David Tarkington

Making the Shift from Church-Focused to Kingdom-Focused

I readily admit that I really never have original ideas. I claim Ecclesiastes 1:9 for this reality.

Last week I was at a gathering of church planters and pastors of churches that are raising up church planters. The keynote speaker and leader of Vision 360 (and Pastor of NorthWood Church in Keller, Texas) Bob Roberts, Jr. shared about the necessity of moving away from the western "church-focused" model to the biblical "Kingdom-focused model." 

Though this is not a new concept, it was so refreshing to see it laid out in such an understandable way. It is exciting to be able to see or hear something and sit back and go "Wow! That's exactly what I've been thinking, but wasn't able to clarify in my mind." God does this. He uses the Word, situations and others to speak (and pretty much anything else He chooses. He is God, you know.)

So, what does this mean?

What's the big deal about shifting from being Church-Focused to being Kingdom-Focused?

The big deal is that remaining in a Church-Focused framework means death and missing what the Gospel leads us to do and be.

The problem is that I grew up in a Church-Based model. I was trained in this framework. That's what I learned in church, at seminary and in ministry meetings. We work and work at doing church better under this framework only to continue to see the Great Commission go unfulfilled.

I'll break down more of this in later posts, but let's start here. 

The Church-Based Framework . . .

Now, at first glance you may not find any problems with this framework. It has a number of church terms listed: disciple, gospel, etc. However, look closely and you'll discover that the Church is the center and the primary functions lead to growing the church (the organization, not the body and therefore, not the people.) 

This is a radical shift for me and maybe you as well. Of course we're supposed to make disciples, but all too often that looks like nothing more than a membership drive and increased participation in a program. Here's a newsflash - just because people show up at church does not mean they are disciples.

The membership strategy and participation numbers lead this framework and then an interesting view of the gospel comes. This view is all about self, rather than about God. It's about personal salvation and personal atonement for one's sins. I know, I know, you're saying "What's wrong with that?" Well, nothing except for the exclusion of God. Unfortunately, this is how Christianity has been sold, especially in the west. It's about "praying a prayer" rather than about the Lordship of Christ.

Of course, the desire is for personal salvation and Christ's death does atone for one's sins. The issue is the focus. The focus is not about "me" or "us" but Him.

In the church framework the society is basically ignored. This leads to isolationist Christianity. It's evidenced in a "hiding place" church and ministry that is designed to keep us safe from the evils of the world. It results in "Christian" versions of every societal domain and further removes us from being "in the world" while using the excuse of not being "of the world."

The church, therefore becomes the building and an institution. Regardless how many times we say that "the church is the people not a building" our culture is built on this framework, so it is difficult to really live otherwise.

So, that being said, what does the Kingdom-Focused framwork look like?

The Kingdom-Focused Framework. . .

It may seem subtle, but the differences are huge. In other words. . .THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.

The Kingdom-focused Church begins with the Gospel. It's the gospel of the Kingdom of God and focuses on His sovereignty and kingship.

This leads to disciple-making. The Great Commission is a Kingdom-focused command. We are to make disciples. Disciples are those who hear and obey. They live under the lordship of the King. (

Society is not something to be disengaged from, but something to engage. Domains are engaged. Loving one's neighbor becomes real. We then do not love people for the sake of seeing them become Christians, but just because we love them. Yes, we want them to come to Christ, but love must be unconditional.

The church is then defined and living out as the "ecclesia" - the called out ones. The church is the people and we are the ambassadors of the King in this world. We represent Him.

What does this mean?

It means a shift must happen. Language must change. Motivation must adjust. It's about the Kingdom, not about "our" church.

The Church Modeling Stewardship & Generosity (or "Why We're Giving Away $36,000?")

Churches and pastors are good at promoting the message that people should tithe and give generously, cut up credit cards, eliminate debt and save accordingly. The only problem is that while the message is true and right, often the church doesn't actually model that very well.

That's why I am so excited to share once again that the financial leadership team of the church (made up of laypersons) continues to lead us to a place where ministry continues to be done and missions is supported, at increased levels, while saving, giving and eliminating debt is being modeled.

As the church models this as a whole, it is much easier for me and you to see how it should be done in our individual lives.

So, here we are once again. A surplus of funds from regular tithes and offerings from the past six months allows us to worship God through our actions. Like I said Sunday, talk is cheap. This is more than just talk.

We shared at our quarterly meeting last Sunday evening the details, but let me explain them here.

A net "income" has accumulated over the past six months. This was carried over from 2011 and now we are at a place to distribute funds accordingly.

The total amount to distribute is $143,504. From this, per the distribution scale developed last year, the following is happening now:

1. We are "paying" our accrual accounts a total of $23,673 to bring us up to where we should be as of 3/31/2012. The accrual accounts are new and designed to provide funds for replacement and upkeep of high cost items (i.e. A/C units, roofs, transportation).

2. This leaves us with $119,831. Of this, the distribution is as follows:

   1. 40% for capital improvements and/or debt reduction. The total amount is $47,933. Of this, $16,016 was spent in January for the purchase of our needed new sound system in the Worship Center. That amount will be applied to the Music Ministry Budget to put it back in order for the remaining ministry needs for the year. The remaining $31,917 is available for capital improvements and/or debt reduction. Most likely this amount will go towards new signage around campus and the stage rebuild in the Worship Center. These things will take place over time this year since they will cost more than $31,917 and we will not spend money we do not have.

   2. 30% will go in our Emergency/Opportunity Fund. The total is $35,949. This fund is being filled to provide us "rainy day" funds. These are for real emergencies such as fire, hurricane, etc. that may cause us to close for a number of weeks.

   3. 30% of the funds will be given away to Gospel-centered ministries. This is our church being generous and aiding in the spread of the Gospel throughout the world. The total amount is $35,949 (however, we have been told by one individual that they will give $51 to make it a nice round $36,000.) Here's who we are blessing this month:

      • $5,000 to Mercy Hill Church in Greensboro, North Carolina and church planter Andrew Hopper.

      • $5,000 to Caleb Crider, church planter in Portland, Oregon.

      • $5,000 to Sean Benesh, church planter in Portland, Oregon.

      • $5,000 to Matt Jolley, church planter in Portland, Oregon.

      • $5,000 to Anthony Harris, church planter in Vancouver, Washington.

