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Squirmy with God

Posted by Michael Breznau on 6:08 pm in Devotionals, Marriage & Family, Story Time | 2 comments

Giggly, bubbly laughter filled the air and echoed throughout our living room like a scurrying breeze on a warm autumn afternoon. A special (and very large) shipment of discount diapers had arrived on our doorstep from Amazon – and you know what that means, don’t you? Why, the greatest adventure ship known to child-kind!

We quickly emptied the contents of our giant ‘smile’ box and our two chubby-cheeked children gleefully began sliding around in their new favorite toy: a giant cardboard box.

Oh sure, they have heaps of toys in every variety, shape, color, and size. But a big ole’ box will easily entertain them for at least two hours. Storms will billow against the sails of their grand sea ship. The sun will stand still as they travel back in time to faraway lands of danger and intrigue. Screams of joy will ripple through the house as they race ahead of the competition in their 500 horsepower stock car. I suppose Papa has a wee bit of fun with the adventure, too, especially as we speed past Mommy’s stocking feet and jump across rooms like a rickety roller coaster.

Little did we know what tragedy might await us…

Suddenly our ship spun out of control and collided with a humble chair (who thought she was minding her own business). With extraordinary theatrics Hudson and Everlynn (and Papa) tumbled across the floor with a melodramatic flair that would undoubtedly raise Steven Spielberg’s bushy eyebrows.

All seemed in good fun until I realized the fair Princess Everlynn had abruptly stopped breathing, in fact, she appeared to be storing up nuclear energy.

“Ummm… Papa? Is Everlynn going to explode?” Hudson chirped.

“Uh no, Hudson. Everlynn is not going to explode…” I replied with a deep sigh.

Apparently, the most natural reaction for two toddlers in a crashing cardboard box is to BONK heads together with tremendous thunder. Because “Mr. MegaMind” Hudson was blessed with a generous-sized head made of heat-tempered steel, Everlynn stood at a clear disadvantage.

I already saw a purple bump forming on her delicate brow as she finally shook the house with her first good wail. Tears streamed down from her sparkling eyes as she looked up at me with arms outstretched.

“Paaaapaaaa… I waaant Paaaapaaa,” she sobbed.

I gently scooped her up into my arms and snuggled her close to my chest. I could feel her little fingers clutch onto my shirtsleeves and her rapid heartbeat press against my shoulder. She quickly calmed down, the tears began to dissipate, and soon she was again anxiously watching Hudson (who was already back inside the box playing to his heart’s content).

With a squirm and worm-jiggle Everlynn zipped out of my arms and ran right back over to her voyage in the box. Unfortunately, this time the fun didn’t last as long. Now that Hudson had tasted the freedom of a sister-less cardboard box, he decided a good shove would keep her out of the way.

Smack. Everlynn hit the floor with a loud THUMP. Here we go again.

“Ummm… Papa? Is Everlynn going to explode?” Hudson chirped again, this time with his eyebrows turned down with a rather fake look of guilt.

“Uh no, Hudson. Everlynn is not going to explode…” I replied with a deep sigh (again).

Deal with the abuser or care for the wounded? Which would you choose in the moment of urgency? I decided to go with the latter, at least for the moment.

I again picked up Everlynn off the floor and carried her sobbing self over to the couch to soothe her. Suddenly, much to my surprise, she switched back into her squirmy mode. This time she looked fearfully over at the box and at her rather hurtful compatriot.

But she kept right on squirming, wiggling, and kicking.

Her tiny voice piped up, “Geeeddddown, I wanna get down…”

“But Everlynn you…” I reminder her.

“Noooo… Geeedddown,” was her reply.

Reluctantly, I set her back down on the floor. While she sniffled and surveyed the situation from a distance, I seized the opportunity to administrate corrective measures to Mr. MegaMind. Ahem.

Restless in our Loss

But all the squirming, wiggling, and kicking from our little Princess got me thinking…

How many times have I been squirmy with God, my Father in heaven? Do I ever find myself growing impatient in His arms? Have I grown restless with God, supposing I must be missing out on a great adventure of my own making?

How about you? Do you feel anxious about tomorrow? Is panic becoming a more natural response than prayer? Are you ready to jump out on your own again as soon as the pain or uncertainty subsides?

The storms of life and the reality of suffering bring tears to my eyes. Our suffering has been very palpable this week. I’ve wiped dozens of droplets from my wife’s eyes as we’ve grieved and cried through another miscarriage – our fourth to be precise. We hurt. We have sensed the abuse and pain of living in a fallen world.

And so we run into the arms of our loving God and He tells us we’ve never left His hand or His heart. He reminds us of His presence, His nearness, and His plan for a redeemed earth when all things will be remade.

But I so quickly get squirmy with God. And yet again I find myself anxious, concerned, and even fearful about life in this fallen, sin-riddled world. Are you there today?

Has God brought you through difficulty, sorrow, or tragedy but you quickly revert back toward your control panel? Are you filled with anxiety and concern because you cannot possibly know what might happen tomorrow or next week or next year? Do you feel beat up and bruised by life but don’t know how to completely rest in God’s arms?

You are not alone. We all suffer. If someone claims to be without suffering of any kind then they must already be in heaven with God (and even then they must groan, awaiting the final redemption of their physical bodies at the resurrection of the righteous, cf. Romans 8:18-25).

I think the young David was sometimes a bit squirmy with God, too. Listen to his words when he fled from King Saul in a middle-of-nowhere cave:

“Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge in You;

And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until destruction passes by.

I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me.

He will send from heaven and save me;

He reproaches him who tramples upon me. SELAH

God will send forth His loving-kindness and His truth.” (Psalm 57:1-3)

For all his very human fears, David chose to not run to the methods and tools of his enemies but instead trusted and rested in YHWH, the Lord. Like a mother-bird nesting with her young ones, so the Lord gives refuge and peace in the middle of suffering and conflict.

Here’s how God continues to promise refuge for His people:

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!’

For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge;

His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” (Psalm 91:1-4)

Staying and resting in the refuge of God may not look safe. Life will still hit you and me. Sin and tears and disease will still assault our lives.

But we can know that God is with us in our suffering. We can go in the confidence that God is good and in control – even when we desperately want to squirm, wiggle, and kick our way into performing our own damage control. God is looking upon you and me with eyes of love and care. His refuge is present. His arms are strong and His plan is good.

Yes, we do find ourselves squirming sometimes, don’t we? We find ourselves growing impatient in His arms.  We may grow restless with God, supposing we must be missing out on a great adventure of our own making.

But just like I reassured Everlynn she could rest and trust and be at peace in my arms, so our heavenly Father is reminding us to place our confidence in His refuge, His strength, and in His good plan… even if we don’t see it or understand.

Be faithful to the faithful God.

Discipleship through Relationship

Posted by Michael Breznau on 9:57 pm in Devotionals, Discipleship, Mission, Theology | 2 comments

As I was recently reflecting on the way Christ worked with his closest followers, the Twelve, a thought came to mind: How did Christ primarily develop the Twelve into men who would “turn the world upside down” (Acts 17:6) for the cause of the Gospel? Then I remembered a simple phrase in Mark 8:34, “…follow me.”

This was the centerpiece of how Jesus trained and taught His ragtag crew of men. He called and commanded them to follow Him and they followed. They followed Him everywhere He went. They ate what he ate. They walked where He walked. They slept where He slept. They taught what He taught.

Jesus walked His disciples through streets, towns, and villages full of people who did not recognize Him as the Savior and Messiah. He took them into circles of sick, hurting, needy, crippled, leprous, antagonistic, and even hostile people. To all of these He demonstrated the truth and the infinite love and grace that could change their lives – forever. Then he sent His followers out on the same mission: “as the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you…” (John 20:21)

Ultimately, most of them would even die as He died – for the sake of His name.

