a posture of confession

Allow me to confess…even if I am a pastor, I have some not very good thoughts! Let me share with you one…

…once while having my devotional, I resisted what the Lord was teaching me that day. I didn’t like it and I rejected it in my mind. The object of my reading was a very common part of the Bible, Matthew 5: 39-42:

“…do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those want to borrow.”

Contemplating deeply about that passage, I thought as a good follower of Jesus, I have to practice those! BUT my mind was repulsive! Because if I do, it seemed like…

1. I would ‘allow’ an evil person to manipulate, control, harm me and tolerate an abuse on me.
2. I would have to give to the extent of having nothing of my own.
3. I would have to submit to, take note, a DEMAND not a request!

I didn’t like it because I know if I will practice those, some of my rights as a person will be denied, I will feel humiliated and I will be hurt.

I started to read other passages from the other books of the Gospel and the Letters of Paul. But the more I found those passages supporting that teaching. I didn’t end my reading with a prayer and with repulsiveness hanging in my mind I proceeded on with the day, until I had a talk with my accountability buddies at the end of the day. I talked with them about my struggle on the passage.  One of them gave a piece of his cent on this, he said…

Doing so doesn’t mean you are denied of yourself and defied to own your self-worth but instead, in circumstances like that you are called to handle the situation GRACIOUSLY, meaning, living it UNDER GOD’S GRACE!

That hit me…that was exactly how to live a life after giving fully myself to God…

I LIVE NOT BUT HE LIVES IN ME BECAUSE SINCE THEN I LIVE IN HIS GRACE!

WHATEVER PEOPLE MAY THINK OF ME OR HOWEVER THEY MAY TREAT ME, I TREAT THEM GRACIOUSLY, BECAUSE I HAVE WORTH IN HIM, I AM ESTEEMED BY HIM AND I AM LOVED BY HIM!

Until now some few months after that day, I am still learning to practice how to live under His Grace, and there are times I fail, even while leading LifeChurch Makati!

Lifers and LifeChurch Makati friends, I hope and pray that you will still look at me as a worthy pastor after this confession.

By seeing Him we are CHANGED!

Changing lives are the inspiration of every church planter and that makes him move forwards despite of the challenges ahead.

As Lifer-Volunteers I would like to share with you some of the comments by those whom you have invited, those whom you welcomed as walk in guests and those guests who found us in the web world.  Please know that your efforts are not in vain. Through you God is touching lives and these lives are changing for the better…

First time guests couldn’t help but commented:

“I’m having a great time in my first visit here. Thanks! God bless!”

“Thank you…My first impression of the gathering (worship service) was truly caring. God bless!”

“Everything is excellent, the Word (message) is anointed, the venue is comforting.”

Some guests said after hearing a message:

“The Lord spoke to me today. Praise Him.”

“…I related with our topic. Thank Lord for always being there. Hope you will help me with the trials I am going through now.”

“I was touched by this message, ‘make a valley of Achor a door of hope.’ Thanks to Pastor Craig & Kuya Prudy. I’m blessed today…Praise the Lord.”

“…every topic touched my heart and has been an eye opener. Continue praying for me as I seek to do His will…Salamat!”

“I have faith in God with all my heart, I believe Him, trust Him and no fear can tear it down.”

Two wrote in the connection card, after hearing a message from the recently completed message series, Once Upon a Marriage:

“I am so blessed with the message of Once Upon a Marriage. Pray that I’ll be the husband that God always want me to be…A leader! Thank you…”

“This is my first time to write in the connection card. I’m so enlightened. Thank you God. Thank you Kuya Prudy. Sana makita ko na ang husband ko (I hope to see my husband soon) to say sorry to him.”

Then after FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Part 1 message, an attendee said:

“There’s no enough space for all my questions. But I know God is so good. I claim that He already answers all my prayers in Jesus name.”

And lastly, someone simply but heart-felt penned:

“I’ve found God here in LifeChurch Makati.”

Didn’t those words inspire us to continue and improve more on whatever God has place in our hands to lead these people to Christ? I know Lifers that you will to do things for people to see God’s glory in their lives!

GOD BLESS YOUR SERVICE AT LIFECHURCH MAKATI!

Come follow me & I will make you fishers of men!

Matthew 4: 18-20 narrated Jesus’ calling of the first two disciples, namely: Peter and Andrew, who were brothers. The situation and condition of their calling was quite interesting. I couldn’t imagine that they immediately left their family and their job when they were called by Jesus.

