Church Meeting Devotions: Room for Hypocrites

Psalm 26:4 I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites;

Over the years, I’ve heard some people say, “I don’t go to church. It’s full of hypocrites.” My usual answer to that is: “Don’t worry. There’s always room for one more.”

There’s also no such thing as a perfect church on Earth because congregations are made up of imperfect people. We go to church because we know that. We seek the Perfect One in our lives. We know that only Christ is sinless and unhypocritical. We understand that we fail each day to live up to the demands our faith. We don’t go to church because we are spiritually holy; we go to church because we find the Holy Spirit there.

I’m amazed sometimes at people who publicly talk about God in their lives, but who never seem to get around to going to church on Sunday. I don’t get it, nor do I understand it. If God is so important to them, then why isn’t church on their timetable? Do they honestly believe that church is an option to their faith?

If they take time to read their Bibles, they would discover that church-going and being a Christian go hand in hand. From the earliest times of our faith, Christians would gather together on the first day of the week (Sunday) to worship, sing hymns, hear the Gospel, and share communion. They did it in defiance of the authorities, and in the knowledge that they could be arrested, persecuted, and even executed for such a simple gathering of faithful people. In the 17^th century, the Scottish Covenanters experienced the same thing, and in today’s China, Sunday Church groups meet together knowing that the police could break up their services at any time.

The church is full of hypocrites, but at least it’s full of people who prioritize their collective worship of God, especially on a Sunday morning. As for those other hypocrites who always talk about God but never get around to actually worshiping Christ on Sundays, we’ll leave the door open. After all, there’s room at worship for them, too.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, each week on the Sabbath Day, You were to be found in a local synagogue. Even though You are the closest being to God, You never treated worship lightly. Even Your first followers, who began worshiping on Sundays to recognize Your Resurrection, never stopped going to church, even though they were hunted down and persecuted, tortured and executed for defying the authorities. Help us hypocrites to find room at church on Sunday mornings. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Church meeting Devotions: Real Reality

Galatians 6: 3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

We live in a sad age when reality television rules our popular culture. Whether its Octomom or the Gosseleins, the Bachelor or Big Brother, our whole society seems obsessed with people who’s only talent is to brazenly tout their rudeness and crass ways on the small screen. I was even sadly shocked to see that inside the Smithsonian Castle (Washington, DC) of all places, the three chairs and desk for the judges of American Idol were prominently displayed. I guess that the dumbing down of our culture is one of the major indicators that our civilization is breaking apart. Everybody wants to get their fifteen minutes of fame, no matter what the cost is to themselves. Perhaps Andy Warhol was a prophet after all.

This self-centered narcissism is nothing new to our society. Paul wrote about it to the Christians in Galatia almost 2000 years ago. At that time, the fledgling Christian community was trying to establish itself. A few people, however, were beginning to aggrandize themselves by making them out to be better than everyone else. Paul nipped this in the bud by writing about the sin of pride and the mistake of being self-centered in a Christ-centered community. There was no room for esteem, ambition, and power in the church. All the honor and glory belonged to Christ. As Paul so aptly put it, ‘If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.’

Reality occurs when we check our pride and humble ourselves before Christ. It might not make good television, but when the audience is God, it makes a real opportunity for us to be restored to His love and kingdom.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to get real and to understand the ultimate reality of life occurs when we give our hearts to You and place our lives into Your hands. Forgive us for being wiled by worldly distractions and enable us to experience what is actually real for our souls, our culture, and society. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Reality TV: Theology in the Video Era

Church Meeting Devotions: Folk Music Faith

Romans 15: 5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus

Yesterday, we held an Appalachian/folk music service at the church. Because the songs were so well known to the congregation, the singing was absolutely amazing. Our praise band became a bluegrass band for the day, complete with a mandolin and banjo. The whole worship experience was so uplifting that many people want us to do it again. Perhaps we may follow up on that request once per quarter.

I think the whole Scots-Irish and mountain music connections unified the entire congregation in a novel and encouraging way. It also allowed me to begin casting a vision for the whole church to be thinking about how we express our faith and extend our influence in the surrounding community. If we can connect with one another joyfully through worship, then we can present a united witness to our neighborhood. I hope that yesterday was rebirth of who we are and a recommitment to the Christ we serve.

When Paul is signing off his letter to the Romans, he wants to leave them with an uplifting prayer. He knows that the Christian Church in Rome is most vulnerable to persecution by the Emperor. So Paul bids farewell to them with a blessing of endurance and encouragement. He wants them to know how important they are to him; he wants them also to feel blessed and supported by God.

