EASTER: For such a time as this

“Easter won’t be the same this year,” said one pastor. Another pastor told me how their church is making plans to celebrate Easter when the lockdown is lifted. “When everyone gets back, we are going to blow off the doors!”

I get it.

Three years ago, the Easter Celebration at our church was one of the most powerful worship services I’ve attended in recent years. Soul-stirring songs, well planned creative elements, a moving testimony and a timely message were infused with the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit. God showed up! Add lots of people into the mix, and you have the kind of service that fuels a pastor’s ministry for the next six months.

This year will be different We will be sitting in front of a phone, computer or TV, watching Easter online. It’s not what we would have chosen.

Yet, I believe our celebration of Jesus’s resurrection is more important than ever. Easter is not a grand celebration for the good times; it is life’s most important truth for the hard times. Our well-orchestrated services don’t make Easter; the wonderful, life-changing truths contained in the simple phrase, “He is risen!” make us.

During its long history the church has faced crises far more serious than our current pandemic. Severe persecution, horrible wars, and devastating plagues, have forced Christ followers to remember the resurrection of Jesus while isolated in prison, hunkering down in foxholes, or living in a refugee camps. While they wished their circumstances would have been different, it was the truth of Easter that offered them hope.

If the experts are right, Easter Sunday will come about the time the pandemic is at its worst in our country.  Fear, anxiety, hopelessness, grief fill many hearts. The truth of Jesus resurrection—and only the truth of Jesus’s resurrection--speaks to all of these in a lasting way.

This Easter may not be the biggest Sunday of the year, but in our recent history, there has not been a more important Sunday. The glorious truth of Easter has not changed. It makes possible an eternal, new normal, which no virus can touch. 

People will be watching from their phone, their computer, their laptop. They need to hear the bigger-than-our-every circumstance, life-changing words: He is risen!

The resurrection of Jesus is for such a time as this.

COVID-19 Rethinking Church

COVID-19 is forcing us to rethink how we do church.

When the lock down began, churches scrambled to get their worship services online. In a remarkably short period of time, the vast majority of churches figured out how to offer some kind of online presence. Sunday services now range from sophisticated to simple.

Regardless of the service being offered, almost every pastor I have talked to is excited about the number of views. Many pastors have told me something like, “When COVID-19 is over, we are going to continue to stream our services, and work to make them better. This is opening our eyes to a whole new dimension of ministry.”

While both impressive and heartwarming to see churches stepping up and going online in creative formats, I personally see this pandemic impacting churches in a deeper, more significant way. 

Here are four things I have observed.

DEPENDENT PRAYER  

Crisis inevitably turns us to God. I believe this is one of the reasons God allows times of suffering. As my wife, Pat, recently prayed on one of our morning walks: “God it’s good for our souls when we are small and you are big.” In the face of COVID-19 we all feel small. As a result, we are turning to God, who alone is truly BIG. 

Churches are praying in a whole new way. Individuals are rising earlier and praying longer. Churches are organizing Zoom Prayer Meetings. Transformation Ministries pastors and churches are fasting and praying every Friday. There is a new level of dependent prayer happening in our churches--prayer that grows out of desperation, and the recognition of our great need of God. We can be certain that God is taking notice!

INTENTIONAL CARE

When the lock down came, churches immediately began to wrestle with the question: How are we going to care well for our people? One of the first responses was to take physical gatherings online. So small groups were encouraged to now us Zoom. Wherever possible, churches engaged in “digital duplication” (doing online what we previously did through physical gatherings).

But, very quickly, churches moved beyond “digital duplication” to intentional systems of care. They chose to pursue every person in their greater church community with the shepherding love of Jesus.  As a result, teams of people have been recruited insuring that every person in the church gets a weekly phone call. Healthy volunteers are shopping for those who are most vulnerable. Pastoral and congregational care are happening with great intentionality. 