I was their opposite. It took me sometime to finally overcome the fear of becoming a full time serving follower of Jesus. I couldn’t imagine how Peter and Andrew ASAP abandoned their job and family.

But what impressed me more in the story was how Jesus called the brothers…

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed Him. (verses 19, 20)

When Jesus calls us to become His ‘devoted followers’ (Disciples) it is always two folds:

1. TO FOLLOW HIM. To walk, talk, think like Him and even feel the way He feels and empathizes with people. Live a life having a deep and intimate relationship with God. And living a life that doesn’t rely on self only and on fellow human beings (loved ones included) but first and foremost dependent on God, humble and obedient to Him.
2. BE FISHER OF MEN. Look for people whom we will lead to become followers of Jesus too! And on reaching for people, we have to be like fishermen who first think like the fish so that they may attract and catch them. We have to think like those who do not have a close relationship with Jesus so that we may attract them and lead them to Christ.

But it is our bad that as Christians, the longer we stayed in a church the more we forget what it feels and thinks like those who are not in the church. We forget how it feels like coming for the first time in a church:

[1] a little apprehensive on what to wear, how to behave as non-members when people welcome them.

[2] a little intimidated and foreign of not knowing the Christian lingo that everyone knows or be called a “brother” and a “sister”.

[3] feeling strange and uncomfortable on how to sing the songs with the clapping and raising of hands, when to sit down and to stand up.

[4] and afraid of the sermons and preachings that may be condemning and guilt tripping or with all those threatening events before the end of the world.

[5] lastly, what to do during offering time and how much should be given.

If we are really serious with God’s calling let us make great attention on BECOMING LIKE JESUS and ELIMINATING THE UNNECESSARY INTIMIDATING CHURCH PRACTICES that make people apprehensive and eventually evading going to the church.

As devoted followers of Jesus Christ let us all make our efforts to MAKE IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO BE LED TO JESUS!

My devotional reading today is from Mark 12: 41-44.  It just transpired at LifeChurch Makati last night.

I will write the excerpt from this reading then share with you how it happened at our church family.

...it was the only thing that remained...

Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple…Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.

Jesus called his disciples…and said, “…this poor widow has given more…poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

Our church, like with any young church, is in financial need these days and from an appeal of, I call, ’sacrificial giving’ lifers poured in offerings and pledges which were (are) tremendous blessings! Last night, unexpectedly, someone met me and gave an offering. Later I received a text message on my mobile phone saying, “Hi kuya, pagpasensyahan nyo po yong maliit lang na share ko…pinakasagad na po talaga, but I have faith naman po na it is God who is directing us (to give).” Rough translation: I’m sorry for the small share that I gave…it was the last that I have…

I was so much touched, inspired and blessed with the message and the offering that was given. I immediately texted back mentioning what Jesus said in the story of the widow!

This is a wonderful experience on our journey as a church together, this reflects that young a church as we are, we are doing what Jesus taught and what happened in the story of the young Christian church in the book of Acts! I praise God for you lifers with the heart of giving and of great faith!

By the way, the amount that was given by this lifer as an offering was not small!

New Series: FAQ – Frequently Asked Question

Are you ever wondered what God thinks about suicide, homosexuality, the end of the world, birth control, horoscopes, and why good people suffer? Find out the answers to these questions and more—join us for FAQ.

We’re going to have our very own FAQ. So, if you have any questions about anything, ask away. Who knows, your questions might be chosen and answered.

FACE BOOK | TWITTER

In the Wandering Server stage a volunteer is in one way or another disillusioned because of the realities of volunteering. It is the time he/she challenges the vision, why the program or activities, why is it different from what he/she was used to do. There could even be hurt emotions to deal with. Again as I said in the previous blog, it is the time to stick to the vision and to the mission. It is the time to ask questions, talk with the leaders and the vision caster. And it is the time to understand the culture of the group, in our case, our church family.

Celebrating Volunteers

When this happens the volunteer goes to the next stage and he/she can be called an EMERGING VOLUNTEER! He/she is now having the understanding of all the ‘whys’ and ‘whats.’ It is now the time he/she has clarified all what he/she is wandering about. This time he/she is happy to do what he/she is volunteering to do, there is more motivation!

Then the last but not the end stage is when a volunteer becomes a PEAK CONTRIBUTOR! The volunteer on this stage eventually becomes a leader in what he/she is doing.  He/she is now an expert on his/her service! He/she already has the vision of the group in his/her heart, is willing to cast it to others and to mentor and lead them to the Leader of all volunteers – JESUS CHRIST!