Here’s the whole phrase from the mouth of Jesus:

“If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” (Mark 8:34-35)

All but one of these men (that’s a pretty good ratio of success, by the way) gave up family, house, and home to follow the Master, no matter the cost – and were faithful to the end. They remained faithful in their “following” and the world will never be the same.

But it all started with relationship. Jesus offered them a path, a journey in His own footsteps. The Twelve disciples did not simply join a curriculum study group – they followed a person, Jesus Christ. Discipleship happens through relationship.

Discipleship Happens Through Relationship

Now certainly, I don’t think there is anything wrong with good curriculum or study groups. They can be useful tools of discipleship. Yet for too long the average evangelical Joe and Jane have relied on curriculum sales or attendance records of classes as proof that discipleship is happening. And yes, I recognize that Jesus Christ is the God-man, not just a mere person like you and I. He was perfect in all that He said and did when He walked this earth. His ability to build disciples and train them through the journey of His life is an amazing thing to behold.

Yet, the point still stands. If Jesus developed the Twelve through hard-core, real-life, accountable relationship, perhaps we should take our cues from the Master Teacher himself….

So, engage the question: how will you and I develop a relationship with one or two or three younger or newer believers and go beyond the arm’s distance of attendance records and formal study groups? How can we develop others so that they exponentially reduplicate the process of discipleship we began with them?

I would love to hear your answers to these questions!

I also highly recommend reading “Follow Me: A Call to Die. A Call to Live” (by David Platt and Francis Chan). Click here to purchase it from Amazon and, in turn, partner with us in the overhead costs for www.GraceExposed.org:

5 Ways to Encourage a Young Pastor’s Wife

Posted by Stephanie Breznau on 5:20 pm in Church & Praxis, Devotionals, Marriage & Family | 0 comments

When I was growing up, I remember all my friends telling me they wanted to be a veterinarian, doctor, ballerina, or fireman. I never really would answer back, except for the occasional desire to be a mermaid. Obviously, that didn’t work out well, especially since I’m not the best swimmer.

However, one evening I remember my mom asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I responded, “a Pastor’s Wife”! My heart’s desire never changed since that night. As the years went by, I met guys who were interested in me, but none of them impressed much or seemed to be heading into full-time ministry. I started wondering if I would have to let go of my dream of being in ministry with the man I loved…

I thought all hope was lost until a beautiful afternoon on August 2006 in Flint, Michigan when I met an incredible man who I now have called my husband for almost 6 years. Life with him has been an incredible journey of growing love, faith, and joy in valleys of hardship and on mountaintops of happiness.

I love my man 10,000 times more than I did when I became his wife in June of 2008, and my love for him as grown in each of the special moments that stand out to me; when I handed him a positive pregnancy test ONE month after our wedding, when I accidentally ran over the curb at our seminary housing and damaged our pick-up truck (our only vehicle) and he was just happy I was okay, when he laid beside me at the hospital as we watched our baby struggle to breathe and he promised he wouldn’t leave my side for those ten and a half days, when he protected me from false accusations, when he was my rock during both of my children’s births, when he let me cry on his shoulder as I miscarried our babies, and I could go on and on. We’ve been in full time ministry for over 3 years now (not including all of the years of single service we both did before we met each other, and then the part time ministries we were involved with in Dallas), and it just gets better and better. I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life, and there could be nothing better than serving God alongside this amazing man, who I not only call my husband, but my pastor (and how many women actually get to say they are married to their pastor?).

Breznau Family – Autumn 2013

So you’re wondering how to encourage your young pastor’s wife? Are you unsure how to connect with her on a personal level? Perhaps you’re not certain how to “become friends” with the wife of your pastor – simply because of the unique role they have in your congregation? Does she sometimes appear a bit frazzled, worn or distant, but you’re not sure what to say in order to show her how much you really care? Here are some ideas and steps you might take:

1. Pray for Her

A pastor and his wife will endure many hardships and difficulties that they won’t (or can’t) share with others. These struggles are also marked with aloneness – more often than not. Being a leader can be lonely. Remember this and pray for them. I know I’ve struggled with many things as my husband went through four years of seminary, transitioned to an associate pastor role for three years, and now serves as a lead pastor: miscarriages, loneliness, postpartum depression, and other battles; some of which I never shared with anyone. She needs prayer. You don’t always need to know the details, just pray and pray often! Pray for their marriage, children, parents, finances, etc. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”(Hebrews 4:16; see also Eph. 6:18; 1 Tim. 2:1; Col. 1:9; 1 Thess. 5:25)

2. Encourage Her

Maybe she has little kids, or maybe she is struggling with infertility, or she is depressed, or missing her far away family. Pastor’s wives are real women with real struggles. Don’t just assume they have it all together just because they are in full-time ministry. Remember that a younger pastor’s wife is probably in a different season than the average older pastor’s wife whose children are grown. Most of the younger wives who have little ones are most likely overwhelmed and feel like they are in a fishbowl. Let her know you have been there. She might or might not want or need advice, but don’t act like she is a child or totally inept at parenting. Don’t treat her children with distaste because they are acting like most children. Come alongside her and be a support for her! “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

3. Include Her

Don’t assume she won’t come, or that she doesn’t want to come to different functions. Ministry can be very lonely, especially when you are not invited to things. But sometimes she is home with the kids because her husband is out on a call, or is at the office doing sermon prep. Pastors often keep hours similar to an ER doctor. Maybe offer to babysit her children so that she can go to a ministry event, or help find a babysitter for her (obviously ask her permission). Ask for her help on projects according to her talents but don’t get offended if she declines. I guarantee it isn’t personal. She is a human being just like you and needs friends too. A lot of people belong to cliques, and while it naturally happens that you want to be with certain people (and there is nothing wrong with that), remember that you wouldn’t want to be the outsider. “Be hospitable to one another without complaint.” (1 Peter 4:9)

4. Accept Her

Is she free-spirited? Accept her. Is she disorganized? Definitely accept her. Is she super overly organized? Accept her with a smile. Is she opinionated? Be patient as you accept her. Is she type A and ultra extroverted? Accept her. Is she quiet and emotional? Accept her. Does she like contemporary music? Accept her. Does she wear clothing that you wouldn’t wear? Accept her. Period. Not much else to say here. Treat others as you want to be treated. “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Romans 15:5-7

5. Love Her

I think this depends on the woman’s personality in how she best feels loved. Do research on what makes her happy. Does she appreciate hugs? Then hug her. Is she shy? Then don’t hug her, but tell her you love her. Let her know she is loved as much as you can and in a way you are able and that you know she would like to receive. Also remember what Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Obviously this is not a complete list of ways to encourage your pastor’s wife. Also remember that older pastor’s wives need encouragement, as well, so try to find ways you can do that, too. Remember to ask Jesus how you can encourage her, no matter her age or level of experience. We all need compassion, love, joy, humor, and acceptance.

I really appreciate the advice of godly and older women in my life. I’ve learned so much from them. We, as younger women, can learn a lot from these amazing ladies and I truly believe they are a treasure trove of wisdom! It doesn’t mean you have to take and apply every single piece of advice ever given to you, but listen to them anyway! You never know what gem you might take home.

And to all of those younger beautiful pastor’s wives out there (and missionary wives too!), keep your chin up and be of good courage! Embrace your calling, but remember who you are… a daughter of the King, wife to a godly man, and maybe even a mother too. Don’t change your personality, likes/dislikes, etc. to put yourself into a mold of what people think you should be. Shine and sparkle and be yourselves!

I am blessed! I am immensely grateful for the beautiful and grace-filled people who my husband and I are privileged to minister to every day at North Park Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan. I am happy to say that I definitely feel prayed for, encouraged, included, accepted, and loved by you. May God fill us with passion – together –  to go on His mission!

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

This article of mine was originally published at www.justoneoftheboys.com. Thanks, Ginger, for giving me the opportunity to contribute on your great blog!

