What I Learned from Nonbelievers

Last night I enjoyed visiting one of PCC’s home groups. It was a group that began as one of our Explore God Discussion groups that decided to continue the discussion after the official Explore God initiative was over. After the children were fed and ushered upstairs with the babysitter the seven adults took our seats in the living room. Four were believers & PCC members, another described herself as “not a believer, but open”, another described herself as an atheist, & me, “the pastor”. It was a delightful group of genuine friends having an honest and open discussion about God.

I could trumpet my success in the debate, how I bobbed and weaved to avoid the brunt of their arguments, floated like butterfly and stung like a bee delivering irrefutable theology. Actually, it wasn’t like that at all. I didn’t go to win a debate, but have a conversation, to listen and learn, as much as to share my views of God and faith. As it turned out, the two nonbelievers weren’t intimidated in the least by my clergy credentials. They didn’t hold back in sharing their views or questioning mine. Here are some things I learned from nonbelievers last night.

Hateful Christians do incredible damage to the cause of Christ. It is one thing to recognize that this is true in a general way, it’s another to sit next to someone whose been deeply wounded by a hateful believer in her own family or in her own childhood church. In her book Angry Conversations with God, Susan Isaacs describes her tortured teen years and observes, “…if just one, just one Jesus person had made me feel loved at the time, it could have changed a lot. It could have changed everything.” If I had one wish for every child growing up in PCC it would be that he or she would experience grace and love when it’s most needed. That was my own experience as young person. The love and grace I received in my most vulnerable moment served to confirm and seal my faltering, unsteady faith in Christ.

I have yet to discover an argument that heals the wounds hateful Christians inflict on struggling, searching, questioning kids in the church. The very term “hateful Christian” should be an oxymoron. How can those of us who claim to follow Christ be hateful? I’m not talking about a moment of passion when we fly off the handle and say something we immediately deeply regret. I’m talking about willfully feeding the monster of hatred so that it grows into a consuming obsession. I’m talking about unapologetic, proud, cruel, unrepentant hatred toward a group or individual. This kind of hatred often causes questioning young people in the church to conclude, “This is the way it is with God. So, I’m done with God, Christ, Church, faith, all of it.” All the believers in our little circle were quick to point out, “We’re not all like that!” But that wasn’t enough; it’s never enough. Being part of a faith community means owning the sins of our brothers. So our only defense is confession, repentance, and a plea for forgiveness on behalf of our brothers. I’m not sure I got that message across last night, but hope & pray so.

There’s much more that I learned from nonbelievers last night. I’ll add more to this blog in the coming days and weeks.

I Love the Bible

Christians worship Jesus Christ, not the Bible. Our first love is Jesus, the one John meant when he wrote, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Some seem to think the Holy Trinity is the Father, Son, and Bible. The Bible is not God; it points to God. The Bible cannot save us or redeem us; only Jesus can do that. The Bible is our primary source, but not our only source, for learning about God and hearing and experiencing God. So, I love the Bible. If I were stranded on a dessert island with only one book I’d choose Lord of the Rings the Bible. I’ve memorized key passages of the Bible just in case I get stranded on that island without it.

It’s true, part of my love for the Bible stems from the fact that I grew up hearing its stories read to me by my parents and Sunday school teachers. My early childhood heroes included David, who slew a giant, Noah who built an ark, Samson who single handedly wiped out a few thousand evil Philistines with the jawbone of an ass, John the Baptist who ate grasshoppers, and of course, Jesus who out shined them all. They inspired me to dream of doing heroic things for God.

I remember how proud I was when my parents gave me my first black leather-bound KJV with my name embossed in gold letters on the front “Steven D Clem”. It felt like Mom and Dad were merely messengers delivering an incredible gift to me from God. Now I could read the word of God for myself. At the age of 8 or 9 I couldn’t understand much of it (it was a KJV), but I loved turning the pages and reading it out loud. I loved looking up the passages as the preacher called out his text on Sunday. I loved the Bible drills in children’s church. Bible drills were contests to see who could find the book, chapter, and verse first as they were called out by the teacher. Those Old Testament Minor Prophets were tough to find, but it felt good to find it first, win the race, jump up from my seat, and start reading, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8) There is a sentimental element in my love for the Bible I cannot deny. But it’s more than that.

