Boring Christianity?

February 15, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

I read a lot of reports, books, and surveys that talk about the number of unchurched people in America. Sadly, my experience is that most of these are actually dechurched people. In other words, they are folks who were involved in a church at one point in their lives, but then felt like church wasn’t doing it for them any longer.

I’m not sure that I have the answer that will cure this. Actually I’ve got a lot more questions:

  • Are pastors helping people grow in their faith?
  • Are churches engaging their community in ways that make people want to be involved?
  • Are Christians tackling the pressing needs in their society?
  • Do people in local communities even think of asking the church to help with issues in their hometown?

I think the answer might be “No” to all of these questions.

“I suspect that most Christians today are fairly satisfied with the state of their faith. They have a ‘good enough’ experience of Jesus and they’re not really thirsting for much more. But the job of pastors is to help people realize that splashing around in the mud puddle of faith is nothing compared with sailing on the ocean of God’s grace and power (as C.S. Lewis says). We must whet the appetites of our people for a greater experience of the Lord’s reviving power. When we do, they will begin to seek it more fervently.” —T.M. Moore

“We’ve given people just enough of Jesus to be bored, but not enough to be transformed.” —David Kinnaman

“The outer courts are filled with distraction. It’s hard to hear. The holy place is still. And when you get into the inner courts, all the other voices vying for our attention are silenced. I’m afraid that most of us live most of our lives in the outer courts. We’re too Christian to enjoy sin, but we’re too sinful to enjoy Christ. It’s time to press in. It’s time to press on.” —Mark Batterson

If we are truly living as disciples of Jesus Christ, Christianity should be the most exciting, rewarding, and fulfilling way to live! That’s how I want it to be for me and for my church! What about you?

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Better Pray-ers

February 1, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

Have you ever heard someone that can pray really well? And then isn’t it a bit intimidating when you’re asked to pray right after that master pray-er?

Or maybe you hear about people that spend extended time praying. But you think, “I run out of things to say after just a few minutes,” or “I get so distracted when I’m trying to pray.”

Here’s a thought from Mark Batterson’s book The Circle Maker which may help you—

“Prayer was never meant to be a monologue; it was meant to be a dialogue. Think of Scripture as God’s part of the script; prayer is our part. Scripture is God’s way of initiating a conversation; prayer is our response. The paradigm shift happens when you realize that the Bible wasn’t meant to be read through; the Bible was meant to be prayed through. And if you pray through it, you’ll never run out of things to talk about.”

Think about it this way. If you are a parent, doesn’t it get your attention when your child says, “Dad, you said…”? I know that makes my ears perk up. It’s the same way when we use Scripture to pray. It’s like saying to God, “Dad, you said….”

Praying Scripture also helps you personalize the promises you come across. Whether you need courage, health, money, wisdom, protection, or anything else, there is a promise in the Bible that you can pray to God.

As Mark said, don’t just read through your Bible, pray through your Bible!

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Pain May Be A Good Thing

January 25, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

Yesterday I posted the following on Facebook, which generated quite a few positive responses—

“God may not recall the soldier from the battle, but if He gives him a greater stomach for the fight, and increased strength for its toils, it may be better still for him” (Spurgeon). Think about it: If God has left you in the battle, He will give you the strength to be victorious. Either way, you come out stronger AND God is glorified!

Since several commented on Facebook or emailed or texted me with words like, “That’s just what I needed to hear right now,” I thought I would add a couple additional thoughts for you.

“Let’s be honest, 90% of our prayers revolve around personal comfort, not God’s glory. Too often we try to pray away every problem. But what if that is the very thing that God wants to leverage for His glory? Let’s not be too quick to pray away the pain, the suffering, the situation, the problem. Let’s not just pray ‘get me out’ prayers. We sometimes need to pray ‘get me through’ prayers.

“We need a paradigm-shift in our prayer lives. It’s not about us. It’s all about God. And when you begin to pray for God’s glory above and beyond everything else it’s a game changer! You no longer pray away every problem. You pray through the problem. You know that God might do a miracle, but that isn’t the goal. The goal is God’s glory. And if suffering with grace yields more glory to God then so be it.” —Mark Batterson, in The Circle Maker

And finally, this prayer thought—

“Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle; but you shall be a miracle.” —Phillips Brooks

If you need someone to stand with you as you “pray through” your battle, let me know. I would be honored to join my prayers with yours.