Cancerous Christianity

Posted by Michael Breznau on 9:23 pm in Bible Study, Podcast, Sermons | 4 comments

Cancer. That one, singular word cuts into the fabric of our lives with fear and anxiety, doesn’t it? Every person knows someone who has battled against cancer; perhaps you know one who is in the middle of the fight right now. This lethal, fearsome disease is waging war against their body, seeking to wrack their frame with total destruction.

Or maybe you are that ‘someone,’ and you’re in the fight right now or you just got a clearance letter from your doctor stating life might finally return to normal. Undoubtedly, cancer is an insidious and terrifying illness that clear-cuts a wide swath of victims of all ages and backgrounds every year.

The Difference that Equals Destruction

But why does cancer bring such devastation upon the human body? It all comes down a very simple difference that equals destruction. Some define cancer cells simply as, “free, independent radicals that want to break away from other normal cells and go unregulated. Wikipedia’s definition echoes the same idea: “Cancer cells are cells that grow and divide at an unregulated, quickened pace.”

Characteristics of Normal Cells (from Cancer Research UK)

Normal body cells have a number of important characteristics. They can…

• Reproduce themselves exactly
• Stop reproducing at the right time
• Stick together in the right place
• Become specialized or ‘mature’

How Cancer Cells are Different

Cancer cells are different to normal cells in several ways. They don’t die if they move to another part of the body and…

• Cancer cells don’t stop reproducing (they continue out of control)
• Cancer cells don’t obey signals from other cells
• Cancer cells don’t stick together
• Cancer cells don’t specialize, but stay immature

The end result: Cancer cells bring utter destruction to the human body. They don’t want to live in the place where they belong. They want to do things their own way…

My Way and the Highway to Chaos

We all want our own way; don’t we? We think we know what is best for our lives. Why should we follow someone else’s advice? We know what we like and dislike, so why should somebody tell us differently?

Popular culture tells us, “Have it Your Way” (thank you, Burger King). Frank Sinatra sang, “I did it my way!” The very idea having getting “our way” seems to feel and sound so right.

But then we open our Bibles, begin following Jesus, gather with other Jesus-followers – and what inevitably happens?! Things don’t go our way. People don’t treat us the way we like. Awkward moments occur when we have to sit next to people we don’t even know (God forbid!). The music isn’t our style, the food is stale, the carpet color is horribly out-of-date, the pastor preaches way too long, and people don’t smile enough…

And so we shout, “I’m not getting what I want, so I’m going to complain until I get what I want or I’m just going to leave.”

And we shake our fists, open our mouths, flap our gums (me included), and treat the God-appointed leaders over us like waiters at a 1 star family diner, who are not giving us the right meal that we think we ordered, paid for, and need (right now).

But the local church is not a restaurant; it’s a family. And just like free radicals – cancer cells – destroy the human body, so complaining, individualistic, independent Christians destroy churches every day.

Even deeper, what does our complaining say about how we think about God? Perhaps something like this, “Maybe God, you’ve given me what I need, but I don’t trust You to give me the leaders, satisfaction, and fun that I want.” Ultimately complaining seems to say, “God isn’t really all that good…I trust my opinion about what’s right for me, rather than what God has set for me.” And the cancer sets in and slowly turns out of control.

God’s Mission, Our Way?

Don’t skip this: there are actions, attitudes, and words you and I can use or engage in that are cancerous to the Body of Christ, the Church.

There are actions, attitudes, and words you and I can use that bring destruction rather than life – that tear down and divide rather than build up and unite.

And it all comes down to this simple question:

Our way or God’s way? Which mission are you on? We are all on a mission, but the question is, “Whose mission?” Your way or God’s way? Are you Dividing or Uniting?

Two Contexts. One Problem.

Philippi: The believers in Philippi, “evidently were complaining (to God and each other) and arguing (with each other). As a result they were not ‘without fault’ among the unregenerate; they were not shining like stars in their world (2:15). The Philippian assembly needed to show themselves as united and as one in Christ. Non-Christians were not being attracted to Him by the saints’ strifes and contentions.” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Philippians, 655-56). Therefore, Paul challenged them to deal with their complaining and arguing for a very specific reason and the same message connects with us today with incredibly relevance. So let’s turn to Philippians 2:14-18… [Part 1: Cancerous Christianity: When Dividing Overrules Uniting.] 

Corinth: The church in ancient Corinth was in an environment and culture not a lot different than our own. Immorality, sexual promiscuity, drunkenness, early forms of narcotics, religious pluralism, prostitution, etc… all were prevalent in Corinth. The people did life their way. Debauchery and depravity and self-centeredness were the name of the game. But then the Gospel message entered the picture and men and women started turning to Jesus Christ for forgiveness, hope, and eternal life, and their lives were radically changed.

And yet, they still were prone to act, think, and talk like they were still entrenched in their previous way of life – doing it their way. And so the apostle Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write so that their progressive sanctification would be aligned with their positional sanctification. In other words, they had been declared “right” in God’s sight through Jesus’ work on the Cross, but their lives still shouted out that they needed to rehearse the Gospel and live righteously for God’s glory – every single day.

They were doing life their own way, and what’s the first example? They were dividing. There was a cancer spreading in the Corinthian church that could bring destruction. Dividing was overruling their unity in Jesus Christ. And the same actions, attitudes, and words can also take over like cancer among us, too. So let’s look at 1 Corinthians 1:10-17… [Part 2: Cancerous Christianity: When Dividing Overrules Uniting]

Listen to the full audio messages entitled Cancerous Christianity – Parts 1 and 2 by simply clicking on the play buttons below or by subscribing to our iTunes podcast. These messages were originally delivered at North Park Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI, on Sunday evening Jan. 12th and Jan. 19th, 2014.

Peace in Chaos: A Christmas Poem

Posted by Michael Breznau on 2:05 pm in Devotionals, Story Time | 2 comments

_____________________________

We’re praying you have a hope-filled and blessed Christmas season and a wonderful New Year.

Merry Christmas from the Breznau clan!

Help for the Small-Church Pastor

Posted by Michael Breznau on 5:32 pm in Book Reviews, Church & Praxis | 0 comments

Book Review by Michael J. Breznau, Th.M.: Steve R. Bierly, Help for the Small-Church Pastor: Unlocking the Potential of your Congregation (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995).

In this “results” driven age of church growth seminars and attention grabbing methodology, it would seem that a small church pastorate might equate as failure in the eyes of many recent seminary graduates. However, as Steve Bierly helpfully points out in his short yet poignant work: Help for the Small-Church Pastor,[1] even the smallest congregation can fulfill the biblical purpose for the local church and honor God in their ministry. Yes, some grandiose programs and outreach projects run by much larger flocks may be impossible, but this does not mean that a small church is less valuable or less pleasing to God.

Central to Bierly’s thesis is the concept that the small church should be likened to the foreign mission field (p. 23-4). Thus to implement the ecclesiological strategies of those outside of the small church culture and context will most often end in disaster (p. 24). The seminary professor or mega-church leader purporting tactical, numerical growth methodology through strict, logical steps may find it feasible in a particular context (perhaps metropolitan). However, to directly transfer these same ideas to the world of the small church is analogous to a mid-western American missionary expecting his church plant in Africa to look, sound, and operate just like his home church back in the West. While the same truths and biblical principles govern both congregations, the manner of application most often is entirely different.

Loving All the Sheep

In the same way as missionaries must adapt to the new, foreign context, Bierly makes it clear that both the pastor and the congregation should realize their place in God’s plan and respond to their situation correctly. First, he illustrates the two most common responses to the context of a small church: (1) the pastor escapes the challenge by simply “getting out” or (2) the pastor moves forward with ministry realizing his parishioners to be “beloved and valuable” brethren in Christ (p. 10-11). Each of Bierly’s points is heavily illustrated by true, everyday stories, and this first issue is no exception. He relates how one older pastor counseled him to “get out” of the small church he was shepherding, remarking on his own severe dissatisfaction with tiny congregations. Yet as a counter point, the author tells how another recently retired pastor, who had led small churches his whole ministry, exuded an entirely different perspective. Instead of viewing the unique struggles and challenges of that environment to be hostile towards advancing God’s kingdom, this elder chose to rejoice in each difficulty and fostered strong relationships with his congregants. As a result, his lifetime of small church ministry was marked by the life-changing love of Christ.

