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Money, Missions, and Ministry

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FBC DallasA pet peeve of mine has been how much churches are willing to spend on buildings, all in the name of “ministry.”

I used to live in Dallas, Texas, the mega-church capital of the world. There are more mega-churches in Dallas, TX per capita, than anywhere else in the world. One street I was driving down recently contained four mega-churches in a one-mile stretch.

I don’t mind the number of churches so much. What gets me going is how much these buildings cost. First Baptist Church in Dallas recently spent close to $50 million to construct a new “ministry” building! They say this will help them better reach the residents and people of downtown Dallas. Truly, I hope it is money well spent, and I wish them well.

But I often wonder what that $50 million could have bought in Africa or Papua New Guinea. If they answer by saying they were trying to reach the people in Dallas, then I wonder how many meals for homeless people in Dallas that $50 million could have bought? If they answer that they were trying to build a place for people to come for education and instruction so they could better their lives and get a good meal, then I have to ask why the building has “clever accessories” (that’s their term) along with 9000 square feet of exterior glass, state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, wi-fi hotspots, beautiful stain-glass windows, comfy couches and lounge chairs, etc., etc.

Don’t misunderstand. I am not condemning mega-churches. I attend a mega-church. Many mega-churches are doing a lot of good in their communities and around the world with spreading the gospel. I just wonder if all of us (big churches and small churches alike) could be a little wiser with our money.

Churches and Money

I wonder if First Baptist Church in Dallas could have built their building for about $10 million less, and sent the extra $10 million overseas to plant about 2000 churches (It costs around $6000 to build a church in Africa). OR, what if they said to their donors, “This building will cost $50 million, but we need to raise $100 million so we can build churches overseas as well.”? What would happen if a church plant, from day one, decided to give at least 50% of it’s budget to missions?

The issue, of course, is “How do you define ‘missions’? By “missions” I mean anything that is helping you accomplish the mission of the church, which is to make disciples of all nations. If you can really, honestly say that you need a $50 million building to accomplish the mission God has given you in Dallas, then I say “build away!” It’s not what I would do with $50 mil, but if it is truly what you believe God has called you to do, go for it.

First Baptist Church DallasBut here’s what really gets me going… I read today about a church that has alerted its missionaries that after this year, the church will not be able to support them any longer. Why? Because the church needs a new auditorium and can’t do both. You can find out more about this here. Certainly, I don’t have the whole story, and this church definitely does not answer to me for how they use their money.

But one thing I know: American churches are the richest churches in the world.

Yet our primary use of the funds God has given us seems to be to construct bigger and nicer buildings for ourselves and our “ministry,” I am just not sure this is what Jesus had in mind when He said, “I will build my church.”

So what does your church budget look like? What does your church raise funds for? Whose kingdom are you building?

UPDATE: FBC Dallas recently pledged $115 million for further renovations.

2nd Update: The final cost came to $130 million

Wake-up Call for Bill Hybels

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Bill HybelsI visited Bill Hybels’ Willow Creek Church while I was living in Chicago in the late 90’s. And while it is always dangerous and unwise to criticize a ministry you have little firsthand knowledge about, I remember thinking, “This is fantastic for the unchurched…but what are they doing for the believers?”

I asked this to one of the church leaders, and he told me the church had Saturday and Wednesday night services for the maturing believers, as well as small groups, and leadership training tracks.

At the time, I felt this was satisfactory.

But guess what? Bill Hybels now says that it isn’t working.

EDIT (2011): When I originally wrote this post, I had a video from Bill Hybels. That video has now been pulled off the internet because Bill Hybels said he was misunderstood. Maybe he was… Either way, here is a video from one of his staff members from about the same time:

Bill Hybels and Willow Creek published a book about their findings, and you can read all about it in Reveal.

I have great respect for Bill Hybels for admitting (thirty years into ministry!) that what he and Willow Creek have been doing is not working. I truly hope that they can make the necessary changes.

The lesson for the rest of us is to make sure we are learning from this. How are we doing in training our people to feed on the Word for themselves? How are we doing in helping people learn to follow Jesus? How many of the people in our church are trained well enough, that they themselves could train others also (2 Tim 2:2)?

