Lance Armstrong, Grace, and Repentance

Wanted to share this post from pastor and author, Pete Scazzero. It is interesting to me that the media has been using spiritual words like "repentance" when it talks about Lance Armstrong's admission / "confession" of using performance-enhancing drugs. From my own experience, repentance can be a journey. If you've been living a lie for any amount of time, you probably won't come clean immediately for fear that the ugly truth will be too much to handle, but I firmly believe in Jesus' words in John 8:32; "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free". 

Lance Armstrong’s public apology this past week drew severe criticism for being incomplete, tentative, evasive, and lacking in true remorse. Yes, he admitted some things, but he still seemed to be spinning. Most people were unimpressed. I related to Lance Armstrong and was impressed. Why? I understand something of the deep, cunning nature of sin in my own life and the long process and stages of repentance. I also understand a little about the challenge to distinguish the complex, interior movements of my own heart.

Tyler Hamilton, his former friend and teammate, reminds us of his own journey in coming clean. He too lived years of denial and lies around his use of performance-enhancing drugs. “When I first started telling the truth, it came out like water trickling out of a faucet,” Hamilton said. He talked about his early stages of admitting his guilt — the pain, the incompleteness, and the slow and brutal process of coming to terms with years of deception.

Daniel Coyle, his coauthor in “The Secret Race,” noted that “people underestimate how difficult it is to tell the truth when you have lived a secret life for a long time.” He compared the process to digging out a “buried city in the sand.” I agree. I relate to Armstrong’s slow, halting, struggling repentance that is yet at an early stage. I have lived it. I’ve also seen in others – whether the sin was adultery, murder. child abuse, ambition, pride, or hatred.

May God give Lance Armstrong the grace to take his next steps in his Psalm 51 journey of repentance, and may he meet a loving God and church in the process.

10 Things Church Members Desire in a Pastor

from http://thomrainer.com/
Agree? Disagree? Anything to add?

1.       Love of congregation. “If we know that our pastor loves us, everything else falls in place. If he doesn’t, nothing else matters.”

2.       Effective preaching. “I don’t have any expectation that my preacher be one of the best in the world, I just want to know that he has spent time in the Word each week to teach us effectively and consistently.”

3.       Strong character. “No pastor is perfect, but I do want a pastor whose character is above reproach on moral, family, and financial issues.”

4.       Good work ethic. “I don’t want either a workaholic pastor or a lazy pastor."

5.       Casts a vision. “Our church has so much possibility; I want to hear what we will do to make a difference in our community and the world.”

6.       Demonstrates healthy leadership. “Most of the pastors in my church have demonstrated a good balance; they have been strong leaders but not dictators.”

7.       Joyous. “Our current pastor is a man of joy. His joy and enthusiasm are contagious. I love him for that!”

8.      Does not yield to critics. “I know that every pastor serving today has his critics. And I know it’s tough to deal with them. I just want these pastors to know that we supporters are in the majority. Please don’t let the minority critics dictate how you lead and serve.”

9.       Transparent. “Every pastor that I have had has been open and transparent about the church and the direction we are headed. It sure has made our church healthier.”

10.   Models evangelism. “Our pastor is passionate about sharing the gospel. His heart and attitude are contagious.”

Leadership Insight

This comes from Mike Myatt in Forbes magazine:

Want to test your leadership mettle? See how well you do when leading those not inclined to follow. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people may be comforting, it might even seem like a good idea, but it’s not the stuff of great leadership. The best leaders are not only capable of effectively leading those who hold differing opinions and perspectives – they thrive on it. If unique perspectives, philosophical differences, and dissenting opinions are viewed as an opportunity as opposed to a set-back, growth and development are certain to follow

Click here for full article: http://blogs.forbes.com/mikemyatt/

Dave's Top 10 (no, not Letterman)

At our congregation, we are each choosing our top 10 favorite Scriptures. Then we will gather to discern from that huge list, our top 12 as a congregation and use these as our guide for the new year and beyond.

Here are my top 10. (After choosing these, I realized that there are so many more I could add).

1. John 8:32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
2. Philippians 1:6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.
3.  1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
4. Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God--what is good and acceptable and perfect.
5. Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
6. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
7. Philippians 4:6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
8. Psalms 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
9. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
10.2 Corinthians 12:9 My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

These all have special meaning and a story for a particular time in my life. What might your top 10 be?