Jesus the Lead Volunteer

I pray that you Lifers will eventually reach to its fullness of becoming volunteers who are Peak Contributors like Jesus Himself.

That is the reason why I give all respect, honor and commendations to our LifeChurch Makati Volunteers – you deserve a great applause from the Audience of One in Heaven!

Hurray to the Lifer-Volunteers!!!

As your pastor, I understand the different stages you go through as you volunteer – check this out and know where are you now…

The first stage a volunteer steps into is being an ENTHUSIASTIC BEGINNER. During this stage there are great expectations! High hopes and high dreams! When a vision is caught, a volunteer normally is overwhelmed of its goodness. Some times he/she cannot sleep and wanting to do things, act and change the world! This is the “Honeymoon” stage of volunteering.  This is also one of the best parts a vision-caster can do! The talks between him and the volunteers are normally sweet. But of course, this stage doesn’t stay for long, because reality of volunteering comes.

When it comes, there are details to be checked, schedules to be attended to, mind-sets to be resettled, contributions to be asked and some feelings ached. Initial expectations during the first stage are not usually meet. This time a volunteer experiences becoming a WANDERING SERVER. Question are asked, positions aligned, contributions clarified and emotions to be mended! It is essential during this stage to stick to the vision! Talk more with the vision-caster, understand the culture of the group and reasons for the movement and the causes.

Lifers, if you are in this stage I will personally happy to be with you, talk with you and share with you, what and why is this calling! After this is the still upward journey to your service!

Tomorrow I will post about the going up stages of being TOGETHER as volunteers!

GOD BLESS THE TWO STAGES YOU ARE GOING THROUGH AS A VOLUNTEER AT LIFECHURCH MAKATI!

I started yesterday with the 1st three letters of the acronym COACH principles for a church plant volunteering team to become successful: C for Commitment, O for Over learning (Excellence), A for Adjustablility. Today let me finish this blog with the last two letters of COACH.

C – stands for Consistency. When we are called by God to a certain service He is asking us to be faithful on it because He knew that in doing the ministry it will not always be good, there will be downward experiences and sometimes rock-bottom moments. But He knew that if we persist, the virtue of PATIENCE will be developed in us. In the first place, He who began the good works in us is faithful to complete the task in us! And He will not leave us nor abandon us in difficult times. If we become consistent we will be amazed on how He will do things for us!

Jesus the Best Life Coach!

Lastly, H – stands for Humility. God would like us to exemplify the attitude which completely opposes the character of God’s enemy, Pride. God wants that our life will be a personification of being HUMBLE! The exact character that Paul talked about Jesus, when he wrote, “Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God…Instead…He took the humble position of a slave…He humbled Himself in obedience to God…Therefore God elevated Him to the place of highest honor…to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:6-11 NLT).

Lifers, I encourage you to work together to win this work of leading people to God because we have all the guidance of the Coach of all the expert coaches, the one who knew the beginning and the end – Jesus Christ!

Coach Phil jackson of Lakers

Boston Celtics and LA Lakers are contending to be the Champion for this NBA’s Season.  I’m not really a sports enthusiast but as far as I know the key and the responsibility to get that champion status lies on their coaches – they determine the game plan and set the strategy, of course with his whole team.  On Lakers, because the are my favored team, it is Phil Jackson and on Celtics, my least favored team, it is Doc Rivers.

Coach Doc Rivers of Celtics

But do you know that in the win-ability of any other team, such as the volunteering team of a church plant like our very own LifeChurch Makati family, the COACH Principles are very important!

Each letter of the COACH stands for a principle that leads to the team’s success.  Let me share with you the first three letters today and tomorrow I will present the last two letters.

C – stands for Commitment.  A volunteer has to be committed to the cause, the mission and the vision of the team. In the case of LifeChurch Makati it is “To Lead People to Become Fully Devoted Followers of Jesus Christ!” We have to be committed to it and make it the air we breath and the blood that flows into our system as a church. Everything that we do depends on it!

O – stands for Over learn.  We have to learn by heart what we are called to do.  The one word for “over learn” is Excellence! We are far from being perfect while we are here on earth but we can do everything to the best that we can.  Excellence honors God and it makes people follow our lead!

A – stands for Adjustable. There are no permanent things on this earth. The only constant thing here is Change! There maybe good things applicable in the past and today but is not applicable tomorrow.  We have to adjust as to the needs of the people we are serving and leading. Our minor strategies and methods may change but our Mission and Vision will stay!

Tomorrow I will post about the 2nd “C” and the last letter “H.”