      • $5,000 Clay Holcomb, church planter and pastor of Trinity Church in Happy Valley, Oregon.

      • $3,000 to the Clay County First Coast Women's Services.

      • $3,000 to Living Water International to provide clean water and the message of life through Jesus Christ in Guatemala.

It's an exciting time to be at First Baptist. I've never experienced anything like this. I pray that we remain faithful and focused and continue in this story.

When you see these numbers, in addition to what we were able to do last fall, it's astounding. Also, this is in addition to what we do regularly through our giving to the Cooperative Program, Associational Missions, the Orange Park Clothes Closet, the Florida Baptist Children's Homes, the benevolent gifts distributed regularly through our Deacons, and more. 

Some may not fully understand why we do this, especially the giving away of funds to ministries not in our own backyard and not seemingly benefiting us locally. It's the Acts 1:8 model. We aren't forgetting or ignoring the local mission. We are just living obediently to reach "Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the world" at the same time.

Whether we all get it or not, I truly believe God is smiling on us.

We are blessing ministries that focus on women and children, orphans, the least of these, and church planters and missionaries. Sounds very biblical, doesn't it?

As we model what godly stewardship looks like, I pray that we (me included) will begin to make the changes necessary to get our own houses in order. Let's get out from under the debt that keeps us in bondage. Let's live unselfishly and generously.

Oh, by the way, for information on personal stewardship as well as helpful resources for you and your family, go to this page on our website (it's more than just the portal to online giving.)  - http://www.fbc-orangepark.org/giveonline.html.

God is Always Changing

OK, so God isn't changing. He's the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and for eternity. Yet, he is always changing. He's continually changing us, his children. When we became Christ-followers and surrendered to his call, we were immediately and forever transformed. We went from death and now have life. However, even now, as living children of God, we are still in a state of change. He is continually renewing and transforming and changing us into his likeness.

He's doing this to the church as well. (Well, that's redundant since we are the church, but you understand, right?)

We are constantly in a state of flux. That means things are always changing. As much as we'd like to hold on and stay the same, it's just not possible. This is true for individuals, families, communities and churches alike.

For years, we have heard the frustration of church-goers and Christ-followers about change. We've often talked about how much churches hate change. I guess it's true. Most of us resist change, yet it's continually happening.

Sometimes the change is immediate. At other times it's subtle.

Sometimes the change is damaging. At others it's healthy and needed.

Some things never change (i.e. the Gospel).

Some things need to change.

I have noticed that while I say I don't like change too much, the reality is that I love it. In fact, I thrive on it. Maybe I'm a little ADD and get bored too easily. Just look at our church's website. I design and maintain it and it has changed completely about twelve times in the past eight years. I'm not saying that's good, it's just been a good reminder to me about my need for newness.

God has wired me this way. I get  bored easily. I like to see new things. I love old things. I really love old things made new.

What I don't like is change just for the sake of change. There must be a bigger story and a good reason for change. Otherwise, it's a waste of time. You know, kind of like rearranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic (that was my required 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic reference.)

So, here's what God is saying to me through His Word, prayers and the voices of others who are godly and have their finger on the pulse of this culture while standing solidly on the Gospel.

The way we have done church must change. 

That's a pretty bold statement and pretty open ended. It also opens me up for some pretty severe criticism from those who believe we need to go back to a previous age rather than move forward.

In truth, we are being called away from "doing" church to living out what it means to "be the church."

I'm not sure what all this entails, but I do know this. The way I was trained, and most other pastors my age and older, to do church, build staff, create ministries and "grow" a church may not only be wrong, it may be unbiblical.

I'm still working through this, so give me some time before you blast me. There's a good chance God will reveal that I misheard him as well.

Nonetheless, I believe we are moving to an age where the traditional pastors or ministers serving an age group or function will be redefined. Oh, we'll still be serving and leading children, students, single adults, married adults and focus on the function of education, music and administration, but the truth of the matter is that God is blurring the lines between heretofore "defined" pastoral roles.

No longer will the church claim to be culturally relevant and biblically solid just by gathering together in large rooms and stating so. We've talked for decades. James' words of faith and works are getting louder, all the while reminding us that works and good deeds do not save.

Years ago churches lauded the fact they were "mission-minded." That, my friends, is not enough. All around our nation and throughout our denomination we have "mission-minded" churches who give a love offering every Christmas and Easter and maybe do a missions study on Wednesday evenings (or Sunday evenings for those few churches still holding the flag for Sunday night services). I fear that these people will stand before God one day and say "But we were mission-minded," and God will say "Where in my commission did I say to think about being on mission?" 

What does this mean for our fellowship? Well, it's the next step in a journey that we have obviously been on for years. However, don't think that just because we send people on short-term mission trips every year we have arrived. I truly believe that each of us are to be on mission and missional in our own communities as well as supportive (and I mean really supportive) of our missionaries on the field. In addition to that, I believe God is going to call out an individual or family in our church (BTW - He's already at work in this area) that we as a church will send to the field. Yes, in addition to our Cooperative Program giving, which continues to increase, our Associational Missions giving, which also is increasing, God is moving us into a part of the story we have never been as a church. We will continue to support our IMB and NAMB missionaries, but we will also have FBCOP missionaries. 

The change is happening. It's exciting. It's Gospel driven. It's not about being a good church. It's about being an obedient family. What will it all look like? I have no idea, but it's becoming clearer every day.

Oh, here's the warning. We can resist the change. Other groups have. You may have seen them around. They're the ones in buildings they cannot afford, looking to close down or sell out. Others own their buildings, so that's not an issue, but there is no life within. They gather regularly, listen to sermons and studies they have heard for  years. They say "Amen" and then go home. They are inwardly focused and satisfied. They will remain for a few more decades until the last of the members pass away or move away. They will pay their bills regularly until the Social Security checks are no longer enough to keep the doors open. It sounds harsh, right? You know it's true, though. It's the lukewarm Christianity and churches that we read about in Revelation. 

Let's not slide into that trap.

Change is normal.

JAX to PDX - Connecting Churches & Church Planters

Something is going on here in Jacksonville, Florida (JAX). It's big. . .really big. It won't be on the news tonight. Most of the people in our communities don't know this is happening. Many don't care, at least right now they don't, but I pray they will.

