David Tarkington

Waiting On the World to Change

As the news unfolded Monday about the bombing in Boston, I could feel the collective fear and uncertainty grow. While not the scope of September 11, 2001, many were experiencing the same emotions on Monday afternoon and evening as they did on that fateful Tuesday twelve years ago.

There are many unanswered questions as the FBI and other law enforcement and Homeland Security work diligently to discover the individual or group responsibile. 

As more stories come out regarding deaths, injuries and personal stories, the emotional response grows. Fear. Anger. Frustration. Relief.

John Mayer sings "Waiting on the World to Change" and it's been the prayer (or hope) of many for years.

The reality is the world is not going change, at least not as most desire. We lived in a depraved, lost, "sin-sick-Satan-serving-society" (I remember that from youth camp - thanks David Burton.)

In this lost, uncertain, fearful world, there is One who is still in control, never surprised and is the change agent. 

The world will not change, or evolve, to be better on its own.

Yet, we have a hope. His name is Jesus Christ.

May the events of yesterday in Boston be a reminder that we all need a Savior. May we who know this Savior, be encouraged and motivated to make Him known.

Continue praying for those affected.

Serve as You're Shaped

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Every Christ follower has been gifted by the Holy Spirit for service. Many believers tend to rely on online testing and profiles to determine their spiritual gifts. While these are useful tools, I doubt the early church used such devices. So, how did they determine their giftedness?

As they served, their giftedness was revealed.

I have known many who tend to "discover their gifts" only to continue doing (or not doing) the exact same things within the Body. Since spiritual giftedness is a given for a Christ-follower, and the Holy Spirit comes upon a person at the moment of rescue (i.e. salvation, not at a later "second blessing" event) we know that God has gifted His people for a reason.

The reason? To glorify God through serving in and as the church.

As you serve, your giftedness is revealed.

It's unique.

It's how you're shaped for service.

(SHAPE - spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality & experiences)

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Waking Up in a World Without Jesus

I've been thinking about today - in the liturgical world, it's called "Holy Saturday." Simply put, it is the day wedged between "Good Friday" and "Resurrection Day" (or Easter.) Many Catholic churches go quiet on this day. Following the mass on Maundy Thursday, the chancel is totally bare with the administration of the sacraments being very limited.

The American Episcopal church and other Anglican churches often have a solemn reading of the Liturgy of the Word.

Other churches hold simple gatherings as a close to Holy Week.

Many evangelical churches do nothing official. Some, due to expanded crowds and in attempts to reach more in the community will add additional Easter services on Saturday evening.

I'm not saying any of these things are necessarily bad. In fact, what churches do with this day is really not the point of this posting.

As I sit here this morning, reading my Bible, drinking my coffee and thinking about the day, a question crosses my mind, "What was it like to wake up in in a world without Jesus?" That is what the group of disciples and followers of Christ were experiencing in Jerusalem almost two-thousand years ago.

Hindsight is 20/20 and we know that as we celebrate Easter tomorrow, Jesus was rising again. For the disciples in Jerusalem, the resurrection was less that 24 hours away and would become the greatest celebration in Christendom for centuries to come.

But, for them. . .it's still Saturday.

While we know what was to come, the disciples who huddled together in hiding do not. Oh, they were told by Jesus that he would rise again, but it wasn't until after the fact those parables and direct statements were fully understood.

So, on this day, almost two-thousand years ago a group of frightened followers of Christ, men and women who had walked away from their jobs, families, religious legalism, and comfort zones gathered in a quiet room, feeling hopeless.

Jesus was dead. He was crucified yesterday. They saw (well, those who didn't run away) his body, beaten, bruised and bloody, hanging from the Roman cross over a garbage dump in an area known as "the Skull." Some were there when his lifeless body was removed and placed in the borrowed tomb of a wealthy disciple from Arimathea.

Now what?

The previous three years of their lives were running through their minds like a movie on rewind. Some were wondering if they could get their previous jobs back. Would they be able to go back home?