As one pastor put it, “The focus has shifted from managing our systems, to authentically pastoring people.”  While social distancing is the norm, relationships are deepening.

KINGDOM COLLABORATION

Pastors are working together more than ever before. Almost every pastor feels overwhelmed and inadequate. Nothing in seminary, or previous ministry experience, prepared us for this. We are in a place we have never been before. It’s all new! As a result, we are leaning into each other with a new humility.

I recently called a pastor, who told me that that he had just come from a time of prayer and planning for the Community Easter Sunrise Service. Eight pastors in the community of Blythe will be collaborating in an online Sunrise Service. Another pastor shared with me that the church he pastored, would be joining other churches in the greater Ventura area in the use a common hashtag--#JesusChangedMyLife--for all of their Easter Services.  

When we work together, God raises the tide. And a rising tide, lifts every church.

GOSPEL URGENCY

When the lock down hit, an urgency came over the church. Churches did what they needed to do to get online! In almost 40 years of pastoral experience I’ve never seen so many churches mobilize so quickly. Tradition became secondary. Church boards didn’t block progress. Congregations didn’t moan about changes. Churches worked together to do what needed to get done. 

Praise God for the great work that has taken place. 

But the greatest work of the church is not yet finished. There is a disease that is more pervasive and deadly than the Corona Virus. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ is strong enough to overcome this disease. As churches mobilize to proclaim the death and resurrection of Jesus this Easter, and then continue to do so in the weeks and months ahead, we need to make sure that traditions remain secondary, church boards become our greatest gospel advocates, and our congregations are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. 

What would happen if gospel urgency became our everyday passion?

FINAL THOUGHT

To borrow the words of my new favorite song: “God is moving in this place….waymaker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in this darkness. That is who You are!” The most recent Presidential briefing warned us to expect a very hard next two weeks. The dark is only going to get darker! But God’s light is shining in this darkness. God is moving in His church.  I see new evidence of dependent prayer, intentional care, Kingdom collaboration and gospel urgency.

May this deeper work of God remain with us long after the virus is gone. If so, God’s church will be a powerful church, whether it gathers physically in a sanctuary or online in a living room.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.                 

Ephesians 3:20-21

BAD LUCK AND CHURCH PLANTING

I'm currently reading GREAT BY CHOICE by Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen.  Today I read the chapter called "Return on Luck." In this chapter, the authors ask the question: What part did luck play in the success of these 10X companies? As one might guess given the title of the book,  the authors conclude that luck does not play a significant role.  Essentially, great companies make their own luck, and overcome bad luck.

Tucked away in the middle of the chapter is this sobering observation: "A single stroke of good luck, no matter how big the break, cannot by itself make a good company. But a single stroke of extremely bad luck that slams you on the Death Line, or an extended sequence of bad luck events that creates a catastrophic outcome, can terminate the quest."

As someone who cares about church planting, and is himself involved in planting a church, I began reflecting on the bad luck stories I have heard in relationship to church planting. Promised funding dries up. Try as it might, the new church cannot find a place to meet, or one that fits into a meager budget. The planter becomes sick. While one these scenarios may raise questions,  the possibility of extremely bad luck is a scary reality for a church planter. (It's a scary reality in all of life, isn't it?)

As I read reflected on bad luck stories and what might go wrong with the church I'm currently planting, I was struck by a verse in the Bible I read this morning.  It is found  I Samuel 23:14. David is experiencing a whole bunch of "bad luck". King Saul is hunting him, intent on killing him. Saul is drawing near; the David story is about to end. Then when we read, "But God did not give David into his hands." God protected David. God did not allow David to experience bad luck.

Extremely bad luck is always a possibility when one is planting a church. But, church planters cannot live in the fear of what might go wrong; they step forward in the confidence that God will protect and provide. Planters operate in the confidence that  God will not give them, or their church, into the jaws of extremely bad luck.