Something's happening in Portland, Oregon (PDX), too. It's a similar story, but on a different backdrop. Most likely, the majority of  Portlandians do not know it's happening in their city either. However, they will. 

God is at work in these cities in a mighty way.

Last week I traveled to Portland with a good friend, Neil Jimenez. This journey was strange. We knew we had to go, but weren't sure why. About a year ago, Wes Hughes from the Northwest Baptist Convention tweeted to me while I was attending the Southern Baptist Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. While at this convention, the North American Mission Board was unveiling their "Send: North America" emphasis. The buzz was all about church planting.

So, Wes, while still in the Portland area, tweets over 100 people attending the convention (you could tell who was there by the #SBC2011 people were using) about joining other Baptists in the Northwest to support church planting there.

I responded, thinking Wes was in Phoenix. Since he wasn't we tweeted back and forth and I told him that I would be interested in seeing how our fellowship could connect across the country in Phoenix in this movement of church planting.

So. . .about a year later, Neil and I ended up in Portland with Wes, walking through the numerous communities and meeting with church planters.

What I found surprising was that of the 100+ tweets Wes sent out to SBC attendees about joining them in Portland, he only received one reply. Mine.

So, we travel to Portland last week. We began meeting with church planters and denominational leaders almost immediately. We were getting a crash course on the makeup and diversity of Portland. It's a beautiful city, but not Jacksonville. In fact, their unofficial motto that appears in numerous places is "Keep Portland Weird." I figured I'd fit right in.

So, we walked, rode the MAX (metro train line) and sat in coffee shops all throughout the city just observing, talking and learning about what God is doing there.

Each church planter we met with would ask me "So. . .why are you here?" 

Great question. 

I finally figured out the answer. We were there to discover what God is already at work doing and seeking to find how we can support our church planters and missionaries and get in this great story.

There are great differences between Portland and Jacksonville.

• The geography is very different. While Mt. Hood looms on the horizon in PDX, I shared with our new friends that the tallest mountain in Florida is Space Mountain. 
• JAX has been rated as the least walkable city in America. PDX is one of the most walkable.
• It rains all the time in PDX. It rains a lot here, but not every day (except for those few weeks in the summer when church groups are trying to schedule recreation for youth camps.)
• There's a "Southern Fried Christian" veneer to JAX. Not so in PDX.
• JAX is conservative politically. PDX prides itself on not being so.
• JAX is a football city. PDX is a basketball city (I really enjoyed that.)
• You can pump your own gas in JAX. Not so in PDX or any other city in Oregon. It's a state law.
• JAX has the River Run. PDX has a nude bike race.
• JAX has the beach. PDX is about 45 minutes from the coast.
• JAX has Starbucks. PDX does too, but Portlanders would rather be at Stumptown Coffee or one of the hundreds of independent coffee shops.
• JAX has a lot of bicyclists. Everyone (it seems) rides bikes in PDX.
• JAX has Whataburger. PDX has Burgerville.
• JAX has read Blue Like Jazz. PDX has lived it.

There are other differences, but even with all of these, I noticed some interesting similarities.

• JAX & PDX are both port cities.
• JAX & PDX both have a good college population.
• JAX has Folio Weekly. PDX has the Mercury. They're basically the same paper and have a lot of readers, especially younger adults.
• JAX & PDX both have rivers running through the city.
• JAX & PDX both have many pre-Christians.
• JAX & PDX both have artisan districts.
• JAX & PDX both have a network of believers praying for the city.
• JAX & PDX both have homeless people.
• JAX & PDX both have families in trouble.
• JAX & PDX both have people with drug and alcohol problems.
• JAX & PDX both have residents trying to figure out what life is all about.
• JAX & PDX are both very spiritual cities. (I didn't say Christian.)
• JAX & PDX both have church planters working in the urban core and suburban areas.

So, why were we there? 

I believe we traveled to Portland because God desires our church (First Baptist Church of Orange Park) and other churches in the Jacksonville area to connect with the church planters in the Portland/Vancouver, WA area.

Why?

Some would say "There are enough lost people around here. We need to focus on Jacksonville."

While that's true, that's a pretty small and limiting statement. God's church (remember, it's not a building) is bigger than Jacksonville. For some reason, I believe God has strategically placed us in a position to minister to and with those believers in Portland. Why Portland? To be honest, I really don't know, but I believe it's clearly Portland. 

I do believe it's more than putting mission teams together to travel to Portland, though that may happen. I believe it begins with prayer (actually begins, sustains and ends with prayer) and God will then reveal how we can be His instruments in our city and Portland. 

I'm pretty sure traditional mission trips and church events based on the attractional model are not the answer. 

So, join me in praying for Portland (and Jacksonville, too) as we seek together to push back the darkness. 

Let's win the city! (or cities!)

This story is still being written. 

(BTW - yes, that's a picture of a dude wearing Spock ears and Scotty's shirt while playing bagpipes and riding a unicycle down the sidewalk in one of Portland's 20 minute communities.)

Responding to the "What's Your Focus?" Question

Sometimes social media can be good and helpful. At other times, it can be troublesome and distracting. In most cases, the latter is true.

Sunday evening following a full day of service with the church, I logged onto Facebook and seeing as it was April Fool's Day, I knew that there would be some fake stories and specials online. For some, this is bothersome, but in truth, some of these April Fool's Day stories were pretty funny, or just strange. What amazes me is ho much time and effort is spent by some pretty large corporations to develop these. So, I read and posted some to my Facebook, just to share some a laugh or two. Some of the ones I thought were funny were Google Maps introduction of the 8-bit version for the Nintendo. Another was the introduction of YouTube's DVD collection.

Companies like ThinkGeek, who offer some pretty funny and strange items anyway, had a few "special" items for sale Sunday as well. I linked a few of these to my Facebook page, just for laughs.

Apparently, not everyone in Facebook land thought this was a good use of my time. Perhaps they're right. No argument there. I'll never get that 45 minutes back, I guess.

What concerned me was a comment on one of the linked posts. A statement that basically stated that as a pastor, I was unfocused. Again, I'll admit that is true a times. However, the question raised was deeper than just a personal admonition. The comment basically painted a picture of our fellowship at First Baptist Church, calling into question our mission and focus. 

Now, I'm not upset the comment was placed there. In fact, though placed by someone who apparently feels led to worship at another fellowship at this time, led me to respond. I simply responded that our focus was the Gospel, plain and simple.