With a spirit of unity, any Christian church can endure and find encouragement in their faith. Those who follow Jesus are given the task of presenting His message to the community. Whether it’s through music or ministry, worship or witness, or service and support, the effectiveness of the Gospel being positively received in a community is in direct proportion to the unity of any Christian church in that area. Without a unified vision, the people scatter and perish. With a unified commitment to Christ, a church becomes more than just another social club in the community; it becomes a relevant part of God’s Kingdom.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we pray for the gift of unity to be given to our congregations. We ask that You allow Your Spirit to strengthen us in commitment, to encourage us in worship, and to unite us in serving Your Kingdom in our communities. Grant us the blessings of endurance and encouragement so that we may attract others to follow You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an mail to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Transforming Worship Ideas

Church Meeting Devotions: Fundraising

Luke 10:20 (Jesus said,) “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

Our not-so-wee church made a brave decision last Sunday morning. We agreed to ask the bank for a $500,000 line of credit so that we can begin the much needed renovation and construction work in our building. It was an almighty leap of faith for our congregation, but through the presentations of our campaign and construction teams, we now all share the belief that this is what we are meant to be doing.

It’s the biggest decision and commitment that our church has made since the present building was opened in 1955. Over the next three years, we are going to raise over $1,000,000 so that we can upgrade the church campus and have an attractive site that will bring in more people for Christ.

Sunday was also a beautiful moment in the life of our church because of two important things. Firstly, we were making a commitment to the future well being of our congregation. Most of us will not be around to see the fruits of our endeavors, so this is an almighty act of faith by this present generation. And secondly, we were gratefully showing God that we have been truly blessed by His Son’s work and ministry amongst us.

In years to come, our church will become stronger and more influential in our resident community. Hopefully, we will look back and understand that this was the moment when didn’t glorify ourselves but chose instead to rejoice in the goodness of the Lord. This is a special calling, and I believe that we are both humbled and honored to be given such a privilege from Christ.

When the disciples came back to Jesus from their own winter ministries, they were full of stories about how God’s authority had been channeled through them to overcome evil spirits. They were amazed at the powers they had been given and wanted to boast about their victories. Jesus, however, reminded them to rejoice in being saved and of the fact that God had given them a place in heaven. This was infinitely worth more than any power to subdue earthly devils.

I believe that Christ is telling Erin church to do the same. We can express and boast about how much we have done and of what we are going to do, but the real rejoicing and glory belong to God. This Capital Campaign is not just a commitment, it’s a celebration of the fact that our not-so-wee church called Erin is also known in heaven and blessed by God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the calling that You have given to all of our churches. Help us to celebrate this blessing and to glorify You through what we give from our resources, as well as expressing our faith by what we do each day. In Your Holy Name, we humbly and cheerfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the Scottish pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Church Meeting Devotions: The Blame Game

Genesis 3:12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me--she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."

I call it the “blame game.” You know about it, too. Someone does something diabolically wicked and it’s reported in the newspaper. The evidence is there and enough witnesses come forward to make the conviction stand. And then we read about parents, relatives, and friends who sobbingly declare that their child would never do this, or that the police have framed him, or that the System (whatever that is) is to blame. In other words, the wicked event – a murder, a rape, or an armed robbery – all took place by itself. And even though the evidence and witnesses clearly point to his or her guilt, the perpetrator is surely not to blame.

I’ve also seen it happen with drug addicts and alcoholics. I’ve sadly watched them ruin their lives, lose their jobs, and sever themselves from their families and friends. Despite all of these unfortunate things, the addict still mistakenly believes that someone else is to blame.

It’s a sad part of the human condition which has been with us since the very beginning. In the Garden of Eden, God discovers that Adam and Eve have eaten the forbidden fruit. When God questions the couple, Adam blames Eve (and also God for making her). Eve blames the serpent. No one is willing to stand up and say, “God, I cannot tell a lie. It was me.” They don’t even say that they are sorry.

Left to ourselves, human beings can be highly irresponsible and totally unrepentant. But through the mercy of God, the Holy Spirit sometimes afflicts and convicts us of our mistakes. When that happens we have two simple choices: we can go on thinking that we’re not to blame, or we can come to Christ’s Cross and ask Him to hear our confessions. If we approach Him sincerely, He will cancel our sins. We will be at last freed from the “Blame Game” and received into the Light of Christ.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to name our shame and impart from our hearts the failures, mistakes, and blame for the sins we have committed, the relationships we have ruined, and the wrongs we have done. Grant us the courage to make things right with You and with those we have hurt, disappointed, or decried. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Church Meeting Devotions: True Teaching

2 Thessalonians 2:15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

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As far as I am concerned, my wife Evelyn is the best teacher in the world. She’s been a teacher for twenty eight years, so she’s dedicated to her profession. She knows how to motivate children and has dealt with more than her fair share of anxious parents through the years. She understands the need for her students to apply themselves and she tries very hard to encourage them to reach their fullest potential.

