Why on Earth are we here?

I'm in the middle of a teaching series entitled "From Here to Eternity."  We are focusing on such questions as "What really happens when we die?"  "Is there really a Heaven and Hell?" etc.  This past week we looked at the question, what will Heaven really be like.  We dispelled some of the myths of Heaven being some boring place where we will sit around all day on fluffy white clouds playing the harp.  By the time we were done, we had a glimpse of Heaven that was so glorious, it virtually begged the question "Why are we still here?" 

That's a great question.  Why on Earth ARE we here?  There are days for all of us when life is hard.  Some people are out of work.  Others are under employed.  So despite working a full week, some still struggle to pay the mortgage and put food on the table.  There are some among us who are walking through heartbreaking relational or emotional struggles.  Some face serious illness in their own life, or the life of someone they love.   If we are honest, many of us have had days when we were tempted to pray "Come Lord Jesus, take me now!"

For those who are walking through a season of life that is hard, I want to remind us that life is a gift, and we are here for a purpose.  Looking at this question in broad strokes, I want to say to you that we are here for at least three reasons:
       1)  We are here to love and support one another.  Through the peaks and valleys of life, God has placed us in relationship with others so that we can help, and be helped, along the journey of life.  Some days, we may be in the valley and God will send someone along to help us through.  At other times, we will be the one to reach out and help bring someone else along.  And the experiences that we have lived through can be the foundation from which we can help others.
       2)  We are here to be a part of the work of God's Kingdom.  Every one of us has been given specific gifts from God that are to be shared as a part of the overall work of Christ.  No matter what your gifts, talents, and resources are, God has a way to use them as a part of the overall work of his Kingdom to make this world a better place for everyone.
       3)  We are here to share the hope of the Gospel.  When we think about Heaven, how glorious it will be to live eternally in the presence of God, we must stop and recognize that we have the hope of Heaven because someone cared enough to share the Good News with us.  If you think about it, it would be kind of selfish to have received such a great gift, but be unwilling to share it with others.
       Why on Earth are we still here?  Because there are people all around us that still do not know the Good News of Jesus Christ, and the hope of Heaven.  And as long as God sees fit to keep us on this Earth, we have an important (in fact, eternally significant) work to do.  We are here to make life better for one another while we are on this Earth, and we are here to share the hope of eternal life.
        God Bless,

Pastor Steve

The Old Guy in the Room

I had an interesting experience this week.  I attended a leadership roundtable that was sponsored by Next Level Church at their coffee house in Dover.  It was awesome.  I met some great people.  We got to reflect on ministry, how we "do church" in an ever changing culture.  I picked up lots of great ideas, and made some excellent connections, some of which I hope may even grow into genuine friendships.

But there was one thing that struck me the moment I walk into the room.  I'm getting old.  Many of those in attendance were lead pastors or church leaders from new church starts, or from multi-site ministries.  These were great, cool, cutting edge ministries.  I wouldn't say I was the oldest person in the room.  But I suspect that the four or five others in the room (of the 70 people or so) that were my age or older, noticed the same thing I did.  There is a new generation of young leaders emerging in the Christian Church that are all out, sold out for Jesus Christ!  This was a room full of church planters and entrepreneurial Christian leaders who are prepared to storm the gates of hell for the sake of the lost and dying.  There was a tremendous energy and excitement in that room that I don't always experience when Christians gather.

So, I am excited and encouraged by what I see happening all around us among young adults who are, at once, serious and passionate about their faith.  But I couldn't help but wonder, what about the rest of us?  What about those of us that did not grow up with the internet?  Is there still a place for those of us in our 40's and 50's, dare I say 60's and 70's?  There is something awesome about seeing a new church where the average age of the leadership team is 26.  But I also believe the Christian Church is desperately in need of people who are further along in the journey.  People who are able to share some of the experiences of life.

I guess I feel as though the Christian church is at its best when we can combine the energy and passion of committed young adults with the wisdom and maturity of a long time Christ-follower in a synergistic way.  So, to those of you who are younger, bring it on!  Bring your energy, your new ideas, and your passion.  We need your fresh perspective on how we can reach the unchurched in an increasingly secularized world.  And those of you who (like me) are a little further along in the journey, don't check out.  Retirement is not a Christian concept.  We need your experience and knowledge.  And there are many younger Christians who would welcome the opportunity to be mentored and encouraged along the way.  

All in all, I am more optimistic about the future of the Christian Church in America than I have been in a very long time.  This is an exciting time to be a part of the work of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God!