Solutions

Recently we (my wife and I) have been journeying with a couple that are new to the Christian faith.  Both have no to little church back ground and have two adult children and one teenager.  My wife and I deeply love this couple.  A few days ago the gal showed up on our door step at 9:30 PM troubled.  Quick like she broke down in tears confessing to my wife the deep regret and remorse for a decision that has hurt her husband terribly.  I subsequently went over to hear his side of things and sit on the stoop to simply listen.  Several cigarettes later (his sticks, not mine) I went home around 11:30 PM and flopped in bed worn out.

The bottom line to the whole deal was a definite moral lapse on her part, but then I considered the scenario.  Yeah, she needed to get her head screwed on straight, but I began to think of the day in which we live.  Not making excuses, but here’s a couple working three to four jobs between them, the strain of financial collapse, not knowing each others “love language” and each one kinda doing their thing without real good communication.  This was a disaster waiting to happen.

As one speaking in the same realm as our couple friends, Jeni and I having four jobs, raising three kids, cars that need new transmissions cuz they are ancient, and a house that needs several repairs…these all put strain on marriages…well, even our marriage.  If you don’t have your head screwed on straight and are not consistently in God’s Word, the numbing effect of it all (this crazy , busy life) combined with the “show” that sometimes church can be, is enough for the relational “check engine light” to go on.

My prayer today is that God will help me keep my head screwed on straight with all the stuff happening around me and keeping me from the effects of life’s numbing grip and to keep my spirit fresh, alive, hopeful in Christ and the power of his hope for all I face and all my friends face in these days.

Matt-Solutions

In the world where I live for eight hours (some times more) a day called Nazarene Publishing House, we (NPH) are excited to launch a new initiative that allows any size congregation to display their very own book stand.  This new initiative is called the “My Books” program.

Here is how it works:

This is really a card rack that contains 9 slots that hold 9 sets of cards that represent 9 books (did I say 9 enough?!).  On the back of each card it gives a blurb about the book, information on how to order via your hand held phone scan device (bar code on card), via web or by calling us.  There is also a discount code to use when ordering.

All that to say…if you are interested in more information and/or getting this set up in your church call let me know via telephone at 1-877-338-6401.

Matt - Solutions

Today I am both humbled and proud, excited and thrilled!  The reason I am in this state is because of my new book that has just released from Beacon Hill Press.  The book title is called - Faith Intersections: Christians Listen to…a Muslim, a Scientologist, a Buddhist, a Mormon…

The book is a compilation book that features various chapter authors (including myself speaking with Rabbi Alan Coehn - Conservative Jewish Rabbi) in which dialog takes place between the author and the person of faith or non-faith as the case may be.

Each chapter is outlined so that the reader is able to capture the essance of faith views in the course of natural converstaion.  The outcome?  Hopefully, you, the reader, will be able to learn about how to carry on an intelligent and non-threatening conversation with others who may not think or practice faith like you.  Christians really need to wise up in how we address one another, as our neighbor, and truly take time to build friendships through the active disciple of LISTENING and discourse.  Perhaps you will learn some things and perhaps as a Christian your conversations will be richer and more full because of the things you’ll read in Faith Intersections.

Matt - Solutions

So, the work day is nearly ended for me and as I look back on it I have spoken with seven pastors directly about their work and people they serve.  Their joys and needs are wide and varied.  Some bogged down in “money stress” some navigating the culture twists that have caused their churches to really and truly re-evaluate how they “do church.”  I let all this discussion with these men and women sink in and then I go to two books right now - one - the Bible.  It keeps me rooted and helps me not be cynical by some things I hear.  Two - a new book I’m reading called Jim and Casper Go to Church.  It’s about a Christian and a devout atheist that bounce from church to church and sort of evaluate what churches do and say and how they do and say certain things.

This all seems so random, but after numerous conversations today, an e-mail I read from a denominational leader about “emerging and Emergent,” what I’m reading in the Gospel of John right now and the Jim and Casper book - well I honestly have a lot to think about and sort through emotionally on the drive home from work.  Do you ever have those days?

Matt - Solutions

I know, this blog is sooooo random.

“Raving.” As an adjective, this word is translated as “talking wildly,” “delirious,” and “frenzied.” As an adverb it translates as “furiously or wildly.” We’ve all used this term in phrases like, “he’s raving mad” or “the show got raving reviews.”

Lately I’ve been considering this idea of “raving” as I’ve thinking about my role as a pastor both before I came to NPH and now as I continue to minister here. Before I came to serve Christ here at NPH I would not categorize myself as a “raving fan” of NPH. Don’t get me wrong–the Lillenas Choral Club was a lifesaver in the worship area and I always had a sense of “ease” as a Wesleyan when I ordered WordAction curriculum. But I probably wouldn’t have put those feelings of comfort and ease in a raving category of how I felt about NPH.