Good Friday may have been the darkest day in the history of the world, but I wonder what the disciples gathered together on Saturday would say? I'm just speculating, but I would say that some, if not all may affirm that after the crucifixion was almost unbearable - perhaps even worse?

They woke up (in their understanding) in a world without Jesus.

I'll be speaking on this subject tomorrow morning. I fear that by choice, too many people are living their lives today like it's the Saturday before Easter.

Just remember, we have an advantage over those disciples in hiding. We have turned the page and we see what the next day holds.

From the lowest of lows to the highest of highs in less that 24 hours. The next day is the day where it all becomes clear. Death was defeated. Jesus lives.

You just have to get through Saturday.

Remember. . .Sunday's coming!

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Celebrating the Darkest Day in History

Celebrating the Darkest Day in History

It's Good Friday. The darkest day in history is called "good." It is the day that Jesus Christ - the Son of God - God the Son - second person of the Trinity, died a horrible, gruesome death apparently at the hands of legalistic religious leaders and an occupying government.

However, if you know the story, you understand that this was the plan from the very beginning. Jesus came and lived a life of purpose - all to bring glory to the Father. He died as payment for the sins of the world. This act, just like His words, was inspired and fully true. This was no accident. This was no afterthought. This was all part of the plan.

It often seems that God really loves paradoxes. You know - to be rich, you must be poor, to have you must give away, to be mature, you must be like a little child, a "Good Friday" is in celebration of a horrendous event,  and to live. . .you must die.

Christ died to bring glory to the Father and to pay for the sins of us all. Because He died (and rose again in defeat of death) you and I can live. 

Today, milliions of people know it's Good Friday, but fewer understand the meaning or the significance of it. May we, as Christ-followers, never forget the sacrifice given for us and may we live intentionally and strategically today and every day so that many more may come to have life through the One who is the Way, Truth and the Life.

 

A Generation Hungry for "Friends"

I have noticed a trend in recent years with this generation of BFFs and "friends." The concept of friendship has morphed. Perhaps this is due to the growth of social media and the dumbing down of the term "friend."

The reality is that "friend" has become a verb, and a weak one at that. People are "friended" on Facebook. No longer is there a deep relationship of love and concern attributed to the term. The Bible states that Abraham was considered to be a "friend of God" (James 2:23). Not too long ago, the reading of this passage evoked feelings of kinship and closeness that since have become little more than an affirmation of acknowledgement.

Unfortunately, many now "friend" God like they do others on Facebook. There's no relationship, just a click of a button.

It is most evident among adolescents. As a child moves through puberty and matures physically, emotinoally, spiritually and mentally, the desire for deep seated friendships arise. This is due to relational maturation.

Psychologist Erik Erickson postulated that human beings have eight stages of life development. His stage for adolescense is based on the ages 12-18. During this stage, a teenager's primary goal is to learn who they are an dwhat they want to be as a person and in a profession. They also seek to understand how to be themselves and how to share themselves with others. This is a crucial time of development and transition into adulthood.

Christ following parents struggle with this as their children move through this stage. It is a fearful and wonderful time, and often leads to increased prayer time for moms and dads.

Friends come and go and during the times of discovery and transition, they have intense influence. Life-long friendships can be developed during this time, but more often than not, these friendships wane over time. That's what leads to people going to their high school reunions and needing to wear nametags.

I recently reduced the number of my "friends" on Facebook. I went from over 2,200 to just over 40. This was intentional, and time consuming since there is no way to "unfriend" (interesting that "unfriend" is a word now. It wasn't just a few years ago) en masse.

Michael Hyatt, author and former Chairman and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, blogs about his unfriending of many on his personal Facebook page here. He references the dumbing down of the term friend via Facebook and what became his defining factors of who would remain a Facebook friend here:

• Friends: These are the people I know in real life. They are people I have met face-to-face, enjoy being around, and interact with in real life. (These three elements are key.) Frankly, a few of these relatinoships started off online through Twitter. Over time, they grew and developed. Regardless, I have a few deep and significant friendships. But if I am honest, I don't have many. I only have so much time available.

