Bless the Dispensers of Grace

"The only true healer is a wounded healer."

                                                                                               ~ Henri Nouwen

This journey with writing began three years ago, when I was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Each day when I look in the mirror, I see new gray hairs appearing and lines around my eyes becoming deeper; yet, I still think I look fairly good for a man who is supposed to be a corpse. 

The journey through these writings has become for me an expression of faith; though everything I have written is colored by my lenses and is unique to me.

In a world where a man's word has become faulty and honesty a rare commodity, I still believe words mean something.
Is the Constitution not a document of words to which we adhere because of its principles for government?
Is not our marriage vows words we swear to keep?

You see, words mean something and they still have a liberating effect on the mind and the heart once they are embraced.
That is why men are called to preach the Gospel; it is a Gospel of the Word of God - there is no greater power on earth when the Lord moves His man in the proclamation of His Word.

No minister would doubt the above statement; we have seen the power of the Gospel too many times for it to be denied.
Most have seen God move in ways that are unexplainable aside from Him.
It is a glorious thing when a man is called of God and used by God for the Lord's purposes devoid of any personal gain.

This is true, but what is also true is in our modern time, is that so many ministers of the Gospel, good men, are downtrodden, burning out, being weakened by criticism and are wounded in their own faithfulness.
Yet, their hearts are still yearning for their people; it is a desire and a love that can only come through the Holy Spirit of God.

Sadly, I am watching so many good men become defeated; they have done all they know to do, with little results.

Sometimes they are watching less gifted men or women rise in status, while their churches struggle and personal criticism mounts against them and their families.
Yet, they stay faithful; praying for God's movement in their lives, in their homes, in their churches, not for their own benefit but for Christ's glory through their work.

Men, brethren, you are not alone in  your struggles or your faithfulness; neither of which, your work or witness, has been misplaced.
Stay strong.

Some are struggling with modern apostasy in their pews; it is difficult to try to serve people who you know in your heart aren't as faithful as God would want them to be.
It is even more difficult when you know in your heart that some simply do not care nor are concerned to grow spiritually any more than what they are today.

Centuries ago, Japanese Christians were confronted with believers who committed 'fumie.'
A 'Fumie' ( fumi - stepping on; e - a picture) was the trampling on an image of Christ when confronted by the shoguns. (Image left)
If a person stepped on Jesus' image, they were left alone; if not, they were confirmed as Christians, tortured and sometimes killed.

Now, sometimes, just like in the Early Church, a Christian would commit this act but repent and want to return to the Body - even among those who had been tortured.
Obviously, those who did not reject Christ struggled with this issue and with grace.
Who could blame them?

Yet, our pastors today see our church-goers commit such acts every day, and it makes them question their own ministry before God.

Now, our modern people don't do this publicly or in actuality; but can be seen in the results of the life they lead.
You see, in modern American life, it is much easier to give up our Christianity in small sacrifices of faith; for we are not being asked to deny Christ before raging crowds, but privately and secretly. 

Unfortunately, we have millions of ways of betraying our faith; more often than not, we support or take part in things that are totally contrary to our faith.

Yet, many go through life unfazed; as their pastor weeps for their hardened heart.

But that is only one way that ministers are struggling; some are struggling because their congregations, for the most part, have no desire to reach anyone other than people exactly like the people who are already sitting in the pews.

Unfortunately, some ministers face the dilemma of being faithful or being fired; a situation to which I can accurately attest.
But I digress.

May I remind the reader exactly of whom Jesus spent much of his time with?

It seems the more undesirable a person was, the more they became attracted to Jesus and the more likely Jesus was to minister freely in grace to them.

Personally, I think Jesus was on to something here→ the people who needed the grace He was offering, was the very people who had the most wrecked lives and needed it the most.
Wow, what a unique concept, if only Jesus had left behind followers whom He charged with doing the same.

Oh, that's right; He did - we just aren't as good as dispensing grace as He was; but at the very least we should try. 


Just consider who the Lord spent much of His time with: Sinners, Prostitutes, people of questionable reputations and loyalties - like tax collectors and even zealots. 
And again, as I can personally attest, if a pastor does spend the majority of his time with those who are downtrodden, 'good Christian people' are often scandalized and he will face criticism.
So did the Lord; therefore, you'll be in pretty good company.

Unless I am horribly mistaken, Jesus' message centered on those who had been forsaken and rejected? 