Then, I deleted the post, not because I don't know how to enjoy a good joke or that the April Fool's Day item was innappropriate, but because I figured, knowing how Facebook works, that "friends" would then pile on comments to this gentleman's statement. I just didn't see any positive coming from that (plus I didn't want the tons of notifications to pop up on my phone)

Nevertheless, the question was timely.

I had just preached that morning on the value and necessity of having the Gospel as our motivator as the church in all we do. Since there are many more people who were not in attendance at First Baptist this past Sunday than were (and apparently, the commenter on the linked Facebook story is one of them) I felt that clarification on how the Gospel motivates us is needed.

When we as Christ followers speak of the Gospel (and I like to capitalize the word to remind me of the holiness of our topic) we are referring to the "good news" of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection and our opportunity at life and a relationship with the Father through Him.

We have our four "Gospel" accounts in the Bible written by Holy Spirit-inspired men intent on sharing the "good news" of Christ to unique audiences of the day and humanity throughout history.

What's interesting is that the term gospel is not reserved for biblical discussions. In ancient days, the Greeks would use the term to signify the spread of good news in their communities. It could be a servant coming to his master with a good report or a soldier reporting to his commanding officer of the success of a military effort. The gospel is good news.

The Gospel is THE good news.

Therefore, it is this Gospel that motivates and drives us.

There are so many unique fellowships that gather weekly. These Christians, part of the church, collective gather to worship and serve the Lord. 

Some center their message and actions around causes such as homelessness, hunger, orphancare, or community impact, etc. Some are centered around a model of church growth. Others are focused on internal care ministries such as children's ministry, youth ministry, senior adult ministry. However you categorize it, each church drifts toward it's natural bent for ministry. 

Here's the rub.

If a church centers itself around a task, regardless how "good" it may seem or beneficial for the people or community, it is a futile endeavor apart from the motivation of the Gospel.

When the focus of the church becomes events, activities, internal ministries or projects, the Gospel slides into the background often. Sometimes, it seems to melt away altogether. Take my word for it, there are "churches" who gather regularly that have slid into this model. Some are dying, and perhaps they should. Others are sustained on the gifts of senior members, but will be gone in a decade or so when the attendance dries up and the bills cannot be paid.

As Reggie McNeal has said, we must remember that the church is a "who" and not a "what."

What is our focus? What it my focus? Simple, it's the Gospel. It is central to all we do as a church fellowship. It must remain our starting point and ending point. The Gospel leads us to be the "who" we are called to be as His church, getting outside the walls of a structure to interact with the world for the sake and glory of God. How can we be "in the world and not of it" if we are satisfied with good deed ativism, another study course, another event and program apart from the Truth?

Tim Keller states this in J.D. Greear's book titled GOSPEL: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary:

One of the most startling passages in the Bible connects the magnificence of angels with the mystery of the gospel. Although angels are incredibly majestic and powerful beings, living in God’s eternal presence. Yet there is something that has happened on earth which is so stupendous that even these immortal beings experience the persistent longing “to look into these things” (1 Peter 1:12). What are “these things” that could possibly and consistently consume the attention of God-fixated creatures?  The answer is–the gospel.

The angels never get tired of looking into the gospel.  This means that there is no end to gospel exploration. There are depths in the gospel that are always there to be discovered and applied not only to our ministry and daily Christian life, but above all to the worship of the God of the gospel with renewed vision and humility.

The underlying conviction in my preaching, pastoring, and writing is that the gospel—this eternally fascinating message craved by the angels—can change a heart, a community, and the world when it is recovered and applied.

… It is one thing to understand the gospel but is quite another to experience the gospel in such a way that it fundamentally changes us and becomes the source of our identity and security. It is one thing to grasp the essence of the gospel but it quite another to think out its implications for all of life. We all struggle to explore the mysteries of the gospel on a regular basis and to allow its message to influence our thinking.

Amen.

What the Church Can Learn From Steve Jobs

Some of you will find it difficult to admit that church leaders can learn from a man like Steve Jobs. In fact, just the title of this post is making some of you angry. I'm sure some are looking up verses of Scripture even now that affirm why I should never even attempt to make the claim this title boasts. 

As many of you know, from reading his biography and other reports, Steve Jobs was not a supporter or believer in the Christian church. He was a seeker who abandoned the teachings of the Bible when his Sunday School teacher could not answer a question regarding the suffering in the world. He engaged in the liberal lifestyle and drug culture of Reed College. He became a dabbler and follower of New Age mysticism and his eccentricities of the "all fruit diet" and not bathing for many days as a young entrepreneur are well known.

Even though he was known as a demanding boss and very difficult to work with, his entrepreneurial spirit and leadership at Apple Computers has become iconic. 

I was watching a video presentation by Guy Kawasaki today. Kawasaki worked for Apple during the 1980s and then again in the mid-1990s first as the Software Evangelist and later as the Chief Evangelist. (Nice titles, huh?) He claims to be one of the few people to have been able to work with Jobs twice and survive. He is now an author and speaker and developer of numerous websites. One of my go-to sites is Kawasaki's www.alltop.com. Kawasaki speaks globally in different settings. He has spoken to leaders in the corporate and education world as well as at Catalyst to church leaders. Kawasaki's faith is evident and his ability to keep his finger on the pulse of culture is helpful for the church.

It's obvious that he has much respect for Jobs. When Jobs died last year, Kawasaki developed a list of "12 Things I Have Learned from Steve Jobs." I watched his presentation of this at TEDx at the Harker School in San Jose.

While watching this presentation, even though focused on the tech industry and business, I discovered some things that can be helpful for church leaders.

Here are the 12 things. . .