It's an interesting, intentional move with social media.

When it comes to the younger generation (older children to young adults) the concept of friendship is muddy. People still need friends, but you will see many who Tweet and post pictures of their "best friends" and these "best" change daily, if not hourly.

I asked one student how it was possible to have numerous best friends. The student looked perplexed and stared at me as if I had three heads. Was this such a hard question? How can there be numerous "best friends?"

Just the name "best" means unique and singular. Therefore, in my apparently old fashioned mind, it appears to be impossible to have more than one "best friend." What if these numerous "best friends" gathered together. Would a fight erupt? Would they battle to determine who was the "bestest" friend?

Maybe I am old fashioned. It just appears to me that words matter.

Even Jesus modeled the concept of intimacy and closeness with his followers. He had thousands of followers, dozens of disciples, twelve apostles and three very close friends within the group. Then, there's John who is self-described as the "disciple whom Jesus loved" intimating at a very close friendship.

Nevertheless, in a generation that so needs friends, the ever-changing Wikipedia definition of what a friend is seems to be prevailing.

Christ-followers would be wise to remember what the Word of God has to say about close friendships. This verse is often used to describe the marriage relationship, but it's broader than that. It speaks to those relationships with other human beings. It refers to the "best friends" that are sought and at times found.

"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?" 2 Corinthians 6:14 (ESV)

Don't Waste the Time You Have Left

I should have seen this coming.

Back in the fall of 2012, while studying and praying for our church, God revealed that I needed to preach through the New Testament book of 1 Corinthians. Of course, at first look, it became obvious that God would be speaking to us in some very pointed and strongly worded passages. As I studied through the book and began logging mental notes of what God was saying, He led me to the theme for the series:

"Keep Calm & Stay Focused"

It was a play on the old British war poster that has become somewhat of an internet meme over the past few years, not to mention all the knock-offs printed on T-shirts and coffee mugs and other such items.

So, we began.

Keep calm? About what?

Stay focused. Focused on what?

Over the past seven months, as we have systematically studied through this book, it has become clear that these seemingly innocent words would become more.

KEEP CALM

There have been numerous things occuring among individuals and families within our church over the past few months that would naturally lead to any personal response other than "calmness." Deaths, marriage issues, rebellious children, job situations, foreclosures, etc. have all been experienced among people of our fellowship. Add to that the stress of an ever changing world with all the unknowns regarding personal safety, prosperity, taxes, bills, insurance, etc. and "keeping calm" becomes even more difficult.

Then, and behind all the worry, is the realization of the intense spiritual attacks and warfare many of us (my family included) have experienced these past few months. These have seemingly come from nowhere, but we understand it's part of a spiritual attack.

STAY FOCUSED

Perhaps this is the most difficult part. Keeping calm may result in just slowing down, taking some deep breaths, using learned techniques to slow down one's breathing and heart rates.

Staying focused - now that's another thing entirely.

This is what I meant when I said "I should have seen this coming."

The focus God has laser-guided us toward is that of the Gospel and our role in living it out and sharing it with others.

After reading about David Landrith and watching his message to his church from last Sunday, God has affirmed that we (all of us) are only here for a short time. Even those saintly seniors who have many decades in their history, when compared to eternity, the stay on this terrestrial ball is short.

No one is promised tomorrow.

It's more than "preacher speak" used to get people to make spiritual decisions.

It is reality.

Proverbs 27:1(ESV)
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

Therefore, we must remain focused. Otherwise, we drift into stories that are small, insignificant and . . . in the big picture, don't really matter.

What a travesty!

As our staff met this morning (Tuesday morning) we discussed the importance of being on task. There are so many things that can, and often do, distract us from that which we are called to do.

How many churches find themselves in neutral because they lose focus? How many never regain that focus? Consequently, we end up with many churches starting and gathering with great intentions, but slowly drifting toward maintenance, or club mode, living out their existence as "brand expanders" while the world God has called them (i.e. us) to reach continues to slide further toward an eternity of separation and death apart from God.