It is relatively easy for us to see how God moves and provides positively on our behalf. We have a more difficult time seeing the ways in which God protects us from the "bad luck." Today, I want to be thankful for the good things God has done. Today, I also want to be extra thankful for the bad things that have not happened. And, while I find the chapter on "luck" very helpful, and understand the intent of the authors, I am thankful that I serve a sovereign God, who is in control of my luck, and the luck of others who answer the call to plant churches.

GOD KNOWS, WE TRUST

Our job is to trust the God who knows the future, and is working out his redemptive purposes for our good and His glory. This truth was brought home to me afresh as I read Genesis 18 this morning.

There are two primary events in Genesis 18, emanating from the visit of the heavenly 'trio" to Abraham.  The first event involves the announcement of a son, Isaac. What is the response of Abraham and Sarah to this announcement? Laughter. In fact, "laugh" is found four times in the space of a few verses. The second involves the announcement of Sodom's sin, and the destruction the city. What is the response of Abraham to this announcement? Argument and pleading. Abraham wants to be sure that he can trust God to do the right thing.

I have never tied these two incidents together. Now I see that they are connected by what I call--GOD KNOWS, WE TRUST. In both of these events, we see a man who struggles to trust God what God knows.

You know the end of this story that begins in this chapter.  Isaac is born on schedule (Gen 21), and Sodom is revealed to be more wicked than Abraham could ever have imagined (Gen 19). God knows what he knows, and God knows what he is doing. Abraham had to learn that he could trust God.

Of course, what we read in scripture is meant to be applied to our lives. Do we really believe God knows? Does God know what is happening in the world? Does God know how to handle the affairs of the world? Is God aware of what is going on in our lives? If the answer is "yes" then our response is to trust.

I pray that I can do that well in 2012.

EVANGELISTIC CHURCHES AND ME

Georgia's TOP EVANGELISTIC CHURCHES was the name of a pamphlet recently sent to me by a friend. Honestly, it's not the kind of pamphlet I typically keep around. Before throwing it out, however, I decided to give it a scan. 

What lessons can be gleaned from these churches? While 10 are listed, let me cite the top 5. Incidentally, when measured by the number of baptisms, these churches are truly evangelistic. Regardless of whether they are categorized as small, medium or large (over 500), the vast majority of the churches had a better than 1:10 attendance to baptism ratio--and that's really good.

#1 - Evangelistic churches are intentional in their approach.

#2 - The pastor's influence is elevated in evangelistic churches.

#3 - Evangelistic churches purposefully engage the congregation in personal evangelism.

#4 - Evangelistic churches pray for the lost and unchurched by name.

#5 - Evangelistic churches connect their ministries to evangelistic opportunities.

Any surprises here. I don't think so. There are no new programs, secret methods, or great gimmicks. It's all about intentionality, leadership, training, dependency on God and using every opportunity to present the claims of Christ.

It's pretty basic stuff, isn't it?  It makes me ask the question: Why isn't every church evangelistic? I suppose there are a number of reasons. But, I wonder if in the end it doesn't come down to something real basic--passion. How much passion do we have for the gospel? Is our heart burning with the compelling love of Jesus that motivates us to do whatever we can to make him known to people? Where there is passion there is a way.

Instead of decrying the lack of passion in the churches I see and know, I think I'll take some time to examine my own heart.  How much do I pray for my neighbors?  When is the last time I shared the gospel with someone face to face? How much does my heart burn within me? 

Lord, I'm ready and willing. Lead me, sensitize me, and give me the words to say to someone in whose heart you have already been at work. 

WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING?

Yesterday I watched Rory McIlroy destroy a world-class field of golfers and win the US Open by eight strokes. Besides the wide-margin of victory, what makes his victory so intriguing is that Roy is still a kid,  only twenty-two years old. As the announcers were sharing their post-tournament reflections, Johnny Miller talked about the whole group of young, outstanding, up-and-coming, highly-talented, twenty-something golfers that are changing the landscape of the sport. Tiger (Woods) and Phil (Mickelson) may well be giving way to Rory and Jason (Jason Day, a twenty-three year old, finished in second.)