1. "Experts" are clueless. That's a pretty harsh statement, but it's based on the fact that in industry, there are those who with past experience and age are elevated to the position of expert. Just because there is much wisdom in experience, there are times when the "experts" miss the point. He uses examples of Thomas Watson of IBM who declared in 1943 his view that the world would have a demand for a maximum of five computers. He also references Western Union's internal memo that declared the new device known as the telephone to be a loser and therefore not worth investing into. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE CHURCH: This is a stretch, but throughout church history, and especially in the past century or so, there have been some who have declared their "prophecies" of the future of the global church. Some have been dramatically proven incorrect. Sometimes it's a holding onto the past that leads to this, but mostly, it's a lack of discerning the Spirit's lead. There are far too few "men of Issachar" today who truly understand the times. However, there are some "experts" who seem to have their finger on the pulse of culture and without forsaking any of the message of the Gospel have been instrumental in leading the church to reach postmoderns and others to come. Lesson learned - just because someone has written a book and self-declared their "expertise" does not mean they are right. Trust the Spirit and the modern-day "men of Issachar."
2. Customers cannot tell you what they need. Kawasaki states that "Apple market research" was nothing more than the right side of Jobs' brain. Jobs made it clear that if you asked the customer what they wanted, the answer would be simply "better, faster and cheaper." The customer would only ask for better "sameness," not revolutionary change. Customers can only describe their desires in terms what they are already using. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE CHURCH: People know they have needs, but they don't always know what those needs are. Even good Christian people in the church. Often the perceived need is a better choir, an organ (seriously!), better ministry options for the kids, a more comfortable gathering place, a new pastor, etc. What people need is revolutionary change. This is deeper than church talk. This is referencing the transformational change that only comes from the Spirit of God. So, go ahead and do that "church member survey" but you will not discover what is truly needed. You'll likely see things that have absolutely nothing to do with the Gospel and tranformed lives. You will see things that hearken back to the "good ole days" or a ministry model perfect for the 1950s (or 1990s - by the way, even the 1990s are outdated now.)
3. Jump to the next curve. Big wins happen when you go beyond better sameness. Watch the attached video for a great illustration regarding ice (from harvesters to ice houses to refrigerators.) WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE CHURCH: I'm reminded of Reggie McNeal's book The Present Future. One of the statements in this book was that the church is answering the questions correctly. It's just that we're answering the wrong questions. It's time for a jump. We do not need "better sameness" but revolutionary change. The world is shrinking. The church must not run from the technology that enables us to communicate globally or support financially missionaries with the click of a button. It may seem honorable to discount the internet and hold tightly to that leather-bound King James Version Bible. I just wonder what we'll say when God asks why we didn't use the things He gave us fully so that more could know Him?
4. The biggest challenges beget the best work. The biggest challengers of Apple, this little startup company with a new type of device called the personal computer were giants known as IBM and then later Microsoft. The challenges were great and many other companies came and went in the 1980s and 1990s. Apple saw the challenges as a chance to be better. (This is very hard for me to admit, since I used to work and love IBM, but it's true.) WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE CHURCH: Well, there are the David and Goliath elements here, but when thinking about the local church, it's a good reminder that the Enemy and the world are against the Gospel. Some cower to this. Some resort to creating "holy huddles" that protest everything. These churches become known, not for the transformational love and grace of Jesus Christ, but for the fact (or at least the appearance) that they are against everything. Some churches worry about the future, forgetting that this is a sin. The odds may be against the local church, but the victory is secure. This must be remembered. Any church that loses this focus becomes little more than a club. 
5. Design counts. Kawasaki states that Jobs drove people nuts with his Type A design demands. He stated that "some shades of black weren't black enough" and other detail things that most would say "What's the big deal?" Jobs was a perfectionist. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE CHURCH: The church must remember that the work we do is not for ourselves, but for God. He is the focus. He is the audience. Therefore, why would we offer anything less than our very best? Some churches just offer crumbs at the altar. God deserves the entire meal. The little things matter. Just thinking practically, since our God is perfect and holy, we should care for all that He has blessed us with so that those who do not yet know Him are not distracted by incomplete stories, poor planned events and left-overs. Details matter. It's not about becoming obsessive. It's about offering the best.
6. You can't go wrong with big graphics and big fonts. For Apple, this was made clear during Jobs' regular presentations at Macworld and other gatherings. He would stand in front of a huge screen, usually with one large graphic image and few words presented. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE CHURCH: Fix your PowerPoint (or MediaShout, or other presentation programs for worship). Find some 16 year old that understands that clear and simple is best. Oh yeah, clean up the website while you're at it. No one wants to read paragraph after paragraph on your site (and, therefore, probably not on this blog either.)
7. Changing your mind is a sign of intelligence. Apple did a 180 on it's announcements about app development for the iPhone and iPad between 2007 and 2008. It was the right shift. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE CHURCH: Times change. Programs change. Communities change. Churches change. What doesn't change? The Gospel. The Message. Don't say "We're doing this program until Jesus comes" from the pulpit. I've heard that said. Guess what? We stopped doing the program in two years. Why? Because it was time to change. There was a shelf-life for the program. It had served it's purpose. Oh yeah, sometimes you change because you realize you were wrong. God's never wrong, but we do not always listen well.
8. "Value" is different from "price." Apple products have never been the cheapest on the market. Why then does market share increase? Because the products are quality and have value. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE CHURCH: Ministry is not easy. It will cost. It will cost time. It will cost money. It will cost friendships sometimes. It will cost some relationships (Luke 14:26). However, all of these are worth it. The Gospel is worth it. There is value in the Gospel. It is not cheap. Christ's sacrifice was not cheap.
9. A players hire A+ players. Jobs would say that A players should hire A players, but Kawasaki one-ups him here. If a leader only hires players who are not as gifted and effective as oneself, the organization suffers. If A players hire B players, then B players will hire C players, C players will hire D players, etc. What happens when you get to Z? WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE CHURCH: Staff well. Too often pastors and ministers are "hired" for reasons other than the call of God and the excellence of the ministry needed. Poor hires lead to weak ministries which lead to frustrated leadership teams and disgruntled church members. 
10. Real CEOs demo. Jobs always showed how to use the products on stage at the trade shows. He didn't have someone else do it for him, when he was able. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE CHURCH: Pastors must live out what they preach. Delegation is great, but many pastors do not fully understand what it is. Delegated leadership is not telling others on the staff or in the congregation to do something the pastor would not do. I have seen this and it's poor leadership. Pastors cannot tell others to share Christ if they do not model it first. Real pastors demo.
11. Real CEOs ship. Sometimes the product wasn't fully complete, but Jobs would ship it anyway. It was always ready, but in most cases not fully developed. That's why there continue to be new iterations of Apple devices. Do you know anyone who still has the original iPod? You know, the bulkier white one with the monochrome screen? It was good. It was ready, but not fully developed. That's why there are newer versions of these devices and others released each year. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE CHURCH: If you wait until everyone in your church has been trained in evangelism before you begin to share your faith, you will close your doors soon. If you wait until everyone is fully engaged missionally, you will miss the moment God has given you now. Understand the challenge. Prepare and continually refine, but "ship." Don't remain in the church building. The Great Commission is about action. Real pastors lead their churches to engage. . .to "ship." Refine and release new editions (new believers) as you go and grow, but go and grow!
12. Marketing boils down to providing unique value. Items need to be unique (not refined sameness) and valuable to impact the market. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE CHURCH: Our message is the most valuable one in the history of the world. It's a message of hope and life. It's the Gospel. It is never changing and cemented in Jesus Christ. The method for delivering the message. . .well, that's ever-changing. The challenge for the church is to follow God's lead into newer methods of delivering the never changing message. If the church does not embrace this, we are doomed to replicate what the church of Europe is now experiencing  - closed buildings, fewer believers and a culturally dying faith. (Oh, by the way, it's not hopeless even in Europe. I believe God is going to do a mighty work among the atheistic post-Christian culture there. It's never happened in the history of the world, but then again, our God has mastered the impossible.)