No, we are not guaranteed tomorrow.

Therefore, we must make the best of today.

Ephesians 5:15-16(ESV)
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

Make the best use of the time you have left. We can know how much sand is in the bottom of the hourglass, but we just don't know how much is left in the top. No one is promised tomorrow. Don't waste today.

Some have been open with me about their struggle to be "Kingdom-minded" in all things. Yet, it's refreshing to hear that they know it's what God is calling them to be.

Here is what I sense happening at First Baptist Orange Park:

• God is refining us for a greater work.
• God is calling us to be strategic in our practice of making disciples.
• God is moving us out of maintenance mode.
• God is calling people out of comfortable "Christianity."
• God is leading.
• God is pruning.
• God is gifting.
• And more.

With that, the Enemy is working as well. This is a spiritual war.

• The Enemy is attacking.
• The Enemy is distracting.
• The Enemy is accusing.
• The Enemy is setting traps.
• The Enemy is leading people to focus on things that do not matter.
• The Enemy is lying.

We would be wise to know our enemy and understand his tactics, so that we would not so easily fall into his traps.

Since we know the Enemy (Satan) is at work in this way, we must be praying and worshipping and serving God more intently now than ever. There are lives at stake. There is eternity at stake.

It was exciting Sunday to see twelve people join our fellowship as members. The baptisms of Suzanne and Barbara were wonderful.

To top it off, to have three come to share publicly that God has called them into full-time service and another three seeking God in such a way to clarify the call is incredible.

Do you see this?

Do you see God expanding His Kingdom through His church?

Some cannot. They're too preoccupied in their small stories. That's unfortunate.

May we all step into the Story that matters and leave the small, petty, insignificant ones behind. We just don't have time for that. There's much to do.

Keep calm and stay focused.

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Students Prepare for Mission Trip to New Orleans. Could This Be More Than a Trip?

I just left a meeting with a group of our high school students and Dave Paxton, our Student Pastor. This is the first prep meeting for the Spring Break Mission Trip to New Orleans our students will be going on in just a couple of weeks.

It is a small group this year, but there's something special about this group (not that there wasn't something special about previous years' groups.) The trip is a little different than in the past. Our group will be working in a few major areas - "Just the Right Attitude" Food Bank, Hollygrove, Day Haven (a day care for senior adults), and the Edgewood Park community.

As Dave was sharing about the trip and giving the assignments to students, he said "Pray daily about how God will change the city." As I typed this on my iPad, I hit a wrong key. One of the great things about the iPad (well, sometimes great) is that when you mistype something, it automatically fixes it. Apparently, I hit a wrong key and the iPad changed some words. When I looked at my notes it said, "Pray daily about how God will change us."

Wow!

That's the point here isn't it? In the midst of the mission trip, God does a work on those serving on the team. We have students who have been before and some who have never been and for some reason God has orchestrated this year for this team to be together.

I have a feeling this is a "God story" in the making.

We closed our meeting in small groups praying. I was praying with parents of three other students. I shared openly that my prayer is for my son to be called into a bigger Story. I shared that I am concerned that the stories being played out here for our students are weak and not big enough for them to see God at work. There's too much familiarity and ease. God is at work, but for some reason, I believe that He is calling our young people to step up and into a bigger Story.

The other parents echoed this. They were saying "Yeah, we feel the same way."

For parents of teenagers, we live like the sand is running out of the hourglass quickly - too quickly. God is sovereign and He is at work. Join me in praying that our young people, especially those heading to New Orleans in a couple of weeks will have ears to hear and eyes to see God. May the traditions of past trips and the surface level expectations be left behind and God's Spirit be strongly blowing through this group.

Pray with me for the bigger story in the lives of these students.

Yes, this could be more than a mission trip. It could be the beginning of a new story.

A "God Story" Was Written Today!