It isn’t easy because every student is at a different individual level from all the other students in her class. Evelyn concentrates on the basics – reading, writing, and arithmetic – as well as teaching art, science, and social studies. She has a lot of lessons and material to get through in any given school year. She does her best to help the children to do their utmost in order to prepare them for the next step: Middle School.

I could not do what she does for a full year. I could teach a class for half a day perhaps and squeak through a couple of lessons. I’ve seen her come home with tons of work to mark, and new materials to read, digest, and prepare lessons. Like all true teachers, Evelyn doesn’t do it for the money – it is a special calling. Without teachers like her in our community and across the nation, our children would become ignorant, unskilled, and unemployable. As someone else once wrote: if you can read a book, fill out a form, and work for a living – then thank a teacher.

Teaching is also an important part of Christianity. Without faith teachers, people would make up their own ideas about God and end up believing in anything. Sadly, there’s a trend in today’s churches where people don’t want to accept the old truths or the absolutes of our faith. They want to discover Christ for themselves and shape Him into being the Lord of what they want. Sunday school classes and Bible study groups across the land are diminishing because people are too busy doing other things. They want to put Christ in a convenient box and not be challenged by His ways or words.

All they want to hear is that they are good people, loved by God, and guaranteed everlasting life. Heaven is a given and hell is not real. Resurrection is guaranteed but redemption is not necessary. Confession is good for the soul but contrition is not required. In other words, they want to be accepted by God by rejecting the Cross, Christ’s teaching, and the need to be saved.

That’s not authentic Christianity, that’s post-modern universalism. It’s not Christian teaching; it’s a worldly heresy.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You were brought into the world to teach us about God. Your words reveal to us the true way to reach God. Your Gospel shows us how to be redeemed and restored to God. Keep us from false teaching and help us to pay attention to Your ways, instead of focusing on our own misconceived, misconstrued, and mistaken ideas. Remind us that no matter how sincere we are about our beliefs, we still can be sincerely wrong. Become our True Teacher and Holy Guide. In Your Sacred Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Church Meeting Devotions: End Stoning

Jeremiah 9: 20 Now, O women, hear the word of the LORD; open your ears to the words of his mouth. Teach your daughters how to wail; teach one another a lament.

It was both brutal and harrowing. I wept buckets of tears and left the movie theater angry. In fact, I was so angry that my teeth were clenched throughout my fifteen minute drive home.

Every woman and every man in this land should see “The Stoning of Soraya M.” Women should see it because of the brutal stoning and gender discrimination that is portrayed. Men should see it because of their wicked use of faith to squash human rights and their weakness in standing up against falsehoods.

The leading actresses in the movie, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Mozhan Marnò deserve Oscars. They are strong and beautiful, resolute and courageous. But because this is a foreign movie and Hollywood is so narcissistic, they won’t even be mentioned. And yet, I honestly have never seen a more powerful movie in my life. It has changed me completely.

The movie doesn’t entertain the audience, it educates them. I don’t know if America is ready for this because we’re becoming so tabloid titillated and paparazzi pampered that we don’t know how to deal with serious global issues anymore.

I want to set up a new online ministry called “End Stoning.” I’ll highlight the verse (John 8 v7) from the Gospel where Jesus says, “Whoever amongst you is sinless, let him cast the first stone.” I’ve even set up a new blog at www.endstoning.wordpress.com. I’ll put information about stonings from around the world and list the contact addresses of politicians and leaders that people can write to in order to end this barbaric, satanic, and inhumane religious practice. If you want to help me, then send me an email to traqair@aol.com.

Go and see the movie. Women are lamenting all around the world because of this horrific occurrence. This is not God’s work, God’s way, nor is it God’s judgment. This is about man’s inhumanity to women. This is the 21^st century. This has to stop.

Prayer: O LORD, let Your Spirit move amongst us so that we can begin the work of removing this scourge from the Earth. Help us to do whatever we can to save people from being stoned to death. Educate and inform us in order that we may rescue and liberate those who live under this diabolical tyranny. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.