Where Is Your Focus?

Focus...so hard to do sometimes. Ever find yourself unable to focus while in church? The people across from you might be moving or have a different hair cut. The door opens in the back of church and you can see it where you are sitting, so you watch that person walking in. Focus...staying focused in worship is hard. Wondering what is on the menu for either lunch or dinner. What tasks we have to do on this day. Wondering who gave an offering or if your own offering was given. Focus...where should it be. Our focus should be on the cross. Our focus should be on the Word of God. As we examine our sinful nature and lift it up to the Lord, our focus shouldn't be on the sins of others. Focus...our focus should be on the forgiveness that Christ gave you as it is pronounced in absolution or as we receive the body and blood of our Lord. Focus...the focus should be on the message in the music. The focus should be on meaning of those powerful words of prayer. The focus should and needs to be God. So hard to do sometimes. Where is your focus in worship? Ever catch yourself not focused on the right things in worship? I do -- so I take a deep breath...and focus.

A Simple Smile

I'm sitting the back of the church packing things up when I feel this presence standing next to me. I look up and see this bright smiling face. I acknowledge them, but they just continue to smile. After an awkward pause, I thank them for coming. The response...nothing. No words, no head nod...nothing, but a smile. Then they turned and walked away. What a strange experience, but one that was powerful. A smile...a simple smile impacted my day. I wish I could tell you who it was or find that person again and say thank you, but I haven't see that person since. All I can remember is that smile.

We are people with many words. We sometimes feel that we have to say something. We have to respond or we have to be able to speak our mind or feelings. We are a people that sometimes feel we have to say words in order to share the love of Christ to people. But there are times when words mean nothing. All it takes is a simple and meaningful smile. When I picture Christ, I don't see a person who is talking. I don't see someone who is trying to tell me what I have done; good or bad. I see a face...with a smile. I see a loving God who knows when I have done wrong, but looks at me with those loving and tender eyes and smiles. It is the smile that impacts my day. Nothing fancy, it is just so simple. That smile that says, I love you. So I try to do the same...share the love of Christ...and smile.

Still In the Play

Volleyball season has ended. It was a fun time, but a lot of work. One of the things that the team finally started realizing was that even if the ball wasn't coming directly to them, they were still part of the play. It was their role, their job, to help tell their teammates what was happening on the court. It was their job to help their teammate make good decisions during play. There was no such thing as being "out of the play".

The same is true in the church. You are never out of the play. There are so many opportunities to bring Christ to the people. There are opportunities for you to use your talents help build up the ministry or build up someone. You are always in the play. I know that I'm not gifted in many different parts of ministry, but that doesn't mean I'm out of the play. I still have a major role and so do you. You might not be able to build a float. You might not be able to teach children in Sunday school or VBS. You might not be able to give a lot of your time at church because your schedule just doesn't allow it. But you are still not out of the play. Just like in volleyball, the other players have to help their teammates out. We must do the same. You aren't out of the play because you can help...help through prayer. Yes, you can help by praying. Asking God to bless the ministry. Bless the opportunities. Bless the efforts of His people. You are a vital part of the play. Your work builds up the team and keeps the play going. Stay in the play...just take the time to pray!

Member or Disciple

Member...very strange word to use in a church. I have often wondered why churches call their parishioner "members". To be a member of something means you are entitled to something. If you are a member of a country club, you are entitled to use their facilities. If you are member of an organization, you are entitled to receive their updates and attend their conferences. Member...is it really a word that a church should use? Who are the people in the church? Disciples. We are all disciples of our Lord. Our purpose is to bring Christ to others. Our purpose is to serve our Lord. You don't have to be a Pastor or a Lutheran School Teacher. You don't have to be strong in scripture or have the most powerful faith. You just have to be the way God created you to be. You have been called to be His disciple. In your job, you are a disciple. On vacation, you are a disciple. In worship, you are a disciple. God has called you to be His disciple no matter what job or position you have. Being a disciple is more than just filling a seat in church and expecting the message to be brought to you. Being a disciple is taking that message out...sharing it...living it...being it. Member or Disciple...which one are you?

Positive Marks

The thing I disliked the most as a teacher was grading papers. I knew that I had to assign homework in religion in order to base a grade on knowledge of our subject, but still, I really disliked grading. I would look at the 150+ papers I had to grade and just cringe. Not because I didn't want to see what the students knew, but because grading papers meant, I had to find what was wrong. I had to look at the negative aspect of their knowledge and there were a few that had a lot of negative marks on their papers. It was the hardest part of teaching for me. Because of the way I ran the class, I wanted to make sure that the positives were pointed out as well. Yes, I graded them. And yes, there were papers with a lot of negative marks -- it wasn't fun at all.

During hard times in our economy, families, work, etc., we tend to dwell on the negatives. We see where things are messed up or where things just didn't go right. When we talk about our lives, we dwell on what could have been or what is going wrong. It is easy for us to see the negative marks and that is all we share. Negative marks are easy to share with others or easy to ask people to pray about. Negative marks are easy to use as an excuse for lack of service to God or reasons why we might not serve our Lord. Negative marks can bring down a person and a church. It is during the hardest times, that the church is the strongest. We have the opportunity to share and thank God for the things we do have. We have things that God has provided to us. We have the opportunity to worship and praise His name. Why not, share that...share the positive marks. We should be thanking God for the gifts that He has given us. For the food on the table, people who love us, the opportunity to worship, and much, much more. When things are bad, you have to also look at the positive -- you have to be thankful for your blessings. It is positive marks that lift people's spirits and helps refocus our own hearts. It is the positive marks that show our Lord how much we are thankful for the blessings He has given. Yes, negative marks happen, but allow God to show you how He has blessed you and then...thank Him!

Bringing People or Bringing Christ

As this volleyball season is starting to wind down, I have had a change of heart of how to coach this team. In the beginning of the season, I was working so hard to make them understand this game and the skills that they need to accomplish in order to play the game. I was focused on teaching them the game in ways that had brought my past teams success. But as the season progressed, I realized that I was coming about this all wrong. I need to teach the game so that they can appreciate it and learn it in their time.

This is so much like the church. We want to share the message of Christ to the world. We want all people, all nations to experience the saving Grace of our Lord and Savior. But many times we come about this all wrong. We want to go out and bring people to Christ, instead of bringing Christ to the people. We should share Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to work in them. This means in all of our professions, in worship, in our free time, in all we do. We need to be bringing Christ to the people by our words, actions, worship and prayer. Then allow the Spirit to work in them. We won't be able to change the heart of people or make them become what we want them to become, but the Holy Spirit can work in their heart and help them understand the grace of Christ.

The Me-nistry Syndrome

I've often wondered what the focus of serving in the church is all about. There are days when I have walked into my office, turned on the computer, sat down, opened my bible and struggled with the purpose of being there. There are times when I listen to people talk about issues in their lives and that they just can't give up something to serve. It is truly amazing what reasons people have or where their focus is. I have even caught myself with the "me-nistry" syndrome.

Think about this. Each person is part of God's ministry. The words we speak, the works we do, the attitudes and behaviors we have is all part of ministry for our Lord. When things don't go the way we want or during this hard time in our country, city, and home, ministry turns into "me-nistry". We get so caught up in what we "need", what we are "deserving" to have or to do. When money is down, we don't give to the church, financially or through our talents. When our schedules are busy, we don't take the time for God in worship, word, or sacrament. We ask or demand, what is in it for me. That is "me-nistry". We only want what is best for me and our focus is on what we want or deserve. Ministry isn't about us, but Him. Is "me" getting in the way of Him?