This morning the Heart Matters Women's Ministry of First Orange Park hosted our first "Widows Banquet" with help from our Deacons. The luncheon was a wonderful time of fellowship for our ladies. The beautiful women are such a blessing to our faith family. In fact, in times of distress, ministry to widows is categoriezed in the Bible as pure and undefiled religion (James 1:27).

The luncheon started well. Ladies arrived and were seated at one of a number of tables. Each table had a hostess serving with the Deacons preparing the meal and our pre-teens and students serving. Our pre-teen ensemble led in worship and everyone had a great time.

At about 1pm our luncheon was coming to a close. Ladies were making their way out of the building and like others on staff and in leadership, we were making small talk with many as they exited. I was on my way out the door with my wife and daughter when one of our ladies came up to me, almost in tears, stating that she needed to talk to me.

I saw her as familiar, but I didn't know her name. She had been attending our church for about a year with her son and his family, but I had not had the opportunity to meet her or talk to her at length.

She wasn't even attending the widows banquet. She was there to pick up her two granddaughters, who were helping serve.

At first, I wasn't sure why she needed to talk with me. Then it became clear. She was searching. She was struggling with the concept of being good enough to come to God. At that moment, as others were cleaning up the dishes and small talk among some leaders was happening, I asked her to join me at one of the tables while I shared with her some truths from the Word of God.

She continued to state that she didn't feel good enough to come to God. 

It's a common lie of the Enemy. Satan is the liar, the accuser, the adversary. His lies are strong and loud, and often, unfortunately, we agree with them. This woman, Barbara, was making agreements with the Enemy and was being tormented with the feelings of unworthiness.

I shared that in a way she was right. She is unworthy to come to God. She is not good enough to deserve a relationship with Him. Then, I shared another truth - neither was I nor anyone else on the planet.

And that is why we need a Savior.

The joy in her eyes was evident. It was as if she was discovering the treasure of hope and life that is Jesus Christ for the first time. She knew of Christ. She knew of the cross. The stories are popular and told often (especially here in the deep South) but she had never met Jesus.

So, today after a banquet to honor our widows had finished and most had left with a full stomach and feelings of a good time of fellowship, God was working.

Barbara and I read verses of Scripture and shortly thereafter she confessed her sin, repented of that sin and surrendered her life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

This is a God story!

Could it be that the months of planning by the women's ministry and our Deacons for a banquet to honor the widows of our church was intended so that Barbara could begin to live? Who thought "Hey, let's ask some pre-teen and teenage students to come help serve the ladies?"

I have this sneaky suspicion that the good motives and thoughts and work that went into planning this meal were aligned by God so that He could do a miracle today. Oh, it is a miracle. I met a woman at about 1pm today who was dead in her sin. She was guilty and wore that guilt. She felt ashamed and alone and scared. Then, because of God's great love and grace, she was born again, just as Jesus said we must be.

This is a God story!

Looking forward to the next chapter.   

P.S. Pray for Barbara as she continues on this new journey of faith.

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Marriage & Divorce (1 Corinthians 7)

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According to a recent survey by Pew Research, the percentage of all adults in the country who were married just a few decades ago was just a little over 70%. The numbers today hover at just a little over 50%.

Cohabitation, single-person households and single parenthood have all statistically increased in recent decades. This is most prevalent among younger adults.

In 1960, 59% of adults age 18-29 were married. Today, that number is just around 20%.

Of all married adults in the US, one third has experienced divorce at least once.

For years this statement has been made from pulpits across our nation, “Christians divorce at roughly the same rate as the world.” This most quoted statistic among pastors is perhaps the most inaccurate. 

Based on the best data available, the divorce rate among Christians is significantly lower than the general population.

From Baptist Press:

Many people who seriously practice a traditional religious faith -- be it Christian or other -- have a divorce rate markedly lower than the general population.