The Bible is the only book I can read over and over, day after day, and still have a sense of finding something new, or more to the point, hearing something new and fresh every time I open it. It is the only book that sings to me (Zeph. 3:17) and stings me (Is. 64:6) and satisfies my soul (Ps. 62:1). It is the only book that I never read alone… even when I am alone. It is filled with mystery and yet God’s will for me is unmistakable. It scares the you-know-what out of me as it confronts me with my sin and God’s righteous anger. And yet the love of God in Christ is communicated in the story of the cross so vividly I can almost hear the nails being driven in his hands and feet. So often the words of Jesus seem meant for me alone.

If there is one key to reading the Bible, as I think God intends us to read it, I think it would be with an attitude of faith seeking understanding. We should bring our questions, doubts, and prejudices to God as we read Bible. I’m for honest thinking and questioning as we read it. The New City Catechism asks, “How is the Word of God to be read and heard?” Answer: “With diligence, preparation, and prayer; so that we may accept it with faith, store it in our hearts, and practice it in our lives.” My faith in Christ alone as my Redeemer, Savior, and Lord guides my reading and understanding of the Bible.

I won’t apologize for the Bible. Yes, there are some hard to understand stories, especially in the Old Testament; God seems very harsh at times. But this is the same God Jesus calls “my Father”. This is the same God who chooses to become one of us, suffer with us, and die for us. This is the God who loves and commands us to love one another. I love the Bible, not like I love a trophy or antique lamp. I love the Bible like I love a long, love letter that is brutally honest, but infinitely intimate and dripping with passion for me. This Sunday, October 13, 2013 I’m preaching on the topic, “Can we trust the Bible?” The bottom line for me has little to do with the typical issues of translation errors, who decided which books were to be included in the Bible, and historical and scientific errors in the Bible. The answer for me personally is, absolutely we can trust the Bible as a reliable document revealing God, like a passionate love letter revealing the heart of a lover.

If you miss the message this Sunday you can hear it online at http://www.pc-church.org/sermon-archives/explore-god/ .

What I Like about “Explore God”

The “Explore God” initiative is officially launched on September 8. There’s so much to like about the “Explore God” initiative that PCC is participating in this fall. I thought I’d share three elements I like best about the effort.

1. Equipping believers

I like the equipping element of “Explore God”. The training offered to believers in how to simply have a conversation about God is unique in that it doesn’t assume we’re all gospel salesmen commissioned to close deals for Jesus. It’s the kind of training that is useful in virtually everyone’s day-to-day life. It’s not about another church program, but becoming more aware of God working in you and through you at work, at home, wherever you are. If you missed this training check out the video @ http://vimeo.com/61399032

2. Welcoming doubters
I’ve always tried to be a pastor that welcomes people with doubts to PCC. I like the questions. I like the honesty. After all, we all have questions. This Sunday is the perfect Sunday to invite a friend who has doubts. The discussion groups that begin next week are designed for people with doubts and questions, so invite a friend to participate in a group with you.

3. Practicing unity

At last count over 350 churches are participating in Explore God. PCC is not alone in our mission to proclaim Christ, produce disciples, and praise God. While it is true that Christians find quite a lot to disagree about, the greater truth is that we all hold to the “main thing”. It’s a good thing for non-believers to see the kind of unity displayed among believers demonstrated in the Explore God initiative.

There is indeed a lot to like in the Explore God initiative. Keep praying that God works through it, through you and me, to reach many with the gospel.

More Questions??

Pflugerville Community Church is ramping up preparation for the Explore God initiative. “Explore God” is a unique, coordinated effort to engage the greater Austin area in spiritual conversation. 300+ churches have signed up to host a 7-week sermon series and discussion group series, aimed at giving Biblical insights into life's most challenging questions. In our “Explore God” training we talked about spiritual ice-breaker questions. Some suggested questions included, "What gets you through hard times?" and "How are you doing... I really want to know?" Here are 7 additional questions Andrew Wilson offers in his book, If God Then What? Wondering Aloud About Truth, Origins and Redemption. If you’re interested in how he develops his questions you can pick up a copy of his book at http://www.amazon.com/God-Then-What-Wondering-Redemption/dp/1844745694/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374789586&sr=1-5&keywords=Andrew+Wilson

So, here’s his questions which I think are quite good:

1. What’s wrong with the world? I cannot imagine anyone saying, ‘nothing’.
2. What’s the solution? This is a question that effectively asks, ‘what’s your gospel?’
3. How did we get here? Lots of people haven’t got much further than ‘the Big Bang and then evolution’. But why was there a Big Bang, do you think?
4. Why do you think? Does the fact that humans love thought, and poetry, and spirituality, suggest anything about the nature of ultimate reality?
5. What is possible? If God is possible then presumably ‘miracles’ are possible. Dead people rising again, for instance?
6. What happened on 9 April AD 30? I'm not sure how Wilson came up with that exact date, but I think it’s important to ask people what they make of the resurrection of Jesus.
7. So what? It’s good to ask what they think it might imply if Jesus was alive. Who knows? They might even ask you what you think it implies.