Today I will be attending an assessment event at Hope Baptist Church for church planters hosted by Launch, a church-planting organization. The assessment will be filled with young, twenty-something, aspiring church planters. Being somewhat familiar with what's happening in church planting around our country these days, I realize that this event is not an isolated phenomenon. Scores of passionate, gifted, twenty-somethings are sensing God's call to plant a church.  In his recent book,   Ed Stetzer pointed out that for the first time in a long time there are now more churches being planted than closed each year in our country. These young church-planters are changing the landscape of the church, and may be instruments in changing the landscape of the nations itself.

I began this morning by thinking about the new developments taking place in the world of golf. Now, mid-morning, I'm thinking about new developments taking place in church planting.  Both developments testify to changes taking place in our world, but only one of these has the power to effect lasting change.

What concerns me about me is that I could have caught up in the world of golf and missed the greater thing that God is doing in his church. I could have missed the greater thing that God is doing because I was spending my time looking at, giving attention to, and thinking about something else.

I don't want to miss what God is doing in our world. My guess is that you don't either. One thing is clear, however,  if we want to see what God is doing, we need to be looking for it. If we are prayerfully looking for what God is doing, I'm confident He will reveal it to us.  That's a promise God gives to us again and again. Once we know what God is doing, then we have the great privilege of participating in his activity.

I'm really looking forward to being at this assessment this morning. God is up to something, and it's a lot bigger than a stunning victory at a golf tournament. Let's make sure we don't miss it.


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EVERYDAY HEROES

Recently my wife and I watched "The Longest Day," the epic WWII movie about the allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. I have never seen a movie with so many stars in it. Evidently, every notable actor of that era felt it was his patriotic duty to play a role.

After I viewed the movie, I was struck by the fact that there was not really a leading character. With all the stars, there's not a star! It's a movie that simply chronicles the exploits of many heroic and courageous individuals and platoons. The general (Eisenhower) who after the counsel of his advisors reluctantly gives the order for the invasion. The soldiers who secure the bridge. The paratroopers who take the village. The thousands of unnamed soldiers who are gunned down trying to secure a beachhead. The army engineers who finally make a way from Omaha Beach.

Who's the hero of the story? No one. Or even better everyone. Everyone is a hero!

"The Longest Day" is  a powerful picture of the church on mission. Ultimately the war against the forces of darkness is going to be won because individual Christ-followers live courageously and sacrificially for the cause of the gospel. The mother who will not stop praying for her wayward child. The student who loves the geek to Jesus. The church planter who dares to believe the gospel can reach that neighborhood. The computer programmer who chooses to take his skills to the mission field so the scriptures can be translated more efficiently into new languages.

 To be sure, we live in a celebrity Christian culture. Certain names make headlines. But, in the end, it will be ordinary Christians doing their duty in the trenches of life that help the church accomplish its mission. Thank God for EVERYDAY HEROES.

REFLECTIONS ON PLANTING A CHURCH

For the past three days I have served as an assessor for a church planters Assessment Center sponsored by Converge.  The goal of the assessment process is very simple: to discern whether a candidate possesses a sufficient number of sixteen key building blocks to serve as the Lead Pastor of a a new church plant.

The whole process took me back to my own experience as a church planter in the mid 1980's. My wife and I did not attend an assessment center. I can only guess what kind recommendation we might have received if we had attended one. Certainly, the assessors would have questioned our plan to co-pastor the new church. They  probably have raised concerns about the common "D" both of us share on the DISC portrait. I can envision recommendations involving the need to visit some church planting models before we began the work, and to have a clearer philosophy of ministry in place.

I don't know how many of the sixteen building blocks were in place in our lives individually and together when we planted Warm Spring Baptist Church. But, looking back, here are some of the factors that I believe were instrumental in the success of this new church.