While a myriad of other illustrative examples fill a good portion of the remaining pages, this latter response is essentially held up as the prime benchmark to follow. Therefore, with this renewed perspective in mind, Bierly sets out to explain just how one can follow in the steps of this faithful and fulfilled small church pastor. Gleaning from his lifetime spent in small churches and the preceding eleven years as a pastor of the same, he remarks that the first step towards this end is to have a correct understanding of what God thinks about small churches. He states, “I believe God looks at the small church and sees much good there. He calls leaders to discover and focus on that good and to find ways to strengthen and increase it (p. 12).” Thus in an effort to encourage pastors toward this goal, he essentially outlines the main body of his work in alignment with these themes of discovery, focus, strengthening etc.

Bierly does an excellent job bringing the many advantages of the small church setting to the fore, while being wholly realistic in his expectations. His stories clearly show that he has been involved in or aware of a significant number of disputes and difficulties. However, for all the challenges found in small churches, he successfully makes a case for their biblical validity and unique value in the sight of God. The differences between the small and larger church are many, yet Bierly also points out that most of them may be thought of as special advantages for the pastor. Whether it may be the ability to know every parishioner or even to commune truly as a “family,” these opportunities can result in great blessing for both the pastor and his people (e.g. chap. 4).

No doubt difficulties will come (as they will in a large church as well), and this book is replete with negative examples. However, the author convincingly demonstrates through positive illustrations just how one might “redeem” a tough situation. For instance, a youthful and enthusiastic pastor may arrive at a small, older congregation with dozens of “new” and “recently proven” ideas. Most often this established church will resist many if not every single “new” idea presented. However, if the young pastor wisely studies the church’s history, he may likely find a time long ago when something “new” was successfully presented and implemented (p. 62-4, 97). If he lovingly and carefully demonstrates the parallels between the past and the present, some of his newer ideas are far more likely to be accepted.

In keeping with the main thesis of discovering and strengthening the “good” found in the small church context, Bierly offers four helpful principles for those leading small congregations. These primarily involve attentiveness, relevance, patience, and helpfulness (p. 82-86). Encapsulating all four of these ideas is the simple word: love. On this key term Bierly rests his case. He writes, “Organisms will only prosper in healthy environments that are conducive to growth. The healthiest environment for the church is love. Love begins with the leaders” (p. 99). Thus the central admonishment to those serving in the small church context is to self-sacrificially love those whom God has placed under their leadership. To this end Bierly makes not only a strong case from personal experience but also from the Word of God (p. 103-104 cf. John 4:21; 1 Cor 4:14-15; 2 Cor 1:23-24; 6:11-13; Gal 4:12-16, 19; Phil 1:7-8, 16; 2:1-2; 4:1; 1 Thess 2:7-12; Phil 8-11, 19-20). Regardless of the size of the congregation a pastor is to shepherd with love for each individual. He is to think of his church as a blessing rather than a burden (p. 103). This attitude and perspective in the ministry is only possible through the Spirit’s power and the application of wise and godly counsel. Here Bierly has presented just that – wise and godly counsel for those who wish to glorify God and serve others through pastoral ministry in the context of a small church.

Critical Interaction and Evaluation

This book could essentially be understood to contain two major themes or theses. The first is a negative warning: the strategies and methodological instructions of those outside the small church context (i.e. seminary professors or large/mega-church leaders) will not work when applied to a congregation of lesser size (p. 9-10, 15-24). The second is a positive exhortation: the small church is pleasing and valuable to God and can fulfill the biblical role and purpose of the church regardless of its size (p. 12, 41, 74-5). Furthermore, leaders who realize their parishioners to be beloved brethren in Christ will discover many excellent ways whereby they can together see lives transformed by the power of the Gospel.

The first major thesis, which warns those attempting to apply mega-church methods to the small church context, is a much-needed admonishment in our time. All too often the young and enthused storm into aging congregations as bullying change agents, without any mandate to do so.[2] While there are some smaller churches which desire rapid and drastic change, most do not. Bierly contends that small churches are like big families that wish everything would just operate as usual and where everyone may enjoy the traditions they have always enjoyed (e.g. chap. 3).

As previously mentioned, he draws an analogy between church-growth methodology and missionaries vociferously applying western concepts to a distinctly different foreign setting. This analogy however, only works in a basic way for the author’s purposes. He can simply and only point out that those in a small church context must consider information from other settings or situations in need of translation per se, before it can be utilized. Unfortunately, he does not adequately qualify this first thesis until the appendix section (cf. p. 111). Thus readers could be left wondering if any suggestions or pointers from “outside” the small church context are worthwhile. Bierly seems to allude to the contrary as the book goes on, however, this issue is not satisfactorily addressed. Certainly, there are some methods that work in a western church setting that may also work in a foreign missionary setting as well. It is not coherent to rule out all outside information and methodology as “alien” and therefore unworkable.

In continuing the contrast between large-church and small-church methodology, Bierly puts forth that small-church pastors are predominantly in the “people business” (p. 33-5). Such is often why the “B” or “C” seminary students are often far more successful in ministry than those who consistently receive “A’s”. The author points out that the “C” student is probably so because he spends more time with people than with books (p. 35). He is more “relational than rational”. In much the same way, a successful pastor must be a people person, a shepherd who expends a great deal of time and energy for his sheep. In this way, a small church has a unique advantage over the larger fellowship, so says Bierly. Such a pastor has the opportunity to know every single parishioner. Thus he commends pastors to understand and apply this opportunity to their ministry.

The only minor fallacy in this argument is again, what goes unstated. The author does not explain that most pastors of medium or even mega-sized churches are also much more relational rather than rational. It would seem that the large-church pastor has the opportunity to study alone in his office to the exclusion of everyone else, only to prepare for that “perfect, flawless” message on Sunday morning. Such an idea is obviously not the case at all. In fact some large-church pastors may be required to be even more relational than their small-church counter-parts. Although Bierly presents an important warning to those entering the small-church pastorate, he does not provide enough solid balance to his argument in this regard. Instead, his first thesis is supported by dozens of short stories that seem to hold up his viable exhortation on fluffy-white, cumulous clouds.

Unlike the first thesis, the second exhortation consists of a much more exegetical and balanced structure. Short stories still abound and surround this portion of the book with helpful and interesting tidbits of information. But again they seem far too numerous in places and are used to support his argument rather than illustrate it. Besides this weak joint, Bierly successfully contends that the small church is indeed pleasing and valuable to God and can fulfill the biblical role and purpose of the church (p. 12, 41, 74-5).

This book shines predominantly in two areas and both are found in the construct of this second theme. First, Bierly defines what a typical small church looks like. These are given in four consecutive points: (1) the small church is a group determined to stay together, (2) the small church is a group that works to preserve their traditions, (3) the small church is a group led by a few key figures, and (4) the small church is a group who are often suspicious, if not contemptuous of outsiders (p. 41-48). These four basic principles are well supported and seem to be especially true in light of the relevant evidence. Again, the author seems to see no need to adequately qualify his statements with balancing nuances. But the basic points are logical and relevant. His evaluation of the small church as a “group who are often suspicious, if not contemptuous of outsiders” seems somewhat overstated to one who has also spent his life in small churches. However, these concepts will prove invaluable to those who serve in the pastorate.