Before asking those questions it would be wise to first contemplate them yourself, and even do a bit of reading and research. Let’s keep praying for God to pour out his Spirit upon us as we look for those divine appointments, opportunities to have a conversation about God. Miss the two training sessions? You can watch the first video, “How to Have a Spiritual Conversation,” here: http://vimeo.com/61399032 and the second video “How to Use ExploreGod.com” here: http://vimeo.com/63711008.

PCC Welcomes Scouts

Five leaders of local Boy Scout Troop 4277 crowded around the church boardroom table to make their case. In response to BSA’s national policy change no longer denying membership to boys on the basis of sexual orientation, another local congregation withdrew sponsorship and the free use of their facilities. So a local Scout troop was suddenly without a home-base. By “suddenly” I mean the decision was sudden, the Scouts were graciously given till the end of the year to find another meeting place. The five men representing Troop 4277 were requesting that Pflugerville Community Church pick-up the sponsorship and host the troop and pack meetings.

The Scout leaders pointed out that Troop 4277 is one of the larger troops in the state, largely as a result of its excellent adult volunteer leadership. They emphasized that a number of boys from PCC have gone through the Scouting program and were part of Troop 4277. In fact, PCC has had three Eagle Scouts in that troop in the past, and one young man is currently working toward his Eagle. Several members of PCC are current leaders in BSA. The Scout leaders talked about the good work BSA does in the community and in molding young men into leaders. They made their case and eagerly awaited the church council’s decision.

At that June meeting the church council of Pflugerville Community Church approved the request from Boy Scout Troop 4277 and Pack 406 to meet in our facility. PCC is the new official sponsor of BSA Troop 4277. The decision was unanimous. A warm welcome was extended to the Troop leaders. It was not a difficult decision. I understand that some congregations feel the need to draw a “line-in-the-sand” regarding the biblical position on homosexuality. However, I do not agree that severing congregational ties to BSA is the place to draw that line.

BSA has not changed the purpose or goals of their organization. What they have done is to determine that a boy will not be excluded because sexual “orientation”. I asked myself, “If a young man or woman in our church’s student ministry expressed feelings of same-sex attraction would that student be excommunicated?” My immediate answer: “Absolutely not!” Attraction does not equal sin. Temptation does not equal sin. We all have attractions and desires that would become sinful if acted upon or harbored in our hearts. What better place than the church for young people to find the grace, mercy, and support needed in both finding their moral compass and living up to it? That moral compass for us is Christ and the law of Christ which is to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself.

PCC continues to stand on God’s Word alone for the values we hold dear. We will not change the definition of sin based on the popular views of our culture. However, the most basic of all biblical values is love God and your neighbor. Troop 4277 is planning to begin meetings at PCC in August. I am sure they will find a warm welcome.

Coming to a Church near you: Explore God!

PCC, along with over 270 churches in the Austin area, has signed on to the Explore God initiative. The goal of “Explore God” is to invite people to investigate questions about God in natural, non-threatening conversations. I love that goal! It’s not one of those “evangelistic crusade” campaigns that tries to turn believers into Jesus salesmen. In September, along with the other pastors, I’ll be preaching a 7-week series of messages on the “Explore God” theme that deals with the hard questions like: “Does life have a purpose?” “Is there a God?” “If God is good, why is there evil in the world?” All of our fall small groups will be using corresponding Explore God study material. Nobody is expected to win any debates or close any deals. The idea is to engage in honest conversation.

You don’t have to be a Bible scholar to talk about God, but there is one essential, central, life-changing truth in the Bible that you’ve got to know. We call it the gospel. The word “gospel” means “good news”, the kind of the good news that changes individual lives, entire communities, nations, and the world. It’s good news… there is a God and he has made your redemption possible and the restoration of all creation guaranteed. The gospel is the point of the Bible, what the OT points to and the NT openly proclaims. All the little stories add up to the big story, the main story, God’s story, the gospel. You could say it’s “the main thing”. It’s what 270+ churches in central TX have in common.