A clear sense of call. Deep in our hearts, Pat and I knew that God had called us to plant the church. During the tough times we could go back in our minds to the moment when we both heard "God's small voice" inviting us to be part of what He would do.

A deep faith in what God would do. We believed that the God who had called us to this work, was the One who would prosper the work. Jesus was going to build THIS church.

An earnest practice of prayer. Prayer was very much a part of our ministry routine. We cried out regularly for God's direction and help. We desperately needed it.

A commitment to excellence in preaching. Both Pat and I took the task of preaching seriously, and did our best to teach/preach the truths of the Bible with passion and relevance. In the early days, when our music was pretty mediocre,  I believe  the preaching that made the difference.

Persistent and varied outreach. During the early days, we worked hard to get out the word and invite people to attend the church. We knocked on doors, sent out mass mailers, and held special events. Looking back at our efforts today, the attempts seem somewhat amateurish. But, God blessed them, probably because they were done with the right heart and undergirded by prayer.

A ready made launch team. We came to a group of about twenty people who had been meeting in a Bible Study for about two years. Most of them had left other churches in frustration. They were all older than we were. For many aspiring planters the things I have just listed would be warning signs. In our case, the  core team was deeply committed to the success of the new church, and worked hard to help it grow.

Financial support. We planted under the old paradigm in which the denomination provided salary support. In our case, this support was spread over five years, decreasing 20% each year. This was a great blessing. Today, we would be out raising our own support.

Property. Even when the church was meeting in a house, it knew that it would be located on five acres on Warm Springs Road. A sign on the property provided publicity for the new church. Far more importantly however, it communicated permanency to the community.

The right place at the right time. We planted in Las Vegas, right at the beginning of the population boom. You know the old saying: "Location. Location. Location."

I believe that all of the factors above were important in the planting of Warm Springs Baptist Church.
But, the biggest and best explanation for the church is God.  He is behind these factors, in these factors, and bigger than these factors. He is the foundation and mortar for any and all building blocks needed in planting a new church. Assessments are important. I believe in them. I plan to be part of them in the future. But, church's are not planted by candidates who do well at assessment centers. Ultimately, God is the one who gives the growth (I Cor. 3:6-7). Church planters have the privilege of being along for the ride--and my wife, and I can testify: "It's a great one."

A PASSION FOR THE GOSPEL?

How much do I really want to see the gospel go forward? Am I willing to sacrifice for the sake of the gospel, or am I really wanting to use the gospel in subtle ways for my own glory? These are questions I ask myself after reading Philippians 1:18 this morning. 

Paul pens Philippians while in prison. Instead of griping about his fate, Paul writes of how "his imprisonment has really served to advance the gospel" (1:12). The gospel is being advanced because his chains are encouraging others to share the message of Jesus. He recognizes the mixed motives of these "preachers." Some of them, in fact, are motivated by "selfish ambition" (17). What's Paul's response to all of this? A rather remarkable one in my opinion. "But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way whether from true motives or false, Christ is preached, and in this I rejoice" (1:18).

Paul rejoices because the gospel is going forward. He could have complained about his chains. He might have attacked the deceitfulness of those who were using the gospel for their own gain, and, it should be added, seeking to harm him in the process. But his own condition is not important. What matters to him is the advance of the gospel. Christ is being proclaimed--and this knowledge gives him great joy.

Paul had a passion for the gospel. This passion flowed from his life-changing encounter with Jesus, and an ever-deepening love for his Lord. In his must-read book, MOVEMENTS THAT CHANGE THE WORLD, David Garrison notes that historically movements well from a "white-hot faith." Movements begin with a person who is radically transformed by Jesus, and now lives all of life in light of that reality. National church consultant Will Mancini speaks of how churches, more than anything else, need to be fueled in ministry by "redemptive passion." Paul burned with "white-hot faith;" he was driven by "redemptive passion." No wonder he rejoiced when the gospel went forth, even at great cost, discomfort and sacrifice to himself.