BONUS: Some things need to be believed to be seen. Here's Kawasaki's quote: "When you are jumping curves, defying/ignoring the experts, facing off against big challenges, obsessing about design, and focusing on unique value, you will need to convince people to believe in what you are doing in order to see your efforts come to fruition. People needed to believe in Macintosh to see it become real. Ditto for iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Not everyone will believe—that’s okay. But the starting point of changing the world is changing a few minds. This is the greatest lesson of all that I learned from Steve. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE CHURCH: I love this parallel. Faith is believing what we cannot see (Hebrews 11:1). A visionary pastor must believe that which God has revealed. There's no room for "Show Me" faith.

I recommend you follow Guy on Twitter at @GuyKawasaki 

Read more: http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2011/10/what-i-learned-from-steve-jobs.html#ixzz1qjfQtCkB

Orphans, Adoption, and Fostering. . . Not An Option for the Church

Over the past few months, God has been revealing to me and our leadership team His plans for our church to enter into a story already being written. This story involves something that for many has been reserved as a "private matter." It's something that some have a difficult time understanding why the church would be involved.

It has to do with children. Most churches are very positive toward children. We promote "family friendly" activities, events and ministries. Many have distinct children's ministries that feature camps, children's church and the mainstay of Baptist life - Vacation Bible School.

It's not that we do not love children. In fact, we do. It's just that there is a group of children in our community and throughout the world that we often do not talk about. These are the children living in orphanages and foster homes.

The question we are asking is "What is the church to do?"

 

I am convinced that God desires us not to simply give an offering a couple of times a year for orphan care (though we will continue to give financially.) I am saddened that many churches have left care for children in our society up to governmental agencies.

 

Why is it that we allow the Angelina Jolie's of the world to be the image of adoption? Isn't adoption and rescuing children a mandate for the church?

Many in our tribe are pro-life, as we are. We are adamently opposed to abortion, feeling that life begins at conception. However, beyond protesting abortion and advocating for the unborn, what do we do for those who have been born, but have no home? What about the child who is put up for adoption? What about the child that is in need of a safe home for a season, or a foster family?

Why does it seem that, for the most part, the church is satisfied with leaving orphan care and adoption up to others? 

I read this verse recently while studying. I had read it before, but this time it really struck a chord. God spoke through His Word to me when reading this verse and it was very clear. 

James 1:27(ESV)
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. 

Pure and undefiled religion. Now that's religion that God loves. Notice that the first item listed has to do with orphans. Visiting orphans. That is not all, there is also listed the ministry to widows and ultimately remaining unstained from the sin of the world (i.e. in the world, but not of it.)

If our commission as Christ-followers is to share the Gospel and make disciples, then wouldn't it make sense for Christians to be heavily involved in the ministry of adopting children who need homes. To rescue children and bring them to Christ is a worthy undertaking. 

I'm not sure how this will look for First Baptist Church, but I do know that we will be "all in." I see a day when there are no children in need of adoption in our county. Why? Because Christ-following families will rescue these children and bring them into their homes. Men and women will become "Mom and Dad" for children who have never known such a relationshiop. Some will experience the love of Christ through a family that heretofore they have never known.

In talking with our friends at the Florida Baptist Children's Homes, this step is vitally needed in our area.

So, the ball is rolling now. Steps are being taken. We will not rush in unprepared. . .but we will rush in. 

Why? Because we must.

Is it any different for believers in our culture to ignore the needs (phsyical, emotional, mental AND spiritual) of children and allow others to deal with it than what the Jewish people did in the Old Testament when they offered up children to false gods such as Molech? That may be an extreme comparison and will probably offend some, but in truth, there's not much difference. 

We, the called out ones, the rescued, the ransomed hearts, the children of God are to offer pure and undefiled worship to the Father. To ignore this aspect (and no, it's not the only one) eliminates our worship from being as pure as it could be.

What will this look like? I'm not sure, but here are some ideas:

• We will offer regularly scheduled MAPP classes here at the church (Apparently, these will soon be called PRIDE classes, but are the same thing. Required by the state in order to adopt.)
• We will offer connection groups for families wishing to adopt or foster children. This will enable couples to talk with and get answers about difficult questions from others who have previously gone through the process.
• We will upgrade and enhance our preschool and children's ministries to be more "user friendly" for families with foster children or children through the Safe Families program.
• We will offer training and information for any wishing to adopt or foster children. 
• We will educate church members about this mission and even those who cannot adopt of foster will be invited into the story. Every Christ-follower can be an advocate.
• Hopefully, through partnerships with other ministries, we will be able to offer scholarships or donations for families wishing to adopt. (This will be a huge faith step and maintained by an off site ministry.)
• International adoption will be an option and we want to help in the process. Whether this is through the China Nest of Hope or our mission in Haiti or some other location, we will offer step-by-step information on how, why, and what needs to be done.
• We will celebrate births of babies in our church family. We will celebrate the adoption of babies into families (regardless the age of the child.)
• We will be more involved in orphan care through the Children's Home here in Jacksonville as well as international orphanages.
• We will be an advocate for special needs adoptions.
• We will be an advocate for multi-racial adoptions.
• Etc. (This covers all the many things we haven't even thought of, but God already has in the works.)