“The Main Thing” is the title of the summer sermon series I began on June 2. The purpose of the series is to root firmly in our minds what the gospel of Jesus Christ is truly about, and not about. I hope to rediscover together the practical, life-changing impact of the gospel. Our text will be the eight gospel sermons found in the New Testament book of Acts. What do these 8 sermons have in common? How is each unique? What do we learn from each about the impact of the gospel on our lives and how to share the gospel? On June 2 we began with the opening chapter, the introduction to Acts, what you might call “the sequel to the Jesus story”. This Sunday, June 9, we’ll get to the first gospel sermon preached by Peter at Pentecost.

In case you missed it, the homework given at the conclusion of the message last Sunday was: Read through the book of Acts again paying close attention to the sermons. What do you learn about the gospel? Pray for the Explore God initiative. Ask God for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit.

Grace and Truth

Preaching is a delicate balance of grace and truth. Sometimes I miss that target. Sometimes what I say from the pulpit is just plain wrong. No preacher’s interpretation and proclamation of Scripture is flawless. Sometimes what I say is misunderstood. Sometimes truth gets tainted by my own bias. Sometimes my passion comes across as anger and/or judgment. I’ve said many times that the job of a preacher is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. By afflicting the comfortable I mean challenge to grow, to think deeper about God and faith and how we live that out. “Afflict the comfortable” also means preaching the gospel in a way that convicts people of sin, leading to confession, repentance, and spiritual renewal. It’s never my intent to heap guilt and shame on anyone just to make them feel very, very bad about themselves.

So I am disappointed, to say the least, that last Sunday’s (May 12) message came across to some as guilt-based, unfair, untimely, & offensive. Part of my preparation for the message that dealt with the tragedy of abortion included seeking out the counsel of two women I respect, my wife, who is a volunteer counselor at the Pflugerville Pregnancy Resource Center, and a woman that had told me she’d had an abortion many years ago. Obviously there is no way for me, a man, to know what it feels like to be a woman in the tragic situation of coping with an unwanted, untimely pregnancy. There is no way for me to comprehend what it’s like to feel trapped with the limited options available seeming equally catastrophic. So I took time to listen to a woman who’d been in that position and to a woman who counsels them.

I wanted to communicate my view that women who choose abortion are victims too. No woman wants to be in that situation. I want to be a church that welcomes all with love and grace and mercy, because we all need love and grace and mercy. I’m not sure why that failed to come through to some, but I deeply regret that it did not. PCC has supported pro-life in the most positive ways that we know how for the entire history of our church. That means providing financial support and volunteers to the Pflugerville Pregnancy Resource Center since its inception. This support has been open and uncompromising for 17+ years. On the other hand, we’re not into the politics of the issue. We do not campaign for pro-life candidates or any political candidates for any office period. I personally do NOT believe the answer is with Congress passing laws, courts striking down laws, or electing pro-life candidates. But we are for life; always have been, always will be. We will always be for the “least of these” and that includes both prenatal babies and their mothers.

Some may be right in saying that Mother’s Day was the wrong time for that message. I struggled with the timing. I even had a different message ready if I decided late in the week not to go forward with the original. In the end, I decided that it was part of the “Justice for All” series and that it fit. I felt like it was what the Spirit was leading me to do. That’s a subjective perspective. It was my decision and I won’t blame God for it, but I still feel that God was leading me. I’m not infallible; sometimes I miss God’s leading.

Christians differ on this issue. No one at PCC is required to sign anything supporting pro-life. No one will ever be asked to withdraw his or her membership from PCC over this issue. And for those offended by last Sunday’s message, I would like to have the opportunity to sit down face-to-face and talk. I feel certain that we agree on so much more than on what we disagree. It is not my goal or desire to change minds on the issue, but to make sure we understand our differences and what we stand united upon. So, if the message last Sunday challenged you, pushed you out of your comfort zone to think deeper and harder about your faith and how you live it out… good. I hope that happens every Sunday at PCC. If you were deeply offended and you’re angry with me about that message, whether it be the content or the timing I want to hear from you. I want to hear your story and better understand your perspective. I want to walk together in faith serving God together, even if we agree to disagree on some things. So call me. The church office phone is 512 251-0719.