Just Pass The Offering Plate!

As a kid, I grew up in a Baptist church. This meant that hymns were sung, nice clothes were worn, and traditions were observed. I don’t remember at what age exactly (I think I was still in elementary school), but my parents decided to leave our church. After some searching, our family ended up at a non-denominational Calvary Chapel.

Side Note: Now for those of you who are not familiar with Calvary Chapel, Calvary Chapel was born out of the 1960’s Jesus Movement. Think of it as the perfect blend of hippies and the Bible. Which is to say Calvary Chapel was about as far from my traditional Baptist upbringing as possible.

Now, each Calvary Chapel is different. Each church has it’s own unique blend of people and culture. For instance, some of the churches pass the offering plate; others have “Agape Boxes” at the back of the sanctuary to place your tithe in. I say all of this to show that I have come from both sides of the tithing/offering spectrum (I currently attend a Southern Baptist Church that passes the plate weekly).

I have never thought of tithing or passing the offering plate as a cover charge to enter the church.

Today I came across an article by Shane Raynold entitled “Losing the Offering Plate“. For some reason this post really bothered me. Perhaps it was the “if you are still passing an offering plate you are guilty of using the crutch of tradition” tone the post takes. Doesn’t matter. I believe that passing the offering plate:

  • Allows the giving of tithes and offerings to become a part of the worship service. For me, I’m not looking around at what others are and are not giving. I am simply giving a portion of the money that God has chosen to bless me with back to Him.
  • Also allows for the church community as a whole to obediently give to God together. Not in secret. Not in the church lobby using credit/debit card kiosks to conveniently swipe in secret if at all (talk about enabling people who are already in debt). The plate, for me, often is a gentle reminder as to whether I (read: my wife) have written the tithe check or not.

Ultimately, I believe that this is a matter of personal church preference that has nothing to do with the core Gospel message. Whether you have “debit kiosks” or a traditional plate, neither is a crutch or somehow more holy. Giving to God is giving, period. No matter what the method.

Game Plan: Daily Bible Reading

Imagine being in a relationship and only talking to your boyfriend/ girlfriend for 10-15 minutes a day. Do you think you’d end up being married in a years time? I don’t think so. This week, I’ve been struggling with my daily Bible reading, my alone time with God. As a result, I have felt the impact of my non-reading physically, mentally, and spiritually. I feel like I am drowning and it is only Tuesday. Tuesday! So, I have decided right this moment to come up with a game plan to actively recommit myself:

1. Being Purposeful – I need to actively schedule a time, everyday, to sit down and read God’s Word. I know that mornings are hit and miss for me. Which leaves me with 2 choices:

  • Reading over my lunch break, or…
  • Reading right before bed. I would definitely have to commit to developing a better bedtime routine to make this happen.

2. The Prayer Perspective – Prayer, communicating with God, is not a one time deal sort of thing. Prayer, in my mind, is something that should be continuously flowing throughout the day. Everyday, I need to be praying for a God perspective. That is to say that I view the world through God’s eyes. When we step out of our own perspectives and see the bigger picture, it allows us to pray about things beyond ourselves.

On my way to work, there is a sign posted in a neighborhood yard that says, “Pray for John”. Now, I have no clue who John is. John could be the elderly man I see sitting in the garage watching cars go by. Whoever John is, he needs prayer. I find myself often randomly praying for John as I drive by. Do I benefit from this? No. Does John? Yes. I need to be in prayer daily not only for myself (overcoming temptations,etc.) but for the world around me. I need a God perspective and NOT a me perspective.

That’s it! By committing to a specific time of day (and remaining flexible) and engaging in prayer through God’s eyes, I should be able to radically change my messed up week. Should be simple enough to follow right? I’ll let you know how it goes as the week progresses.

President Kennedy Visits Ireland

Over lunch, I happened to watch a PBS documentary on President Kennedy’s visit to Ireland, in 1963. Crowds gathered everywhere to see the President who had led America through the Cuban Missile Crisis some 9 months earlier. Beyond the crowds, the very faces of the people themselves are what captivated me. One would think that President Kennedy’s visit was the second coming of Christ. Joy-filled faces, reaching out to touch or to simply catch a glimpse of the American President filled the screen. For some reason, this awestruck scene reminded me of wave that swept now President Obama into the White House.

I think that we, as Americans, get excited about ideas. Be it flying among the clouds or carrying a Swiss Army Knife-like cell phone, we are always pushing the boundaries forward, testing what is and is not possible. I think that that is what carried President Obama into office. The very idea that an African American could become President of the United States was too big of a thought to pass up. So a majority of Americans voted him into office.

After nearly 4 years of leading the United States, President Obama’s time is running out. Though he is running for a second term, he now has a track record to back up his lofty speeches. The word “hope” no longer has the optimistic tone it once did. We have seen Obama polarize our country in ways he swore would never happen; we have seen how his words lead to little action.

President Obama is certainly no John F. Kennedy. However, JFK was not all he was cracked up to be either. I can’t wait to see what the November elections bring.

Lack of Leadership

The Longview News-Journal ran an article yesterday on the possible closure of a local VFW post. Why closure? Lack of members willing to step up into leadership positions.

“The problem is, we don’t have enough members who want to serve,” said former Post Commander Joe Crenshaw.

I have witnessed this “me-driven” phenomena for quite sometime now. People just aren’t willing to step up and take responsibility. On the church level, I have seen this in the lack of volunteers wanting to serve in the children’s department. Everyone seems to be willing to drop off their kids but no one is willing to stay and serve. This is a problem.

We live in a culture today that only wants to consume. We are content to let others lead while we sit back and criticize. At some point, leaders are needed. Without guidance, without leadership, we have no direction. I want to encourage everyone today to step up, to take responsibility, and lead. Are you with me?

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started