I sometimes wonder if you are in the same boat as I once was: comfortable with NPH, but distanced enough to be unaware of all the great ministry tools and resources at your fingertips. I often wonder what it would take to create a movement of “raving NPH fans.” From my vantage point now, as a pastor serving at NPH, I have had the privilege of working with some phenomenal people, have helped to create some transformational resources, and have caught a glimpse of our future (and it is bright!) to be able to say that I am a raving fan of NPH! My only prayer is that somehow, someway we can partner in such a way with you that you too become a “raving fan.”

Maybe you could drop me a line and let me know what it would take to get you to become a “raving fan?”

Matt - Solutions

Remember the Bruce Hornsby line in that one song - “get a job?”  I do.  Lately I have discovered that this is not as easy for some as others.  Getting a job is tough work and those of us with jobs should NEVER take them for granted.  Having a job is a special thing.  Recently I have been hanging around a variety of Nazarene pastors at these gatherings that are being held for Nazarene pastors and leaders.  A few of the pastors have mentioned to me in confidence that, although they like their present assignment, they are thinking about “getting a job.”  When I inquire about what they mean by this the reply is simply - “I’d like to keep being the pastor of my church, but I think God may want me to go out and seek a job that could support me and my family financially and then just donate my time as pastor.”

All this intentionality about being in “the marketplace” as electrician, bus driver, insurance agent, teacher AND being a pastor is somewhat refreshing.  As Dennis Bickers said in a recent workshop I attended, “more and more pastors are CHOOSING to be bivocational AND more and more churches are choosing to be OK with it.”  Last week when I heard one young pastor who is a ‘fully-funded’ pastor of a mid-sized church tell me of his hope to “get a job” my heart began to tell me that possibly a new era of shepherding is upon us.  What do you think?  Do you foresee more pastors leaving ‘fully-funded’ pastoral roles to intentionally be a bivocational pastor?  I’d be curious to know your thoughts.

Matt - Solutions

It’s Saturday night.  The fam is all home.  We’ve had our almost weekly usual family game or movie time and of course Sunday baths or showers are already taken.  Before we go to bed in all our glorious comfortability there is just one more thing to do - explore the world of biblical compassion.  So, what is our text to guide us in deep thought towards thinking and responding in ways of compassion towards a world that needs to see this from Christ followers?  Forward moving, our family is studying Bleed Out: Stories of Christlike Compassion by Aaron Mitchum.  This simple youth study is perfect for me and my family as two of my three kids are teens.  This short but well done book focuses on the meaning of compassion and how compassion plays out in Scripture and in “real time” through global stories of compassion.  Dad’s of teens looking to engage their teens spiritually (it’s your responsibility) should give this a try.  Chapters are not long and Q and A section is not filled with goofy rhetorical questions that would solicit only “Sunday School answers.”

Give this one a try.  You’ll be glad you did.

Matt - Solutions

Simply put the book Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional by Jim Belcher is the best bi-partisan look at what emerging church is and traditional church is and where they both are headed in the future AND how each realm of emerging and traditional church thought can best communicate and cooperate with one another.  I’m n page 90, but when I’m done I’ll expound.  Suffice it to say, Jim hit a grand slam on this one.

Matt - Solutions

I spent a wonderful Sunday at Hutchinson First Church of the Nazarene this past Sunday doing some training and informing for some wonderful folks that desire to go further in discipleship people for Christ using NPH resources.  I had a terrific time.  All I want to say is that when I’m with good and missional people like those in Hutch it makes me consider YOU.  It makes me wonder of NPH is doing all it can do to supply you with the tools and resources necessary for your cultural, economic, and geographical context.  Perhaps you could share with me via facebook how we can better serve you?  I’ve gotten a great suggestion recently from one pastor in Texas on our facebook.  Hopefully we’ll hear from you and we can go to work on some things that might help you in the days ahead.

Matt - Solutions

It’s day two of Holy Week and I’m sensing the journey of my Lord Jesus being relived within my spirit.  Part of me, and probably part of you, just would rather skip to Sunday.  The amazing sacrifice Jesus made for us is just too much to comprehend and is emotionally taxing at moments.  It’s a lot to take in.  The supper, the betrayal, the selfless prayer in the garden, the kangaroo court trial, and on and on.  The timing of all this in recorded history is perfect.  Rome needed a Savior, the Jews needed a Savior, the religious needed a Savior, the world needed a Savior.  I often wonder about the timing of things and why things develop or play out the way they do.  Why did my son get diabetes and be diagnosed the few days before Christmas?  That’s not how I wanted to spend my Christmas.  Why does it seem like my car likes to not start (for some unknown reason) at the most inopportune times?  Timing-timing-timing.

When I consider the timing of the events of Christ’s final week before crucifixion, or the events of my life I do wonder about timing.  It’s natural to do this.  These thoughts are just cause to maybe look into reading and studying Stan Toler’s best selling book God Is Never Late; He’s Seldom Early; He’s Always Right On Time. This resource will be available soon (June 1)  as a DVD small-group resource that will help your church or faith community discover the mysteries of God’s perfect timing.  Personally, I’ve seen my share of people gravitate towards this book through the years in my travels for NPH.  I would think that this small group resource addition would only amplify the perfectness of God’s timing in all our lives as we seek to know Him and His ways along the journey of life.

Matt - Solutions