If you have a website or a blog which shows how your church (or a church you know) is teaching and training believers to be fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, please post these links in the comments section below.

Are Works the Necessary Result of Justification?

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We often hear that while works are not required for justification, they are the necessary result of justification and true saving faith. I argue that this makes works a condition of eternal life.

Here is the article so you can read it:

Are Works the Necessary Result of Justification?

See this follow-up article here:

The Relationship Between Faith and Works according to Three Systems of Theology

Fun? Duh… Mental! (Fundamentalism)

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fundamentalistI am a fundamentalist.

I am NOT a fundamentalist.

So which is it?

It depends on what you mean by “fundamentalist.”

History of Fundamentalism

The term “fundamentalist” was coined back in 1910 when the General Assembly of the Presbyterion Church decided to take a stand against encroaching liberal modernism and listed the “five fundamentals” of the faith:

  1. The verbal inspiration (and inerrancy) of Scripture
  2. The divinity of Jesus Christ
  3. The virgin birth of Jesus Christ
  4. Substitutionary atonement by Jesus
  5. The bodily resurrection and future return of Jesus

They published booklets defining and defending these five points from Scripture. If you were in agreement with them on these things, you could call yourself a “Fundamentalist.” So, based on this definition, I suppose I am a fundamentalist. I firmly believe and teach all five of these fundamental truths.

But in the last thirty years or so, fundamentalism has come to include lots of other “non-negotiables.” A “fundamentalist” today must hold to certain views of women in ministry, the end times, abortion, creation vs. evolution, the method of baptism, dress code, drinking alcohol, gettting tattoos, style of music, playing cards, smoking, evangelistic methods, political involvement, etc.

So if this is how “fundamentalists” today are defined, I am not a fundamentalist. Sure, I am quite conservative in many of these areas, but in others, I would be considered “liberal” by some modern fundamentalists. So I am not a fundamentalist.

Encounters of the Fundamentalist Kind

Recently, I have had some personal and online interaction with some of these modern fundamentalists, and have realized that their name is quite descriptive.

First of all, many of them are not much FUN. Sour and dour describes them best. Always frowning. Always criticizing. Always telling you that unless you believe and act the same way they do, you are going to hell. They are not the kind of people who would feel comfortable around Jesus when He goes to parties, drinks, tells potty-humor jokes (yes, Jesus did this! – cf. Mark 7:15), and hangs out with prostitutes and sinners.

A second thing that characterizes modern fundamentalists is their method of argumentation, which is summed up in the word DUH. Modern fundamentalists have already made up their minds about the entire Bible, and when you try to explain that some of their favorite Bible-thumping passages have been ripped out of the cultural and Scriptural context in which they were written, the Fundamentalist acts as if you are the stupidest person on the earth for trying to understand a text this way.

When you ask why your interpretation is wrong, they innundate you with a list of other passages pulled out of context and numerous quotes from authors and pastors who agree with their position. They do not argue from exegesis and proper hermeneutics, but from tradition and citations of other authors.

All of this leads to the conclusion that many of them are MENTAL. They are like people in mental institutions who hold strange beliefs despite all the evidence to the contrary.

Their spittle-spewing rants and tirades are called “holy” because they are “defending God and His Word.” But in reality, they are mindlessly defending their own views and opinions and will not even consider the arguments of any who disagree. No matter how ridiculous their view is, they will not listen to even the most articulate, logical, and gracious arguments.

Are there practices and beliefs in our culture and among Christendom that need to be corrected? Of course, but not with hate, slander, and name-calling, but instead with grace, and speaking the truth in love.

So hold to the fundamentals, but don’t be a fundamentalist.

Fundamentalism

Thanks goes to ASBO Jesus for this cartoon.

What is the meaning of Luke 15 and the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and Prodigal Son?

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Parables of Luke 15 Lost SheepIn Luke 15, there are three famous parables: The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and The Lost Son (also known as The Prodigal Son). (Read my post here about the Prodigal Son).

The most common view on these parables in Luke 15 it that the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son all refers to unbelievers, and Jesus goes out and finds them, and brings them back to Himself. So when people ask about the meaning of Luke 15 and the three parables, the answer that most people get is that unbelievers are becoming Christians.