That brings me back to me. How much do I really want to see the gospel advance? One thing is clear: My passion for the advance of the gospel will be in direct proportion to my love for Jesus. I want my prayer to be simple and incessant: May I be increasingly infatuated with Jesus. May He increase more and more in my life, even as I joyfully decrease.

THE FEEL OF THE ACTS 2 CHURCH

What should the church do? In answer to this question, Acts 2:42-47 is often cited. Based on this descriptive passage of the post-Pentecost church in Jerusalem, activities such as teaching, worship in large settings, intimate gatherings in smaller groups, communion and prayer are cited. Certainly these activities, in some form, should mark the life of local Christ communities today.

But this passage offers more.

Recently I was reading Acts 2 again (How many times I've read this passage!), and for some reason I noticed words which described not what the church did, but the spirit which pervaded its life together. These words speak to the question: How did the church feel?--feel to those who were on the inside doing life together, and to those who are on the outside watching it all happen.

Three words caught my mind: awe, glad and sincere.

The people were filled with awe. They were in awe at how the risen Lord was working among them. Sick people were now well. Scoundrels and cheats had begun to live differently. Increasing numbers of people were turning to Jesus.

The people's hearts were glad. Life together overflowed with great joy. Optimism, laughter, and praise filled conversations and gatherings. Life was not always easy--but there was a sense that God is greater than anything life brings.

The people's hearts were also sincere. Today's emerging generation longs for authenticity. They hate masks and phoniness. To a remarkable degree, it seems that the early church was filled with people who were authentic. They were sincere in their commitment to God, and in their love for each other.

These words seem to reflect the overflow of the Holy Spirit in the Jerusalem church. Jesus might have said, "When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will live in awe, ooze gladness and walk in sincerity."

What would it be like to be part of a church which was overflowing with these qualities? I think it would feel pretty good.

GOD'S INDISPENSABLE PRESENCE

If the presence of God does not indwell our ministry, we might as well close up shop.

For the past several weeks I have been involved in a personal study of biblical leaders. Currently, I'm digging into the life of Moses. Today I found myself reflecting on Moses' encounter with God after the debacle with the golden calf. Moses is pleading on behalf of the people for God's forgiveness and mercy. He is also deeply concerned that God's presence continues to go with Israel into the future. "Then Moses said, "If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth (Ex 33:15-16)?"

This passage brought the book of Ezekiel to mind. The prophecy begins with judgment and ends with redemption. In chapter 10 the glory of the Lord departs from the temple because of Israel's sin. In chapter 43 the glory of the Lord returns to the temple because of God's gracious renewing activity. Then, in chapter 47 we read of the ever-widening, ever-deepening, life-giving river which flows from the temple. The overall message is clear: rivers of life can only flow from God's presence, and when God is present rivers of life will flow.

Right now I'm helping a church think through a strategic ministry plan. I'm concerned about the lack of a clear vision, articulated mission and explicit values. I do believe that these things matter, and I will do my best to help the church develop these in a God honoring way. But, as helpful as these elements are for the development of an effective ministry, I need to make sure that I help this church understand what is even more important: the presence of God in their ministry.

A church can recognize the importance of vision, mission, values. It can develop simple church strategies. It can recruit teams, train teams, deploy teams. It can seek to become a missional community and engage in a multitude of compassionate projects. But, without the presence of God permeating all of these things, they will ultimately prove to be empty and futile.

And what is good for a ministry, is good for me and you. Does the presence of God fill my life? Can God's glory be seen in me? To paraphrase Moses, "If God's presence is not in me, then I am not different from anyone else."

Lord God, may you be pleased to fill this life.

The 3 P's of Worship

Why does a worship service "work" for some people, and not for others? I use the word "work" rather loosely. Consulting with a number of different churches lately has caused me to do some reflection on this question.