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Praying Through

January 22, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

I love this quote from Mark Batterson’s book The Circle Maker.

“Our generation desperately needs to rediscover the difference between praying for and praying through.  Praying through is grabbing hold of the horns of the altar and refusing to let go until God answers.” 

I grew up hearing that phrase praying through, but how quickly we pray one-and-done prayers! There is such a power in praying through. May I learn to do this better!

(By the way, Draw The Circle is a great companion book to The Circle Maker.)

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The Circle Maker (book review)

January 16, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

I’m a huge fan of Mark Batterson’s books! So I’ll admit that when I received my copy of The Circle Maker, I went into it with high expectations. And this book didn’t disappoint!

I grew up with a phrase repeated often around our church and my home: The Church (and Christians) move forward on its knees. I believe that because I have tested it in my life. I know firsthand that my life is more centered and in-tune with God when I make prayer a regular habit. And on the flip side, I know how hectic and disjointed my life seems when my prayer time is abbreviated.

I’m an action-oriented guy. I like to do things quick, and I like quick responses. This frequently carries over into my prayer life, where I pray for something, and quickly check it off my list if the answer doesn’t come quickly enough. But that’s not how Honi The Circle Maker prayed.

This is the man Mark uses to teach us to pray with more intensity and more perseverance. Honi would—literally—draw a circle and kneel in prayer in that circle until God answered his prayer. Wow! From this man’s example, Mark teaches us three key concepts about becoming circle-maker pray-ers.

  1. Dream Big
  2. Pray Hard
  3. Think Long

In every section I was convicted on how short-sighted and puny my prayers seemed. But at the same time, I was also encouraged and energized to make the changes to become a circle maker in my prayer life. I’m excited to see how my life will change because my prayers are changing. I’m going to be a circle maker!

If you would like to revolutionize your prayer life, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

I am a Zondervan book reviewer.

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Thursdays With Oswald—Engineered Circumstances

January 5, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

This is a weekly series with things I’m reading and pondering from Oswald Chambers. You can read the original seed thought here, or type “Thursdays With Oswald” in the search box to read more entries.

Engineered Circumstances

     The time a Christian gives to prayer and communion with God is not meant for his natural life, but meant to nourish the life of the Son of God in him. God engineers the circumstances of His saints in order that that Spirit may use them as the praying-house of the Son of God. … Prayer not so much alters things as alters the man who prays, and he alters things. … The essential meaning of prayer is that it nourishes the life of the Son of God in me and enables Him to manifest Himself in my mortal flesh.

From Biblical Ethics

In every situation, I must believe that God has directed my steps. But even though I know that, it still doesn’t mean that I will grow as a result of it. God does engineer my circumstances—and sometimes makes those circumstances seem “impossible”—so that I will pray. It’s only prayer that will make the impossible possible.

“If your prayers aren’t impossible to you, they are insulting to God. Why? Because they don’t require divine intervention.” —Mark Batterson

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Soulprint (book review)

January 14, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

I’ve read (and re-read) all of Mark Batterson’s books, and with each one, I find such clear-cut biblical truths that I can immediately apply. Soulprint was a little different… I was hooked from the opening paragraph:

There has never been and never will be anyone else like you. That isn’t a testament to you. It’s a testament to the God who created you. You are unlike anyone who has ever lived. But that uniqueness isn’t a virtue. It’s a responsibility. Uniqueness is God’s gift to you, and uniqueness is your gift to God. You owe it to yourself to be yourself. But more important, you owe it to the One who designed and destined you. … You were created to worship God in a way that no one else can. How? By living a life no one else can—your life. [italics in original]

This book was so challenging, and so encouraging at the same time. Mark leads the reader through the different aspects that make up our unique soulprint, which is as unique and individualized as our fingerprint. Using the life of the biblical character David as a backdrop, Mark shows us how to discover our soulprint by…

  • Reviewing our memories through God’s eyes
  • Keeping “lifesymbols” around us which keeps our past memories current
  • Paying close attention to our conscience
  • Allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal the parts of us we cannot see ourselves

To further help in discovering our unique soulprint, the questions at the end of the book will stimulate invaluable introspection and helpful discussion with others in a small group setting.

