show, often as we drove to the next one. In the car, we would methodically walk through the show and hone each routine from the opening words to the closing ones. We would add jokes (even "ad libs" that weren't ad lib). We would craft the "patter" of each effect.

Occasionally we would be doing a show and I would get nervous. My dad's advice? "Fake it until you make it." He really was of the school, "Don't tell them you are nervous and they will never know. But if you tell them, it will make you seem less professional and you will be all the more nervous."

Now, it's funny; I don't remember having "stage fright" all that much growing up. I spoke in front of hundreds of people at a time, and never really gave it much thought.

That was then.

When I did magic shows.

And it worked.

Now, to be clear, I think much of my life has been to prepare me for what I do now. I've been speaking in public as a magician since the age of 5. I spent hours upon hours a week learning how to engage an audience and craft a routine. I did four years of drama while in High School, acting in plays and musicals. I did several years on the debate team. In college I was a speech communication major. There is no doubt that I have been trained as a speaker (often I think I should be MUCH better at this than I am!).

Then I became a pastor.

And something happened.

While I was in seminary, I was a youth pastor in this small church. This church hired me... and to say I was "green" would be an incredible understatement. I had this little youth group. And I did the best I could do at being their pastor -- knowing absolutely nothing about being a youth pastor.

I remember I did this bible study. It was on forgiveness. And as I was speaking, I felt this strange sense that something "bigger than me" was going on. I have no other words than that -- but the strange mix of confidence and heaviness was overwhelming.

What surprised me is that I would teach on something... and dang it... the students would go and do it. They would forgive people who hurt them. They would reach out to people they wouldn't normally have reached out to. They would share their faith with their friends.

It was weird.

Sometimes their parents would call me and ask me what happened to their child.

I will never forget the first time I spoke before a church. (Sermon title: "If I am a part of the body of Christ, than why do I feel like a toe?") It was this very odd mix of incredible excitement -- and nothing short of terror. I wasn't expecting that.

So...

I've been doing this "preaching" thing for 17 years now. And the excitement... and the terror... have never gone away. I get sick before almost every time I speak. I'm a mess the day before. Moments before I walk on the platform, most of the time it would not take much to talk me out of it. I can't describe it. But I don't like it.

And yet, at the same time, while I'm teaching, I feel most alive.

There is an old movie called, "Chariots of Fire." In it, Eric Liddell (who is a runner), says something like, "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast, and when I run, I feel God's pleasure."

When I teach, I feel God's pleasure.

Yet.

I'm writing this because after taking 4 weeks off from preaching, I started again this past Sunday. I felt like I hit a brick wall. I felt like I got ran over by a train. I took a 4-hour-nap afterward and, really, would have slept through most of Monday and most of today if I didn't have a job to do. Fortunately, it usually gets easier in a few weeks. My body gets back into a groove.

But until then...I don't like it.

I'm not complaining. I'm so thankful to God that He distributes spiritual gifts to his Church. And I'm actually pretty thankful that I have a fairly good sense of my gifts. But gifts come at a cost. The giver of the gifts paid a price... and there is a "price" that is paid whenever we are broken open and poured out. There really is a difference between a gift and a talent. And maybe this is part of the difference.

So, do others of you struggle with this? In what areas? And if not.. I wonder why not?

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

God's power made perfect in weakness.

Power made perfect in weakness.

Power... perfect... weak.

Power. Weak.

God

The "Warren Debates"

I find this interesting on a number of levels; the first being that the candidates actually are doing it. I like Warren. And I think he did a good job with this interview (although he dodged some questions, I'm not sure I would have not tried to do the same thing).