The result is the "3 P's Of Worship." The average worship service consists of 3 P's: preaching, praise and people. As you will see, "praise" is stretched beyond it's technical meaning--but, as a pastor, I like alliteration, and I think it helps make the point.

Preaching involves the communication of God's Word. Preaching styles vary greatly: textual, topical, theological, practical, serious, funny. Preaching is a varied as the personality of the preacher.

Praise involves the elements in the service beyond preaching. While most often associated with music, praise, as I am using the term, includes things like communion, offering, testimony, video productions, and the like.

People involves the mosaic of humanity who attend the worship service. Although "worship" is an act directed towards God, the people around us matter. A month ago my wife and I decided to attend a particular service at our church because we "know more people" at that service. What about those people who prefer to attend a service where they can walk in and out, unknown to anyone else? "Anonymity" is its own kind of "people factor."

In order for a worship service to "work" for most of us, I believe that two out of the three P's need to be present to a fairly high degree. If the preaching is good, and the people are family, individuals will tolerate music that's "too loud" or drama they don't like. If the praise is great, and the the people factor is right, we will tolerate less than great preaching.

When all three P's are present, a person becomes a raving fan of the church's worship service. When only one out of three is present, a person probably finds another church.

It would also seem that different individuals rank the importance of these three P's differently. Depending on how a person prioritizes these P's, determines the kind of church to which we will be drawn. Those who value the people factor will be more comfortable in a smaller church; those who value the preaching factor will gravitate towards the larger churches which, on the whole, tend to have stronger preachers.

This is one guys opinion. What do you think?

Rock Harbor and Urban Outfitters

On Christmas Eve I, and my family, attended Rock Harbor--a large, fast growing church in Costa Mesa, California. We visited the church at the invitation of our son, who attends from time to time, and promised us that the service would be "epic." I was expecting alot. I was not disappointed.

What words would I use to describe Rock Harbor? Vibrant. Warehouse look. Artistic. Young. Honest. Biblical. I would guess the building where the church meets seats some 800 people in tightly-spaced, molded plastic chairs. On Christmas Eve, the church offered multiple services, which, if they were like the one I attended, were full. From all appearances, the church is doing great ministry, reaching thousands of people. And I should quickly add, that the church would want to give all the credit for any good thing that is happening to God.

A couple of days later I found myself in Urban Outfitters in Old Town Pasadena. It was the busiest store store I was in during the entire Holiday Season. In contrast to this store, the Macy's in which I had pursued a plethora of Christmas sales was a morgue. As I walked around Urban Outfitters my time at Rock Harbor came to mind. In fact, I would describe both of them with many of the same words. Vibrant. Warehouse look. Artistic. Young. Honest. Biblical (not).

So what do Rock Harbor and Urban Outfitters have in common? I asked the question on a FB post, and received a couple of amusing answers: "My sister says it is universally free to walk in and $50 to walk out?" Someone else offered, "Both are anxious to close the sale."

Kidding aside, why does this church and this store reach young crowds so effectively? Here's my thinking so far. Both have a very desirable product (although vastly different in their appeal). Rock Harbor offers the gospel, which allows people to know God and his love. Urban Outfitters offers clothing, which allows people to express their unique personality.

But, it's not just "excellence of their product"that makes them effective in their respective fields; it's the way they present their product. Both have a unique ability to connect with their culture. Young people who walk into Rock Harbor or Urban Outfitters will say to themselves, "This is me." Why? Because both lack pretension, and cosmetic cover-up. The warehouse feel and simple, artsy displays both suggest and invite authenticity. In other words: "You ca be who you are and we will tell it like it is."

So what do Rock Harbor and Urban Outfitters have in common? A great product and a "be yourself" authentic environment. I don't care a lot about what happens to Urban Outfitters; I do care great deal about what happens to the church. And if I learned any lesson on my visit to these two places it's this: If you want to reach the next generation present the great news of Jesus in a context where authenticity oozes.