The factor making the most difference is religious commitment and practice. Couples who regularly practice any combination of serious religious behaviors and attitudes -- attend church nearly every week, read their Bibles and spiritual materials regularly; pray privately and together; generally take their faith seriously, living not as perfect disciples, but serious disciples -- enjoy significantly lower divorce rates than mere church members, the general public and unbelievers.

Professor Bradley Wright, a sociologist at the University of Connecticut, explains from his analysis of people who identify as Christians but rarely attend church, that 60 percent of these have been divorced. Of those who attend church regularly, 38 percent have been divorced [1].

No-fault divorce came about in the States in 1970 and since then a false declaration was made that basically said “divorce is a good option. It’s good for kids if mom and dad don’t get along, or if they don’t love each other, or aren’t happy. Therefore, it’s good – for mom, dad and the kids.” After all, we want everyone happy.

Somewhere along the way, the self-seeking ideals of a culture that began to live with the presumption that life was about them and their personal, temporal happiness prevailed. And. . .we swim through a culture that uplifts personal opinion and feeling above absolute truth to such a degree that truth is often hard to find. When found, many find it difficult to believe.

We find ourselves in a state that many believe to be new, but as you study history, the breakdown of marriage has seemingly preceded, by a generation or two, the demise of empires and cultures.

These are just facts. . .and should not be shocking to us.

I’ve discovered that as you study history, human nature tends to prevail regardless of culture, century, race, or even religion. Lost people have always acted like lost people.

Darkness is strong. Depravity is inherent.

That’s why Jesus told us, as his disciples, we are to be the light of the world.

Now more than ever? Yes. Every generation of believers has stated that and it’s true.

So, as we look to 1 Corinthians 7, questions arise. Questions about relationships, about marriage, about divorce. Answers are sought – perhaps not authentically, but at least a curiosity prevails. Believers want to know what God has to say about marriage, about divorce, about remarriage. What’s allowed? What’s not? What happens if we’ve already messed up? Can we be redeemed?

If the picture of a man and woman uniting in holy matrimony is God’s illustration of Jesus’ relationship with the church, then it stands to reason the Enemy would do everything in his power to destroy that illustration, that picture of love and holiness, and consequently, the relationship between a husband and wife.

Listen to the audio link for the rest of the message.

I Fear We May Be Brand Expanders

Over the past few months. . .well, years. . .God has developed within me a discontentedness. It's not really a negative thing. I'm wired in such a way (by God's design) to see things and wonder why they are the way they are.

It's always been this way. I remember sitting in our worship center shortly after we opened it in 1994. I'm sure there was an inspiring message that day and some great music, but I could not get over the fact that the round windows on either side of the stage area were not centered. Why is the window on the right closer to the stage area than the one on the left? Yes, this still bothers me.

Also, why are the doors that go behind the stage different? Why does one open "in" and the other open "out?" Is this so we can run laps around the stage and just push the doors open?

These are just examples, but you see what I mean, right? I wonder why things are the way they are. Was it accidental, intentional, or just something that's "always been done that way?"

Some of you understand the DISC personality profile system. Guess what? I'm a "High D." I'm sure that's a shock to all of you who know me.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HIGH "D" PERSONALITY

• Directness
• Key to motivation is challenge
• Basic intent is to overcome
• Likes to be in charge
• Thrives on challenge, pressure and tough assignments
• Desires change
• Fears being taken advantage of
• Needs direct answers

Shocking right?

As this holy discontent has set in over the past few years, I have begun to ask some harder questions. Questions like. . .

• Why do we seem to have gatherings called "worship services" when very few in attendance are actually worshipping (or at least appearing to)?
• Why does it seem we are content on "making church members" rather than "making disciples?"
• Why, in a community with so many churches does it seem that the church (as a whole) is making so little impact?
• Why are so many people content with being church members?
• Why are so many churches focused on building new buildings rather than building disciples?
• Why are so many self-proclaimed Christians angry all the time?
• Why don't we live as missionaries here in our own community?
• When did a person's political party become the litmus test for their Christianity?
• Why is there an overabundance of orthodoxy with no identifiable orthopraxy?
• How did we end up with this subculture we call "Christian" that looks so different from what Christ has called us to?
• Why do so many within the church say "We're kingdom minded" but act like other churches in our community are the competition?
• Why do some church members (me included) get upset over things that don't matter for the Kingdom, yet do nothing tangible to expand the Kingdom?