We understand that adopting or fostering a child doesn't make a person a "super Christian." We do believe, however, that all believers can be involved in this mission. It's not a new mission. It's living the Gospel where God has placed us.

"The Gospel Really Ticks Me Off"

Have you ever gone to church and left the worship service angry? There are numerous reasons why this could happen on any given Sunday.

Sometimes it happens when attempting to worship in a toxic environment. Unfortunately, toxic churches are more prevalent than we realize. In many cases these are fellowships where factions and divisions have developed. Oh, in case you think that is just a symptom of unhealthy 21st century American churches, take a look throughout church history and read the letters of Paul. This was happening from the very beginning.

 

When the fellowship of believers is at odds, it sometimes leads to sermons and musical experiences that feel more like personal attacks than worship. I remember one church I was in as a child where the pastor and deacons were having a "disagreement." So, the next Sunday a guest speaker was preaching and he ranted about "demon deacons" for about 45 minutes. No, he was not referring to Wake Forest University. Needless to say, lunchtime wasn't fun that day. Everyone left angry. I was only angry because I saw that everyone else was and thought that was what I was supposed to be feeling. Amazing how kids mimic what adults model.

 

Sometimes people get angry after a worship service because the sermon was more of political speech or candidate endorsement. There are people in our church, and probably reading this, that wish I would speak more plainly regarding the politics of the day and especially the presidential election. There are others in our same fellowship that wish I would never allude to anything that has to do with politics. It's a tight rope of sorts. My conviction is that the time we have set aside for the preaching of the Word and the corporate worship of God on Sundays must not be clouded with anything else but a focus on Him. This is not always easy. Some churches, especially on holiday weekends such as Memorial Day and Independence Day, appear more like a political rally or convention than a church. I am so very proud of our nation and those who have worn and do wear the uniforms of our military. However, to "wrap the cross with a flag" seems inappropriate at so many levels. We cannot ignore the warnings of our "jealous God" about putting anything else above or equal to Him. Well, that's a message for another day. Simply put - be a good American (if you are reading this in America and you are an American) and be involved in the community, civic and even political venues of life. Just remember, as a believer, you cannot divorce your faith from these areas. So, be the church in the world. Just make sure to not elevate country or patriotism or political drive to that reserved only for God. 

Sometimes people leave church angry on Sunday because someone sat in their seat, parked in their parking spot, ate the last doughnut in small group or other such serious infraction. To these people, we lovingly say "get a life."

There are those who leave angry every week because they do not like things about the worship service such as the music, volume of the music, the temperature of the building, being asked to sit closer to the stage, etc. These tend to be preference issues and will most likely be issues as long as human beings are the ones attending church. We have a hard time remembering that the worship service is not about us. All of us struggle with this. It's a constant battle.

There is an appropriate time to get angry. When false doctrine is being taught from the pulpit, that is cause for righteous anger. When this is the case, the one teaching the false doctrine should be removed. 

Then, there's the big one. I received a message Monday evening from a mom whose son attended worship on Sunday. He came with his girlfriend and neither had been in church for over a year. The son grew up in church and had heard the truth of the Gospel over and over again. The young lady does not have the same type of church background. After greeting and welcoming them and others, our service began. Sunday's message was pretty pointed. Well, most of them are. The focus was on what is often considered the most intolerant statement in Scripture. The passage in John 14 where Jesus stated this. . .

John 14:6(ESV)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." 

There it is, plain as day. Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. There's no other route to salvation or heaven or hope or peace. It's Jesus and Jesus alone.

Apparently, this statement, along with explanation and other verses in John 14 offended our guests. They left angry. The Gospel had angered them. I was informed I angered them by the mother. She was not angry at all. In fact, she called it clearly. The son is running from God and avoiding the truth. The young lady is not a believer and doesn't understand the message of the Gospel. The sad thing is that this past Sunday, as is the case every Sunday, I shared the truth of the Gospel clearly and with a plea to respond in love. 

Yet. . .some left angry.

Angry at the Gospel.

Angry at the narrow way to God.

Angry that there are expectations of those who call themselves children of God.

Angry that we cannot use Jesus like some type of "good luck spiritual accessory" and truly believe in Him.

Angry that we don't get to write the rules.

Angry that God so loved.

I also heard that one young man asked his mother throughout the message why I was so angry. She kept trying to explain that I wasn't. . .and I wasn't. I listened to the audio recording of the message. I did get loud on occassion. I did clearly state some things that were challenging. However, I wasn't angry.

Look at it this way. Apart from Jesus Christ and being fully devoted to Him, there's no chance for people. Heaven is not an option for those who do not know Christ. Those who are "good people" in this world do not get heaven. Those who are "sincere" and "devout" in this world do not get heaven. Only those who take that narrow way and receive and believe in Jesus Christ will know the Father and have heaven as an eternal home.

So, I'm passionate. If God can use me to shake us from our complacency and a cultural Christianity that just sees church as something good to attend every now and then, then so be it. I proudly receive that task.

Maybe to some the cross is offensive, but I believe what is more offensive to the unbelieving world are those who claim to believe in the cross and have faith but live nothing like the one who hung on that cross. 

If I offend you because I preach the truth, so be it.

If I offend you because I preach the truth, yet do not live it, woe to me.

 

The Longer You're Here, the Less You See

As I continue to think about and discuss our community with others, some things begin to grow more and more clear. At lunch today, I was meeting with a friend and missional strategist from Lakeland (and soon to be Jacksonville resident.) In our discussions about churches really knowing how to reach the people within their communities, the talk of contextualization emerged.

I shared how recently on my trip to Great Britain, we (the team that was visiting the region) participated in some "narrative mapping" which basically placed us within a town or community for the purpose of discovering more about the people who call the area home and what motivates them and/or challenges them. It was simply a time to talk to, engage and relate with people.

This was actually an enjoyable outing, unlike other "get to know your community" outings that I have been on under the guise of "evangelistic outreach." In most of the traditional outings, we have been sent out with an agenda focused on getting to a point where you can ask a question such as "If you were to die tonight, why should God let you into heaven?" or "In your personal opinion, what do you understand it takes for a person to go to heaven?" While these aren't necessarily bad questions, and in fact, numerous people have been introduced to Christ through an introductory question such as these, the discomfort level rises exponentially when reciting such a question.