But is this really what Jesus meant by these stories in Luke 15? I think not.

The Lost Sheep are Not Unbelievers, but Believers

Upon careful inspection, however, it soon becomes clear that the parables of the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and Prodigal Son in Luke 15 are not about unbelievers becoming Christians, but about straying Christians repenting and being restored back into fellowship with God.

For example, the Lost sheep already belonged the shepherd. The Lost Coin already belonged to the woman. The Lost Son was already a son of the father. The Shepherd does not get a NEW sheep into his sheep fold, but returns one that was lost and found. The same is true of the Lost Coin and Lost Son.

Furthermore, the Gospel of Luke itself is not an evangelistic book in the Bible, but is a discipleship book. That is, Luke does not say much of anything in his Gospel about how unbelievers can receive eternal life. But he writes a lot about how believers can better follow Jesus and grow in their faithfulness and obedience to Him. The Gospel of John is the only real evangelistic book in the Bible, and it says over and over and over how to receive eternal life (believe in Jesus for it).

So again, the immediate and broader context of Luke 15, we see that the issue is not unbelievers becoming believers, but straying believers being brought back into the care, protection, and provision of God. In light of the context and the terms uses in the passage, this seems to be what Jesus is saying in these parables.

Furthermore, the traditional interpretation of this passage leads to some dangerous theological results.

The Traditional View of Luke 15 Can Lead to Universalism

Parables of Luke 15 Lost sonFor example, if these three parables are talking about how Jesus goes out to find unsaved people, and the lost sheep, coins, and sons therefore represent all the people of the world, what is keeping us from a universalist interpretation of this passage, since Jesus doesn’t stop searching until he has gathered all 100 back into his fold?

I recently discussed this online with a person who had come to this exact conclusion. He wrote:

I’m living for the Shepherd who will leave ninety-nine sheep to find the one that is lost. If the entire world was lost, I expect He found every last one.

Certainly, not everyone who holds the view that the lost in these parables in Luke 15 refer to unbelievers are universalists, but this man did arrive at a universalist position partly as a result of viewing the lost sheep, the coins, and the sons as unbelievers.

Luke 15 is an Encouragement to You

This truth from Luke 15 is a great encouragement to you and to me. It shows us how much God loves us, and that even if (when!) we stray, God will not shrug His shoulders and say “Good riddance! Buh bye!” No, instead, God will go to every length possible to find you and bring you back into His care. He will search high and low. He will scour every nook and cranny. He will never stop watching, waiting, and looking.

And when He sees you far off in the distance, He will not make you crawl back and beg for forgiveness. No, He will run to you with open arms and throw you a party for your return.

Have you stayed from God? It’s okay. Hopefully you have learned a few things while away. Now, return to Him. He is ready, willing, and waiting to welcome you back.

The Gospel According to ScriptureWant to learn more about the gospel? Take my new course, "The Gospel According to Scripture."

The entire course is free for those who join my online Discipleship group here on RedeemingGod.com. I can't wait to see you inside the course!

Baptism Instructional Video

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Baptism Instructional VideoI have been finding some interesting videos recently on YouTube and Google Video, and wanted to post them here for your reaction.

In the following Baptism Instruction Video, I wonder if what they present is a good idea or bad idea?

A couple of pastors are explaining the why and how of baptism to a church that is (apparently) filled with new believers who know next to nothing about baptism, why they should get baptized, or what will happen at the baptism.So they created this video and showed it in their worship service.

This is the “Orchard Baptism Instructional Video.”

Let me know what you think.

No More Mix and Match Church

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NOTE: This is an OLD post from 2007, and I no longer agree with everything I have written about church below. To learn my more recent views, read some of my newer posts on the church, or my books on church. Better yet, sign up to take my free online course on the church.

Fast Food ChurchesI like fast food, but not always from the same place. I like the hamburgers from Wendy’s, the french fries from Burger King, and a soda from the convenience store ($0.59 for 32 oz!). Occasionally, when I have the time, I will actually eat my lunch this way, driving around to each location to get what I want.