The following area in which his second thesis is strengthened is closely aligned with the specific terms in the thesis itself. The small church is pleasing and valuable to God and can fulfill the biblical role and purpose of the church regardless of its size (p. 12, 41, 74-5). Furthermore, leaders who realize their parishioners to be beloved brethren in Christ will discover many excellent ways whereby they can together see lives transformed by the power of the Gospel. Thus Bierly believes, “[God] calls leaders to discover and focus on that good [in the small church] and to find ways to strengthen and increase it” (p. 12). For this reason he outlines four more practical principles that will help guide a pastor: (1) a small church leader is primarily a problem presenter not a problem solver, (2) leaders should present problems in as graphic and as personal a manner as possible, (3) it takes time for small congregations to decide to take action, (4) a leader must help his or her people remove obstacles that prevent them from seeing the problem clearly (p. 82-85). Observing the first point, this may be confused with the pastor being a complainer, yet this attitude was rejected earlier in the text. Thus this principle more accurately means that pastors are not to be the “guy who knows how to do it all and fix it all.” Instead a pastor should attentively, yet humbly point out a need and graciously enable others to use their own expertise. This idea is counter-intuitive to those of us who are of the “take charge,” type-A personality. However, in order for the people of a small congregation to feel needed they must be given responsibility. Certainly such a concept cannot be taken to the extreme. If this happens to be the case, the pastor will find himself run over by the board. Again, it seems due to the brevity of this book, the author does not engage in any of these nuanced or counter arguments to his principles. This is unfortunate, yet forgivable because of the intended audience of this work.

The second and third principles given specifically speak of wise relevance and patience. The pastor is one who makes his people acutely aware of whether or not a need is urgent or vitally important. Furthermore, he is one who demonstrates enduring patience during the many deliberations that may ensue. Lastly, the fourth principle is characterized by sincere helpfulness. Bierly contends that a small church pastor will need to realize their board members have lives (sometimes exhausting lives) outside church (cf. p. 85-6). This must be lovingly taken into account. Thus attentiveness, relevance, patience, and helpfulness are keys to a successful and faithful small-church ministry. In these very practical and tangible lessons, Bierly’s experience and counsel shine with wisdom.

The author remains realistic as he honestly and openly talks about the failure of some churches even when good, loving leadership is present (p.33). In the latter half of the book he wisely moves away from the numerous and fluffy illustrations to sound biblical support and historical validation. However, this comes almost as a surprise to the reader who is by then used to each chapter being seventy to eighty percent short stories and examples. Also, the author is obviously writing from an egalitarian point of view, as a significant number of his illustrations involve a female serving as pastor/elder. While his content is thoroughly evangelical, this more moderate view on church leadership may hinder some evangelicals from hearing his message. Otherwise, this book presents two strong ideas that need to enter the contemporary evangelical discussion. In conclusion to his main thesis, Bierly encapsulates his message with the centrality of serving in love (e.g. chap. 9). Regardless of the size of the congregation a pastor is to shepherd with love for each individual. He is to think of his church as a blessing rather than a burden (p. 103). This attitude and perspective in the ministry is only possible through the Spirit’s power and the application of wise and godly counsel. In Help for the Small-Church Pastor, Bierly has presented just that – wise and godly counsel for those who wish to glorify God and serve others through pastoral ministry in the context of a small church. This book provides seasoned instruction from a pastor surrounded by other loving pastors in an easy, readable style that should prove to be a great resource for numerous pastors and lay-leaders alike.

Personal and Ministerial Application

For one who looks forward to serving as a pastor in a local church setting after graduation from seminary, this book has provided a great deal of insight into the structure and thought make up of the small church context. I have not only grown up in and around small churches, but also would wholeheartedly accept a call to such a congregation if God directs in that way. After reading and studying this useful text, three concise points of application seem most important.

First, a small church pastor must be especially attentive to the needs of his people. He must know when they are hurting, sad, or overjoyed. A pastor should understand what the spiritual and physical needs of his congregation may be and work towards assisting them in both arenas. If the church facility is impeding the toddler’s ministry, the pastor must know what is going on and take steps to help enable improvement. The pastor should take thought to that marriage which is in disarray or rejoice with the parents of the wayward child that has come home. Whatever the case may be, a small church pastor must be relational attentive.

Second, a pastor must be thoroughly patient with his congregation and board. He must never seek to force his way upon the people but instead show appreciation for the history and current position of the church. New ideas are not dropped, yet they are held with a patient, understanding, and loving hand. The small church pastor must move forward with the “long-view” in mind.

Lastly, all pastors must operate and minister with self-sacrificial love. The must learn to put others before themselves and serve in humility – even those whom they may disagree with. They will need to learn how to appreciate the differences between their congregants and between their church and the “bigger” one down the road. This idea includes going the extra mile for those who may never be able to give anything in return. Self-sacrificial love might be demonstrated in changing dear old Mrs. Beardsley’s tire on a Saturday morning so she can get to church on Sunday, or a number of other little loving projects. When the pastor sincerely loves his flock, his sermons will suddenly become relevant and more importantly his parishioners may start listening too. What may be the result? Lives changed for the glory of God by the Spirit of God. Such will be the result of those who, by the Spirit’s power, serve and minister with attentiveness, patience, and self-sacrificial love.

Spirit of the Rainforest

Posted by Michael Breznau on 4:52 pm in Book Reviews, Mission | 0 comments

Book Review by Michael J. Breznau, Th.M.: Ritchie, Mark A. Spirit of the Rainforest: A Yanomamo Shaman’s Story. 2nd ed. Chicago: Island Lake Press, 2000.

Clash of Worlds

Two worlds of vastly different fabrics radically collide in this provocative and emotionally gripping story. Worlds of spirit and spheres of tradition and culture clash with both violence and tranquility in this eye-opening perspective of the Yanomamo people of the Amazon. Author Mark Andrew Ritchie has brought together in this book, an amazing narrative of the most unusual kind. Instead of gathering information about these often fierce, fearful people to simply adapt to his own personal reflections and perspective, Ritchie wisely chooses to write this non-fictional story in the raw and rather pejorative manner of a great shaman, named Jungleman. 

Through the eyes of this great ruler of these tribal people, the author helps us encounter the Yanomamo in a way never before seen in similar ethnographies.[1] To put it simply, this book is about a fight. It is a fight of both the physical nature and the spiritual. It is a fight of long-held bitterness and vengeance. It is a fight between deeply rooted tradition and contemporary ideals. It is a fight of those who are at peace and those who are at war. It is a battle between good and evil. It is a fight of life and death. It opens with a fight and essentially ends with a fight.[2]

The Violent Cycle of Revenge

As this book recounts the life of Jungleman and his people, one cannot help but be overwhelmed by their battle after battle for revenge. This story unfolds as Jungleman describes the opening scene of a fight, that as he tells us, has a long story that goes before it.[3] Slowly and deliberately, our narrator unwinds this shocking tale of how the Yanomamo people had lived life, for perhaps hundreds of years. As a shaman with deep involvement in the demonic spirit world, he often describes each account as if he were actually in the shoes of another person. He, in a sense, is able to get into the mind and thoughts of all kinds of people, to actually convey their thoughts, feelings, and motivations.

Jungleman’s vivid stories center on a handful of little villages in the southern Venezuelan rainforests.[4] These small bands of tribal south-Indians lived in poor communities that survived by hunting the land and by constant raiding of each other’s goods (including people, i.e. especially women). They are described by Jungleman as often living in perpetual fear of each other and embroiled in embittered war. Their normal routine of life, as described throughout the book, is a cycle of fighting, killing, raiding, looting, and raping. This sequence was often started by supposed encounters with the spirit world by the local shamans (including Jungleman), who would “use” these spirits to attack other tribes with curses of disease, death, or some other malady. The author describes this process of cursing as going back and forth from village to village and eventually ending in an all out battle between tribes. These vivid spirit encounters by the shamans always seemed to be acquired or greatly enhanced by their use of what was called “ebene,” which is described by Jungleman as a strong narcotic they would shoot up their noses. This type of experience seems to be “glorified” somewhat by our narrator in the first half of the book. But as the story wears on, the reader senses a growing discontentment in Jungleman with the manipulation and power of these spirits.[5] This sentiment would continue to deepen as more and more of his people died, both from enemy attacks and disease.