There are more questions. I always have questions like this. I'm still wondering why the windows are the way they are.

God has brought some folks into my life over the past few years that seem to ask the same types of questions. Men like Wes Hughes, Caleb Crider, Sean Benesh, Matthew Jolley, John Robinson, Wallace J., Jeff Christopherson, Andrew Lamme, Brett Porter, Scott Swanstrom, Rick Wheeler, Hal Haller, Bob Bumgarner, Reggie McNeal, Ed Stetzer and tons more.

Believe me, having a cup of coffee with these guys is an experience. Maybe one day, we can all get in the same room just to pray and talk and solve all the problems in the world of the postmodern church?

Seriously, God is definitely at work in this generation of churches. Apparently, I am not the only one with a "holy discontent" regarding the state of the church.

We are the remnants of a less than effective church growth movement. A movement that has successfully placed more people in a smaller number of buildings regularly, but has failed to see widespread growth of the church in cultural settings that are either post-Christian or well on the way to become such.

In Jeff Christopherson's excellent book Kingdom Matrix, he presents graphically that which is happening in our culture (both community and church cultures) as it relates to the expansion of the Kingdom of God. (I love when an author writes what I've been thinking. It makes my thoughts seem more legitimate.)

The first thing we must understand is that there are two Kingdoms - the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Darkness. There is no middle kingdom, though modern Christians have tried to create one. There is no "grey area" here. We are either expanding and moving forward the Kingdom of God or the Domain of Darkness.

So, three basic understandings are needed here:

1. At any given moment I am either building the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Darkness. Period. There is no third kingdom. However, we have "built" one. We have created a third kingdom that doesn't really exist or matter.
2. It's possible to participate in church expansion and unintentionally be an agent for shrinking the Kingdom of God.  As the church, we are fascinated with outputs. The church growth movement celebrated this. In the midst of this, we have forgotten the mission of God at times and the reason for the church being placed here, or in a specific area. In other words, we have made the church the end result - the output, rather than the expansion of the Kingdom of God.
3. It is possible to unknowingly value the Kingdom of God before acknowledging the value of its Source; the King.

These are illustrated through forms, in this case identified as either "sacred" or "secular." (I know, I know, "everything is sacred" but for the sake of this illustration the designations make sense to my Westernized thought patterns.)

Here's the bottom line. The bottom left quadrant is bad. . .really bad. This is the darkest area. This group of Self Seekers is prominent in our culture (best illustrated by the characters on the sit-com Seinfeld and others.)

The next worse is the group known as Brand Expanders. These seem spiritual, but are fake. We are to avoid this group. The problem is that often we naturally drift toward this quadrant as individuals and churches. It's hard to avoid ourselves.

Kingdom Seekers are those who do not know Christ, but are on the journey toward surrender. They are lost, but curious. They know there's a bigger story and they believe they're not the central part of it, but they just haven't stepped over to Christ, yet (for various reasons.) I like to call this group "pre-Christ followers." I'm optimistic.

The Kingdom Expanders as designated in the top right quadrant is where we need to be. This is the sweet spot. This is the place where the Story and the Author (God) are central. Self-centeredness has no place here. The local church is not the end game here, as it is for the Brand Expanders. The local church is the vehicle to expand the Kingdom. When here, we understand that the "payoff" most likely will not be this side of heaven. In fact, the "payoff" is not even considered the goal. Expansion of the Kingdom is the goal.

So, why do I fear that we may be Brand Expanders? Just look at these descriptors of how Brand Expanders deal with certain things:

BRAND EXPANDERS AND. . .