It gets even worse when I’m with my wife and daughters. Wendy won’t eat fast food at all, unless it’s a Deli fresh sandwich and Jamocha shake from Arby’s. Taylor will only eat cheeseburgers from McDonalds. Selah won’t eat fast food at all, and so we have to bring apples and a PBJ for her. We can’t figure out what Kahlea eats.

Needless to say, with such a mix-and-match menu, we don’t do fast food very often.

But this is how many people “attend church.” They go to one church for the awesome music and great children’s program. But the pastor’s preaching there is usually too shallow, so they get their sermons online from  John MacArthur, Mark Driscoll, or Rob Bell. The church they attend has small groups, but most are too far away, so they get fellowship on Friday night by going out to dinner with a few friends, most of whom go to different churches. Some of these friends don’t go to church at all, in which case, it’s not “fellowship” but “relationship evangelism.”

Though many churches today try to provide “one stop shopping” most Christians engage Christianity with a “mix and match” mentality.

Church Shopping

I have been guilty of this myself quite frequently the past few years, but recently, I have begun to question the legitimacy of it. I have justified such church venue as trying to get the “best of everything” from wherever I can find it. “Besides,” I tell myself, “I’m part of the universal church, and it doesn’t matter where I get the things I need to be healthy, as long as I get them from somewhere.”

But is this true?

In a previous post, I proposed a definition for what the church is and does. After reflection, I think this definition needs some refinement.

Not only must Christians exalt God through a life of worship, edify one another through the use of spiritual gifts, and evangelize the world, I now also believe that all of these things must be done together with the same group of believers.

Body of Christ

I get this from Paul’s frequent usage of “body” imagery when talking about the church (cf. Eph 4:11-16; 1 Cor 12). The emphasis in these passages is not only that the various parts have various functions, but that each part must perform it’s particular function with and for the other parts that it receives benefits from.

The body of Christ is a symbiotic relationship. If you have the gift of helps, the person(s) you get your primary Bible teaching from should also be the person(s) you are trying to help (in big churches, you may not actually be helping the teaching pastor, but you can help him indirectly through doing things in the church and for the people of the church). The group you meet with for encouragement and prayer should be the group that goes out with you to develop relationships for evangelism and discipleship. Only in this way can they encourage and pray for you more effectively.

Body of Christ the ChurchFollowing the imagery of the body, the people whose spiritual gifts you are spiritually benefiting from, should be the same people who benefit from your spiritual gifts. Otherwise, we’ve got a foot taking nourishment from a mouth and cleaning from a hand, but not helping either one walk where they need to go. It’s a selfish and disjointed way to function.

Does this mean you can’t get good Bible teaching from Alistair Begg or Matt Chandler unless you go their church? Of course not. Just don’t consider that your church teaching. Does this mean you can’t reach out to the community with people from other congregations? I hope you do partner in this way with other churches! But don’t consider this your evangelism unless you are also joining with people from your own body of believers.

I am not trying to be legalistic about all this. I just want you and your church body to be healthy. Besides, you’ll find this approach much more enjoyable and natural than driving all over to get a full meal.

The Onion – Christian Style (The Babylon Bee)

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Laugh at Lark NewsSometimes, you just need to laugh. Especially with everything that has recently been in the news.

Several years ago, my sister introduced me to the “The Onion” – a newspaper which makes up fictional stories that are so close to reality, they are funny.

Recently I ran across a Christian version called “The Babylon Bee.” I spent a few minutes over my lunch break reading and laughing.

So, need a good laugh? Check out The Babylon Bee. We all need to laugh more.

Here are a few examples of recent headlines:

And if you like Christian satire, I wrote a book which takes a satirical look at Christian evangelism, so if you want a good laugh, try my book, Adventures in Fishing (for Men).

What are the best Bible passages for evangelism?

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What is the Saving Message?
If you were sharing with someone how they can have eternal life, where would you go in Scripture to show them what God says?

Do you have a passage or two picked out?

If so, what are they, and why would you go there?

Let’s hear what you have to say in the comments below.

To learn my thoughts on this topic, check out my online course:

The Gospel According to ScriptureWant to learn more about the gospel? Take my new course, "The Gospel According to Scripture."

The entire course is free for those who join my online Discipleship group here on RedeemingGod.com. I can't wait to see you inside the course!

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