I know I will get negative feedback because I said that, but nevertheless it is true.

Sometimes, in the past, we would go out into our community taking "spiritual surveys." (By the way, avoid Christians with clipboards.) I remember doing this here years ago. My frustration was that we were taking surveys for the sole purpose of getting people to a point where we could "ask the question." In other words, we didn't care about the surveys. We did nothing with the survey data. It felt wrong. It felt like a poor marketing "bait and switch." I believe it's unethical.

Oh some will say it's OK because it leads to an evangelistic moment.

Really?

Is that our role, to create evangelistic moments? Is our purpose to create "divine appointments?" Seems to me this leaves the Holy Spirit out of the equation. Perhaps this is what has led to evangelistic scorecards and bloated church membership numbers. . .and anemic church attenders and burned out members.

Could this be why people grimace when the next, great evangelism strategy or program is introduced?

At some point we have to come to grips with the fact that evangelism is vital and commanded yet is always relational. Jesus modeled this. Whether it was his discussion on being "born again" with the religious leader Nicodemus or the down-to-earth discussion with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus always spoke relationally and connected at the heart level.

Why?

Because he truly cared about people.

The narrative mapping endeavor led us to discover the people of Great Britain we were staying near. Yet, throughout this project, I could not help but think about Orange Park, my community. Did I really know the community I have called home for the last 18 years? 

Where is the "third place?" 

What do people in our community really value?

What do people enjoy doing?

The thing is, I think I know the answer to these questions, but in reality, I probably don't. Why? Because the longer you're in a community, the less you see. As I drive from home to church, to my children's school or even to local restaurants, over time I only see what I view as important. I only see what I want to see. Things can change in the community and I may not notice immediately. This is especially true if changes are subtle and slowly done over time.

People groups change.

Demographics change.

Yet, this remains the mission field to which we are called.

Even those who have been in Orange Park or the surrounding areas for decades need a fresh look.

While in seminary on of our professors has us take a video camera to our church and video tape the facilities. It was pretty simple. We just videoed as we were walking into the building, into classrooms, into the restroom (with no one in there,) and even the parking lot and worship area. Then, we watched the video with the staff from the church. It's amazing how many things show up on video that we never notice.

The mirror on the wall of the men's room was cracked. It had been that way for years, but I had never noticed. There was a stack of old curriculum in the corner of one of the Sunday school rooms. There were cobwebs in the corners of some rooms. A carpet stain in the worship center was very visible. There were others.

What was the point?

The point was that when things are so familiar to us, we fail to see the details. Needless to say, most of these things were cleaned up and repaired. 

The mission field that God has planted us (and all churches) changes over time. Some churches remain aware. Some do not. There are churches in fast growing areas in our county that are closing their doors because they refused to see what God was doing around them. They missed the missional opportunity.

I was challenged to take a fresh look at our mission field. 

I need to see our mission field with new eyes. Otherwise, I will be prayerfully planning to reach a community that existed 18 years ago. No wonder so many churches feel behind the times.

More on this later.

Sometimes the Church Keeps People From Coming to Christ

We have all heard pastors tell these types of stories. Many times they come across as one of those "preacher stories" that may have been embelished to make it more powerful. Unfortunately, most of these types of stories are true (and actually, since pastors are telling them, they should always be true, otherwise, the integrity of the speaker is harmed.)

Nevertheless, I was told of a troubling instance this week that occurred in a local church.

It seems that a family had been asking their new neighbors to come visit their church. That's the Christian thing to do, right? We talk about this relational evangelistic effort all the time. In this case, the new neighbors decided to give the church a try. They woke early on Sunday morning, made their way to the church in time for the worship service. They came into the worship center and found a seat.

It wasn't long before a man came to them. They expected him to introduce himself and welcome them to the church. However, in this case, the man immediately told them they were in "his seat."

So, the couple arose and went to another seat.

It wasn't long before another person came to them.

Yep, you guessed it. The same thing happened. They were once again told they were in someone's seat.

Nevertheless, the family found another seat. They stayed through the service. However, they made it clear to their neighbors they would never again attend this church.

I heard this story and just couldn't believe it. 

What makes this story so terrible is that it is true.

What even worse is that this happened at my church, First Baptist Church of Orange Park, within the last month or so.

I don't know if the family that visited would be reading my blog, but if so, please accept my apology. There is no excuse for this and I am deeply sorry. 

I pray that this family will either come back to First Baptist again or at least find another church in our area that preaches the gospel and lives it out where they can worship in and serve regularly. I don't know if this family knows Christ personally. I shudder to think that a barrier to hearing the Gospel has been built now. Nevertheless, I trust God in His sovereignty to continue to draw these and others to himself. I just never want to become a barrier to Gospel.

I fully realize that the church member (and I have no idea who it was) may read this post. Please understand that I love you in Christ, but your actions that day were so blatantly and terribly wrong. You may have some nice reasons or excuses for saying such a thing, but the fact of the matter is that these excuses do not hold water. I am not trying to embarrass you and I get that by "calling you out" (recognizing that I will never know who you are unless you let me know) may anger you. That's OK. As my mother-in-law says "You can just get glad in the same pants you got mad in." :-) 

Unfortunately, this type of self-centeredness is not rare. In fact, all of us, and I mean all of US (that includes me) - even good, mission-minded, missional-living, Great Commission-focused believers can easily slide into a "me-first" religious mentality.

We cannot say we love Jesus and others in His name, while at the same time living like the church was created for us. If His name is to be glorified, it is to be glorified in all areas of our lives. . .even church.

I fully acknowledge that the vast majority of members and attenders at First Baptist would never say or do such a thing as described above. I know this because I see how God is working and transforming lives. I see how we, as a church body, have willingly set aside our own desires and preferences to better reach this community. I know this because of the audible gasp that was heard when one of our deacons shared this story.

Oh, by the way, this Sunday we will be observing the Lord's Supper. It's a time for remembering what Christ has done for us through his death and sacrifice on the cross. If you come into the building and someone is sitting where you normally do, introduce yourself and shake their hand. . .then go find somewhere else to sit. Otherwise, if you move people out of "your" seat, you have most likely just disqualified yourself from partaking of the Lord's Supper this day.