In desperation, after living in constant fear of their enemy’s vengeance for weeks, Jungleman decides, through the counsel of his spirits, that he and his tribe must go find the “nabas,” so they could get help, tools, and food. After a long journey they finally reach the land where the nabas (westerners) lived. This was the beginning of a pivotal relationship, that unbeknownst to them would change their people forever.

“Western” Wars

The infiltration of westerners (“nabas”) into their culture at first seems like a harmless occurrence. But as the story goes one, it makes very clear that some nabas would cause more trouble than they were worth. Jungleman defines two kinds of nabas. The first are comprised of what appears to be a young missionary family with children. This family would later become loved and endeared by the Yanomamo, especially the father, Pepe and his son, Keleewa. Jungleman talks about several other groups of missionary minded individuals who also came to help, some with good results and others not so significant.

The second group of nabas included the merchants, spectators, and anthropologists. These men are largely described as inhumane and practically downright criminal.[6] While some descriptions may have been slightly exaggerated, one is greatly compelled to trust the word of the Yanomamos over the testimony of the money and sex hungry nabas (as described by Jungleman). Between these two groups of westerners ultimately arose the greatest battle the Yanomamo people had ever faced. This would not be a fight like any other. The fight this book ultimately holds on pivot is a fight for the future of the Yanomamo people. The Christian missionaries such as Keleewa had amazingly brought what appears to be a whole village to Christ and produced a far more civilized community than Jungleman could have ever previously imagined. God (known as Yai Pada) had wonderfully broken through the demonic control that had kept so many oppressed.

Yet for this very reason, several leading anthropologists and liberal government agents were enraged.[7] They were absolutely convinced that the Yanomamo would be better served by reverting back to their “old ways” as tribal people.[8] Jungleman tells us that these men tried all sorts of ploys to rile their people and stir up their old revenge. As more people came to the village of Honey, where Keleewa the missionary and his family now lived, the angrier the other men became. This tension continues to build until finally the people of Honey, of whom many had completely changed from the old ways, were ready to snap.

What choice would they take? The decision they had to make would in itself go against everything they knew to be Yanomamo. Yet, our colorful narrator describes it as the only way to lasting peace – something they as a people had never truly known. Now what choice would they make? Would they side with those who wanted to push them back to the “old ways?” Would Jungleman and his friends continue to follow the guidance of their ebene and the spirits who controlled them? Or would they walk the new path they had learned to follow, called “Yai Pada’s trail?”[9] This choice was the hardest fight of all, until they learned about a little word called love.[10] Their decision to follow Yai Pada and His character of love ultimately prove to change them forever.

Worldview: Comparisons and Contrasts 

There are several key components in this writing that seem to reflect some distinct cultural characteristics of the Yanomamo people. First is the remarkable isolation from western influence. Of course, this book details the progressive infiltration of such influence, but for a significant portion of this text, the reader is afforded a rather vivid look at what life was like for the Yanomamo before a western tincture was added to the mix. This isolation from modernity appears to have resulted in a unique innocence. Certainly they were not innocent of wrong-doing. In fact, they were guilty of all kinds of brutal acts and murder. Yet, there still remains, in my opinion, an underlying innocence among these people. They were in no doubt guilty before God just like the rest of us through the conveyance of original sin, (Rom 3:9-18; 5:12-14). However, their almost child-like innocence toward the blatantly selfish behavior of such personalities as “A.H.” and “Irritating-Bee” were initially quite naïve.[11]

It does not appear to be a terrible stretch to say that this type of naiveté could be likened to that of a young child in our own western culture. Perhaps this was why some leading anthropologists wanted them to retain their old ways, in order that they might not lose that attractive innocence. However, whether fortunately or unfortunately (for the anthropologists) they very quickly saw through the motives of these more selfish and oppressive characters.[12] Let it not be understood that naïve innocence should be equated with low mental capacity. The Yanomamo people display in this story a very keen awareness to logic and purpose. There is more than one account of them out-witting the “so-called” educated westerners – so much so, the reader cannot help but chuckle.

As a second comparison, while it may be argued that the Yanomamo people seemed void of logic when they charged off in revenge to attack another tribe; there are lucid examples of those from the educated West making equally illogical decisions.[13] Would it not be permissible to draw a moderate comparison here? Do not those in our own culture also perform the same acts of violence and drug abuse in our inner-city, concrete jungles?[14] Sometimes our western culture is so closed in its ethnocentricity, that we lose sight of the same sin nature working not only in “tribal” people (as some would like to call them) but also in our own wicked and depraved culture, albeit “civilized.” We are all completely helpless apart from Christ, (Rom 5:6). Therefore, how dare we look at other people groups as lesser humans or as more depraved than ourselves? If it were not for Christ, we would be still stained with the black spot of sin that cannot be worked off or rubbed off by any amount of education or good will, (Eph 2:8-9; Rom 3:23-25). This should be the perspective of those who call themselves by the name of Christ. I applaud those missionaries mentioned in this book who endeavored to do so. From the sweat of their brow and the exhaustion of their hands, they gave and gave for these wonderful people – people made in the image of God, (Gen 1:26-27; 1 Cor 11:7).

Thirdly, as a contrast in their culture, is the widespread fear and pervasive use of the demonic realm. Our storyteller, Jungleman, describes in explicit detail the inner workings of his deeds as a shaman. Traveling in time and space through the power of his spirits appears to be a normal occurrence. What is more amazing is that, as testified by Ritchie, all the information Jungleman gave through these travels was verifiable.[15] This kind of lifestyle in the demonic world is, to say the least, quite rare or kept in private in western culture. The fear and control that these spirits held over the Yanomamos is shocking. Jungleman even uses the term “ruled” for the type of bondage they were in.[16]

Certainly the cultural gaps are wide. Adjustment to Yanomamo culture would undoubtedly take considerable time, some may never be able to adapt. However, the correlations between our culture and theirs may be closer than many believe. What is meant here is that when looking into the eyes of a Yanomamo, we should see as Christ sees. We should view them with love, a love that reaches out to any who are deceived (as Jungleman explains it),[17] hurting, or oppressed, (John 8:1-11). Viewing our lives in light of Christ and eternity suddenly changes everything. It may even send us to the Amazon.

Mission: Yanomamo. What would you do?

The admission must go forth that I was deeply shocked and grieved by the grotesque explicitness contained in this book. It was not the very existence of this content that affected me, but the reality of such a lifestyle being followed. The Yanomamo people are portrayed with such severity, that one cannot help but feel his stomach curl at times. Yet into this dark culture filled with spiritual bondage, the light of God now shines so brightly. How did this happen?

If I, as a young missionary, were to endeavor to reach out to these people in a similar setting, I believe I would do well to take several lessons from the missionaries predominant in this book. Gary Dawson (known as Keleewa) and his father Pepe, serve as prime examples of those who physically minister as incarnational missionaries. I found several key points of their outreach that nicely facilitate the following discussion.

The first evident factor that would be beneficial to reaching the Yanomamo context is the need for “staying power.” Meaning, it would be absolutely vital to set up a long-term plan for ministry. This is seen clearly in the two generations of ministry found in Keleewa and his father. To make a real difference in a vastly contrasting culture takes time. It would be necessary for anyone hoping to reach through the spiritual and physical barriers to literally become “family” to these people.

Secondly, through the longevity of the ministry, I would be able to take the time to learn about all the elements that may be causing the people to resist the Gospel. Staying in the villages, working and living with the people, and knowing their language would aid in the perceptivity of these evaluations. Once I had a bearing on how the people viewed life and the motivation behind some of their actions, I would have a much greater ability to bridge a gap to their hearts.