• MONEY - results in religious consumerism. This is what you get when you cross the values of materialism with the subculture of Christendom. We get the crowd that followed Jesus in search of a show, a miracle, a meal. It's a gathering, but it's not the church. It's more Pharisaical than we would like to admit. It puts us, or even our local church, as the center of the story. We become "fans" of Jesus and proud of our church. . .but we don't become disciples.
• ENERGY - results in competition. Yes, I know this is hard to believe, but churches often say they're on the same side (God's side) but live as if they're competing with each other. It would be as if Coca-Cola and Pepsi stated publicly that they were friends and wanted everyone to enjoy the taste of cola. Yet, everyone knows they hate each other and would love to put the other out of business. Now, churches would never say that (I hope) but how many have secretly celebrated the demise of another local congregation? It's sick. It's done all too often.
• CHANGE - results in conformation. I know, we all hate change. That's what we say anyway, while we Tweet on our iPhones and Skype our grandkids and set our DVR to record Duck Dynasty. Hate change? Not really. We just hate change in how we do church. The Brand Expanders promote conformity, which looks simply like behavior modification without a heart change. Christopherson states, "Neither the old lifeless legalism of 'believe and behave,' nor the cool, funky, hipper versions of a more open-minded conformation can produce the inner change that advances the Kingdom of God an inch. We may be marching in a straight line, but we will be following a different Commander."
• COMMUNITY - results in group isolation. The Self-Seekers live in isolation. The Brand Expanders do so as a group. Often lived under the banner of "church autonomy" (which as it is played out in our day is far from what we see in the Book of Acts) are those who isolate themselves from others and gather in their "holy huddles" for the sake of their group, not God nor the Kingdom of God. "As long as our expectations of the disciple do not include the humility of authentic community and only requires weekly exercises in group-isolation, we have created adequate elbowroom for darkness to maneuver unhindered." (Christopherson)
• LOVE - results in storage. The evangelistic motivation of reaching a certain target group often results not in a missiological selfless love for others, but in a strategy to reach a desired group that will fit into the current "church." We love those who look like us, think like us and won't cause us stress. We will often ignore the racially, economically, and culturally diverse by leap-frogging them to reach those who . . . are just like us.
• AUTHORITY - results in a love of corporate identity. This is where the local church becomes the end all, be all for the people. It's about the church. It's about the organization. It's about my "small group" or "Sunday School class." I have heard many people brag on their small groups to such an extent that I wonder if they even know why they gather? Bragging on the King? Bragging on Jesus? Not the Brand Expanders. These are the people who have "visitation nights" and go market their class and church to such an extent that they seem less like disciples of the King and more like Kirby vacuum cleaner salesmen (no offense Kirby vacuum cleaner salesmen.)

The holy discontent is real and holy in that God has brought it. You see, I believe the Brand Expanders are akin to those who are neither hot nor cold and make God sick (Revelation 3:16).

Yet, we drift there. It's easy to be a Brand Expander. It's easy and in our culture, seems right. It seems holy. It's affirmed in 2 Timothy 3:5 in that these people are "having a form of godliness but denying its power."

We must get out of this quadrant and lead others to as well.

Why?

If we do not, we are destined to be just another church in the Bible belt that gathers for sake of ourselves, feeling good, having programs for the kids and classes for the adults, blessing a community. . .and yet, not making disciples nor expanding the Kingdom.

Are you a Brand Expander?

• Are you focused on things that do not matter for the Kingdom?
• When was the last time you bragged on the King?
• Do you love people. . .well, only some people?
• What is your most recent "God story?"
• Are you angry. . .at things that really don't matter. Seriously. Will God say to you one day, "Why did you waste so much emotion and energy on that when you could have experienced life, abundant and free and expanded My Kingdom?"

Some say we need revival. I believe we do. We need to move from the quadrant that seems spiritual and godly but in truth is expanding the Domain of Darkness to become Kingdom Expanders.

How do we do this?

We start with REPENTANCE.

To be a Brand Expander is a sin. No debate. No questions. No "but, what about. . ." It's sin. Repent and surrender to the King and begin living like we believe.