Maybe ours should as well.
And maybe some of our church-goers need to be reminded that the only people who need a doctor are those who are sick.

Yet, the one issue that seems to effect pastors the most in the modern era is the very fact, the well-documented fact, that churches are not growing, are stagnate or are currently declining.
And it isn't just that it is on a national scale; many don't care about other churches, but they do care about their church and the one person who takes the criticism for a congregation with little or no growth is the pastor.

Friends, this is totally unfair but it is part of the territory.
As ministers, we know this; hopefully the next few paragraphs will encourage you.

Of course Church attendance is declining!
What else would it do?

You and I stand at the beginning of the 21st Century; we are products of an up-bringing that assumed God was removed from His Creation but was still involved in His children's daily lives.
This is no longer assumed in our culture.

As the American culture has ceased to be a melting pot where immigrants conformed to our beliefs and systems; today, we stand as more of a fruit salad and we're getting more fruity all the time.
As a fruit salad, every incoming people group keeps their traditions, their dress, and even their language at times.


There is no pressure to adopt our beliefs or our systems or even understand how our society came into existence - and this has bled over into the Body of Christ in the beliefs of the younger generations.

Western Culture has been entrusted with profound ideas from God → Guilt, the nature of Sin, Atonement and Redemption.
These are relevant in all ages at all times, but few see the value in understanding why these things are important.
And I'm not talking about the unchurched; I'm talking about the average man or women in the pew on Sunday morning.

Few see the relevance.

Today's generation, the Millennials, have only heard one side of Jesus Christ and that is of His majesty; they have heard little else.
While Jesus' majesty and glory is true and should be taught; they are only receiving half of the story.
You see, many Millennials have never been taught about the suffering Savior or as to why Jesus' suffering and pain helps us today.

This is a huge mistake ministers are making today.

Sure, we see the large churches and hear of the big-named ministers packing stadiums; but this message is shallow without a Suffering Savior; and when tough times hit the lives of the Millennials, many leave the faith because they do not see nor have they been taught anything about the doctrine of suffering.

The truth is that human beings today and of all times know more about the Christ of Betrayal than we do the Jesus of Majesty, though He be the same Lord.
The point is that we can identify with betrayal (again, I can attest), with the emotional pain and

stress, with friends abandoning us.

We can identify with Peter's denial and Jesus' pain in His searing look at the one He called 'The Rock' during His trial.
Haven't you ever had a friend throw you under the bus?
Jesus knew what that was like and so do we...again, something else to which I can attest.

We may never know regal glory; but we do know what it is like to be wounded and hurt.
Pain and suffering speaks a language all its own; a language even the Millennials understand.

Today, many Christians pray without knowing how to pray.
Many attempt to rest in Christ; yet, remain restless.

We must not stand silent with the message of inner peace we know so well; this generation has never realized in its full the 'peace which surpasses all understanding.'

If they did, so many Churches would not be trying to  'make' things happen but attempting to get on board with what God is causing to happen in His will with them.

You see, when pain is hidden, so too is hidden the ability to heal.
If Jesus cannot be seen as one who can identify in pain as well as joy, we have handicapped the Lord of the Ages in the hearts of the Millennials.

The Millennials, Generation X and the Baby Boomers which occupy the committees and choirs in our churches today, each one needs what Jesus called 'Living Water.'

Remember the early 1980's?
It was the beginning of a decade that would be remembered for many things; yet, at the beginning of the 1980's, few remember the horror of thousands upon thousands of young men dying of HIV/AIDS.

Those men were literally dying because of their desire to be loved.
Some craved acceptance, some yearned for a home, other wanted the love of a family.

To be sure, they were engaging in ungodly acts; many brazenly so.
Yet, they were 'thirsting' to be accepted and loved - but tried drinking only what the world and their desires could find to fill the gap in their hearts.
Maybe that is why Jesus said to the Samaritan Woman, 'If you drink of this water, you will thirst again...'

Every person needs His Living Water.

You and I have been called to be dispensers of grace, pointing others to the well-spring of His Living Water.
Don't lose heart; our Lord was worn down and frustrated with those who followed with Him, the same will happen to us.
You cannot answer for what they do with His Living Water, but only whether or not you sought to give it to them in grace, mercy and love.

Jesus came to the earth, 'full of grace and truth...'
May you and I do the same wherever He leads.

Until next time, win one for the good guys.