Third, the Yanomamo people appear from this book, to have a very spiritual outlook on life. Therefore the best way to reach them would be to talk on their terms. As the missionaries are shown employing this method, the affects are tremendous.[18] To talk of the spirit world in raw terms was normal for Jungleman, and it would also have to become easy for me as the missionary.[19] The key point in reaching across the spiritual barriers, as found in this book, was a single phrase that was repeated over and over, “Our spirits hate us – Yai Pada loves us.”[20]

To be effective in reaching out to these people the key word and attribute would have to be love. It would also have to be love in action. This character is exuded by our exemplars over and over again throughout this book. They helped the people obtain tools, they nursed their sick back to health, they listened to them tell stories, they even tried to break up fights. Through love in action and by serving the people, I would prayerfully have a more open door to sharing with them about Christ. Also, their view of humanity was often enlightened by the medical care given by these missionaries. Through laboring over a mutilated body for hours and slowly nursing the individual back to health, they were sharing through their deeds about the value of life to the people. To merely talk to them about how killing was a sin would simply not work. I would have to meet their felt needs. If they wanted peace and life, they would have to stop killing. If they wanted joy and posterity, they would have to stop stealing and raiding. Through these felt needs, one would be able to show them first-hand, how change could actually occur.

Lastly, I noticed that often the best evangelists were the saved Yanomamos themselves. This should probably come as no surprise, but their effectiveness was truly amazing. One of the most beautiful renditions of the Gospel message I have ever read was told by Shoefoot to our story teller. Shoefoot said, “So Yai Pada became a Yanomamo himself… He came as a baby, grew up, and showed us a completely different way to live. Even though he knew he would be killed in the end, he did it all anyway. His death was a death for all of us Yanomamo. Because he was Yai Pada he was able to come back from the dead. That’s how he cut the trail to where he lives.”[21] As you see from reading this short story from the mouth of Shoefoot, they amazingly adapted the message of Christ to their culture and language. For this reason, I would decidedly work towards discipling even just one man who in turn could affect hundreds, if not thousands for Christ. Through much prayer I believe that this kind of one on one evangelism and discipleship would be vital to reaching these people with the story of Yai Pada.

Touching on their innate need and longing for peace, I would prayerfully make every attempt to share with them, through my words and actions, of the amazing peace they could find down the path of Yai Pada. Those as Jungleman who for so long had lived in fear amidst the lies of the enemy, now had found the Light. This Light which they followed down a new path, would make all the difference in the world. This is the Light that must be shared, for it is the only way to the peaceful throne of Yai Pada. May they remain in my prayers.

Purchase Spirit of the Rainforest through Amazon by clicking here:

Satisfied

Posted by Michael Breznau on 4:31 pm in Podcast, Sermons | 2 comments

Are your priorities in order? Pastor Chuck Swindoll heard about a couple from Atlanta who simply loved the story of the famous musical “My Fair Lady.” When they found out about a special re-release of their favorite show on Broadway in New York City, they deliberately planned a vacation 8-10 months in advance in order to attend the opening night.

Arriving extra early, they found their choice seats – just 4 or 5 rows from the front. The theater quickly filled up…until every single seat was filled, except for the seat right next to the husband.

Just before the show was about to begin the man turned to the elderly woman seated one space over from him on the other side of the empty seat and said, “How could anyone purchase such an expensive seat in a sell-out crowd and miss this show – and not even bother to show up or give someone the ticket?”

The woman quietly turned to him and wistfully remarked, “Well, I happen to know the person who purchased the ticket for this seat…it was my husband. He and I had looked forward to seeing My Fair Lady for so long, but he recently passed away.”

“Oh! I am so sorry!” The man replied, “And you couldn’t find anyone, perhaps a close friend or family member, to take his place?”

“Oh no.” the elderly woman replied. “They are all at the funeral.”

Sometimes our priorities can be totally skewed… 

Our Priority Chart

What do we value most? What kind of value do you and I place on our money, homes, cars, reputation, vacations, recreation, jobs, success, spouse and children, mom or dad, brother or sister…? It’s not that good jobs, money, homes, or most of all, our family members are bad things to hold as dear. My family is incredibly precious and dear to me. But what do you and I value most… more than anything?

What do you value most in this life? What is most precious to you? Your money? Your job? Your wife? Your children? Your reputation? Your vacations? Your pension?  Your health? (That’s a big one for me as I write this, since I’ve been dealing with a terrible wisdom tooth problem…it’s so easy to lose our joy when we lose the thing we value most). What’s at the top of your list? Be honest with yourself and with God. What do you treasure and love more than anything else? What do you fear death would take from you? Take a moment to write down 2 or 3 top items on your value list…

Ok, you have your list? Here’s what the apostle Paul’s list look liked early on in his life, when he was known as Saul, not yet the apostle Paul: (from Phil. 3:4-6; cf. Phil 1:20-21)

Pedigree! He was a thoroughbred Jew (not a half-breed Samaritan), circumcised on the eighth day, he was born in the right tribe, to the right group of people, into the right family. His name meant something when people heard it echoing around Jerusalem, and he knew it! It was like hearing a name like Rockefeller, Forbes, or Buffett, Gates, or Bush. His name got people’s attention because he had the right pedigree.

Education! He was trained by the best educator in the land, the renowned and esteemed Gamaliel. Being trained in the Law by Gamaliel would be like saying, “by the way, I went to Harvard” or “I received my law degree from Yale University.” He was at the top of the pack, from the right family, with the right name, and with the best education. (cf. Acts 22:3)

Perfection! He lived according to the law as a Pharisee (the super-religious, holier-than-thou group who prided themselves in being better than everyone else), he thought he fought the right fight (“in my zeal for God I persecuted the church”), he followed the dos and don’ts to the inth-degree (“according to the righteousness stipulations in the law I was blameless/without fault.” (Phil. 3:6)

Power! He could get what he wanted, (obtained warrants from the High Priest for the arrest of Christians in Damascus (see Acts 9:1-2)!

The Change…

BUT then Saul, who became known as the apostle Paul, met Jesus, or rather Jesus met with Him on the road to Damascus when he was on his way to arrest Christians and haul them back to Jerusalem… and everything changed. It may be the most dramatic reversal of values and priorities seen in the story of the Bible. Paul moved from seeking self (and all the credentials/values) to knowing Christ.

Look again at Paul’s letter to the Philippians in chapter 3:7-11, where we find in sitting in Rome suffering under house arrest…in prison for preaching Christ.

Listen to the full audio message entitled “Satisfied” (Philippians 1:20-21) by simply clicking on the play button below or by subscribing to our iTunes podcast. This message was originally delivered at Evangel Baptist Church on Sunday morning, November 10th, 2013, being my final message to EBC before my transition to Lead Pastor of North Park Baptist Church of Grand Rapids, MI.

Slow Down. Remember.

Posted by Michael Breznau on 11:25 am in Devotionals, Worship | 0 comments

Slow down. Relax. Remember.

In stark contrast with the hyper-busyness and sometimes ADD nature of many Christians in North America, actions like reflecting and remembering are very biblical forms of true worship. The idea of “remembrance” is repeated over and over again throughout the Old and New Testaments in conjunction with worshiping our God.

I have to admit, it’s been too long since I made an asserted effort to slow down. It’s ironic how those two actions smack of oxymoron when placed together in the same sentence. Perhaps that is proof how far off-track we’ve become in this age of efficiency, productivity, and hyperactivity. Now, I know there is a time for hard work and a strong ethic that produces calluses on the hands. Jesus knew about hard work and carpenter’s calluses, and the rest of us do, too. Yet he also approached the world at 2.1 miles an hour.