The back cover of Soulprint says, “God would like to introduce you to yourself.” And that’s exactly what this excellent book will help God do. I highly recommend Soulprint!

I am a Multnomah book reviewer.

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The Pits

June 21, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

I recently finished reading two books that both have “the pits” in their title, and they both are solidly based on Scripture. But they couldn’t be more different.

Get Out Of That Pit by Beth Moore is based on three verses in Psalm 40: I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

Beth’s book is all about getting out of a pit. Those places we’ve slipped into, been shoved into, or keep going back to. Those things that limit our perspective on life. Those hurts that keep us from enjoying the full life Jesus wants to give us. In a word, this book is all about deliverance from a pit.

In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day by Mark Batterson is based on two verses in 2 Samuel 23: Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab’s best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.

Mark’s book is all about going into a pit. Benaiah was an initiator. Mark leads us through Benaiah’s life to show us that sometimes problems come as opportunities disguised as Moabite warriors or roaring lions or huge giants. And in order to live the full life God has in mind for us, we have to seize those roaring opportunities. In a word, this book is all about taking the initiative to go into a pit.

The pits can limit your life. Either you can be stuck in one, or you can be afraid to go into one. God wants you to live a victorious life. Whether you are stuck and need deliverance, or you are stuck and need initiative, these books can help awaken in you the great things God wants to do through you.

Both books have discussion questions to go along with each chapter, which makes them excellent for use as either an individual or small group study.

Ready? Go get out of that pit—or dive headlong into one—to live the full life God has for you!

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Love(4)

February 5, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

Since February is known as the “love month,” we’re starting a new series this week at Calvary Assembly of God called “Love(4)” = love to the fourth power.

I’m keying off this exchange between an expert lawyer and Jesus:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” The lawyer asked.

Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. This is the first and greatest commandment.”

Four dimensions of love: heart, soul, mind, strength.

Love to the fourth power.

I also want to give credit to Mark Batterson and his excellent book Primal for reawakening me to the power of this foundational concept.

I’d love for you to join us at 10:30am on any Sunday in February for a new look at this higher love.

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“Gentleman, This Is A Football”

January 4, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

After reading Mark Batterson’s book Primal, I started thinking quite a bit about the “stuff” that gets accumulated in our walk with Christ. Especially church traditions.

I find it amazing that neither Jesus nor Paul nor Peter nor any other biblical writer gave us a format for how we should “do” church. Over time we’ve just come to expect that a church service will have some songs, announcements, an offering time, some special music, and a sermon. But even changing the order of the service is so jarring to some people that they treat it like one of the Ten Commandments has been broken.

We can’t just keep doing church the way we’ve always done church. Sometimes we need to step back to ask, “Why do we do what we do?”

So I’ve been spending some time reading through the Book of Psalms. I want to get back to the essence of worship.

  • What is it?
  • Is it just singing songs? If so, what songs?
  • Is there a style that is more God-honoring?
  • What instruments should we use? Should we even use instruments at all?
  • Do we sing hymns? Choruses? Both? Neither?
  • Does music only come at the beginning and the ending of a service?

Since I love sports, I frequently go back to sports analogies. Several years ago I read David Maraniss’ excellent biography on Vince Lombardi. Every year the Green Bay Packers coach went into pre-season drills with a stronger and stronger passion to win. Here’s how Maraniss describes it:

“He began a tradition of starting from scratch, assuming that the players were blank slates who carried over no knowledge from the year before. He reviewed the fundamentals of blocking and tackling, the basic plays, how to study the playbook. He began with the most elemental statement of all. ’Gentleman,’ he said, holding a pigskin in his right hand, ’this is a football.’”

“Folks, this is worship…” 

  • I know it can involve instruments, but it can also be acapella.
  • I know it can be loud shouts, but it can also be quiet whispers.
  • I know it can be hymns written 150 years ago, but it can also be spontaneously composed.
  • I know it can open a service, but it can also be throughout a service, or even at the close of a service.
  • I know it can be in a church building, but it can also be in a grocery store.

I know it is highly personal.

I know it is based on what attributes of God I have experienced firsthand.

I know God loves it when I worship Him.

As for the other details, well, I’m still wrestling with that.

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