The Speed of a Walk

Yes, that’s right – just the speed of an average man’s walk. He might have traveled just a bit faster than this when he rode on the back of a donkey. But considering the stubborn nature of those ornery animals, he probably didn’t top out much better than 5 miles per hour. I wonder… how much time would you and I have for remembering God and His story in our lives if we traveled at the speed of a walk? What if there were no cell phones? … no TV shows to watch or Internet apps to download? … no cars, trucks, planes, or even bicycles?

Reflect. Give Thanks.

I wonder... if the things we sometimes are most grateful for are the same things that crowd out our daily clock from time to simply remember God. So, as we approach Thanksgiving this week, let’s remember to set aside time to slow down to the speed of a walk (and leave the smartphone at home). I think we might be amazed by how much time we may have to worship God, by simply remembering. I think I just might go for a walk…. see you along the trail of life!

Sit back, reflect, and remember all God has done in us, for us, and through us.

Something to think about: Let’s follow King David’s call to praise and thank the Lord Almighty!

“Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him; sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Israel his servant, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!” (1 Chron. 16:8-13)

The Apostle Paul also calls us to remember in Ephesians 2:1-6, 11-13:

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. . . .  Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands – remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (NASB)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him and lean on His Word! Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving season.

Bad Neighbors

Posted by Michael Breznau on 4:21 pm in Devotionals, Marriage & Family, Mission | 0 comments

“Michael! Duck below the window… now!” shouted my mom at the top of her lungs. I was probably the most scared eight-year-old on the planet as I hunched down into a corner of our living room.

She yelled out again, this time to my older sister, “Sarah, get down! Our crazy neighbor across the street is waving a shotgun around on his front porch and he just pointed it at our house!!”

What a way to spend a summer morning. Apparently the always drunk guy across the street, who lived with his elderly parents, had somehow obtained an old shotgun. And in his alcohol-induced delirium he thought it fun to wave the gun around the neighborhood.

Yep. The crazy neighbor action around our crowded urban street on the eastside of metro-Detroit was rapidly going out-of-control. Law enforcement calls were becoming increasingly frequent. Front yard fights; break-ins, and late-night parties were weekly events – especially in the hot and humid summer months.

Once a comfortable bedroom community near 9-mile road, our block of postage-stamp homes now resembled a concrete jungle of confusion, fear, and chaos.

Crazy Memories

I will never forget the afternoon when my neighborhood friends and I found a spray of large pills all over someone’s front yard. One little girl pulled up on her bicycle and nearly put one of the capsules in her mouth, thinking they were candy. The police later told us they were illegal drugs.

I will never forget the Saturday morning when my sister and I climbed up our backyard swing-set, peered over our neighbor’s fence, and found a half dozen people sleeping on their lawn, surrounded by piles of beer cans.

I will never forget the evening I saw the neighbor girl’s boyfriend desperately trying to break-in to their house.

I will never forget the weekend ritual of our home shaking at every beam because one neighbor guy liked to blast rockin’ oldies at 140 decibels. Ironically, his amp blew out while we were playing classical music.

I will never forget the summer afternoon when I saw the neighborhood drunk beat his poor dog almost to death with a “40” (for those of you in the suburbs, a “40” is urban slang for a 40 ounce bottle of cheap liquor or beer). Fortunately, the local vegetarian animal-lovers walked by just in time to stop him before the fatal blow and call the police yet another time.

I will never forget the day our neighbor packed one-too-many cigarettes into his large maple tree – and it rapidly caught fire in the dry summer heat. Not wanting to call the fire department, he instead enlisted several other neighbors to point their garden hoses at the towering limbs, while the vinyl siding melted off his garage. 

I will never forget the night a police helicopter focused its huge light on our house and yard in search of a marijuana dealer who had escaped from the city or county jail. He just so happened to be the neighbor girls’ boyfriend, and apparently was attempting to seek shelter. I remember my dad gathering us into the center of the house, ready to protect us with my little league baseball bat. They found the crazy runaway hiding in our front bushes.

Bad Neighbors? Good News.   

There is no question some of our neighbors were not State Farm quality. Oh sure, they were there, but they certainly were not ideal community residents. In fact, I would have no problem adding twenty more short stories to my list of neighbor antics and crimes.

As our neighborhood grew increasingly difficult and unsafe, I remember us forming a distinct habit: we would constantly tell our friends and other family members how bad our neighbors were behaving. We would eagerly tell them how stupid the guy was who broke his hands to pieces while trying to use metal nun-chucks (he was drunk of course… and on his front porch of course). With a laugh, we would describe the crazy stunts of the wild skateboarders who would break bones as they went down the middle of our street. And with a serious tone, we would talk about the drug dealers, the break-ins, and most importantly, how we needed to move away from all these “bad, horrible neighbors.”

We were so caught up in sharing the bad news about our neighbors that we mostly ignored God’s command to share His good news with our neighbors.

Now don’t get me wrong, I fully understand my parents desire to move us to a safer and quieter home. I totally know my own longing for my wife and children to live in peace and protection. But in all of this, I can’t shake the nagging thought that we missed the heart of God’s mission. Certainly, we talked with some of our neighbors about Christ. They probably knew exactly where we stood politically (I’m sure the Bush/Quayle campaign signs out front helped make the announcement). I remember my mom and dad occasionally leaning over the fence to talk with the neighbors. And I recall my sister leading a little girl named Jennifer to faith in Christ.

But over and against Gospel communication was the constant thread of conversation about the bad neighbors who surrounded us… perhaps I became the worst instigator of such discussion.

Last week I heard Pastor Steve Viars (from Faith Church in Lafayette, IN) say: “Don’t tell me how bad your neighbors are. Tell me how bad you want your neighbors to know Jesus.”

I cannot get Steve’s challenge out of my skin or cleared out of my mind.

Sure, my mom and dad probably needed a bigger home for the five of us and moving to a safer location wasn’t unwise. But looking back at how I’ve handled “bad neighbors” ever since our time in eastern metro-Detroit, I see I’ve been very quick to point out their problems without genuinely caring for their souls. I have been far more concerned about getting a laugh or moving away, than I am about sharing the message and mercy of Christ Jesus.

The Halloween “Thing”

Today the calendar flipped to Halloween, October 31st, and my mind is swirling with numerous memories from my childhood in metro-Detroit. Why was I surprised when our house got “egged” on Halloween? Had we shown the good will and love of Christ to the neighbor kids? Or were we more concerned about moving into our holy huddle to share the bad news about our neighbors rather than sharing Christ’s Good News with our neighbors? Perhaps we might have sweetened up the conversation with some chocolate or marshmallow?

Last night we welcomed more than 1,200 visitors to the campus of Evangel Baptist Church for our annual Trunk R’ Treat outreach event. God incredibly blessed the night of love and generosity. But you know what? I bet some of them would not be perfect neighbors. Some of them might even be “bad” neighbors. But all of them need to see and hear the love of Jesus.

Our Rescuer, Jesus Christ, responded to the Pharisees’ question about “the greatest commandment” this way:

“ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Matthew 22:37-39)

Don’t rush over Christ’s words here. We cannot say we love Jesus if we don’t love all the people Jesus made. The central way you and I demonstrate our holistic love for God is by loving all the people made in His image – including the difficult ones. We cannot say we love God if we don’t love people… even the bad or irritating neighbors next door.

As it just so happens, my family and I currently live in a terribly safe and quiet neighborhood with charming neighbors and meticulously manicured yards. But I’m sure we’ll see lots of neighbors tonight we have yet to meet and they need to see and hear the Good News of Jesus through us… so that’s just what we’re going to do as we pass out irrationally large amounts of candy to show the extraordinary grace of God to people who need Him.

I invite you to join the mission of sharing the message and mercy of Jesus with every ‘bad neighbor’ you can find…

May the Holy Spirit guide and empower you as you communicate God’s Good News in Christ!

By the way, here’s a great 3 minute film explaining how Jesus-followers can reclaim “All Hallow’s Eve” as a celebration of Christ as the Victor over the Evil One:

Halloween: Trick or Treat? from 10ofthose.com on Vimeo.