{ Andrew Mills }

Evaluating Church

Let’s be honest, we evaluate everything. We do, sometimes consciously and sometimes unconsciously. The trouble is rarely do we evaluate what we are evaluating. Let me explain, as this is particularly problematic with church.

We do evaluate church, and it happens all the time, and I know you do it too. On the ride home you talk about how the sermon was maybe good or flat. You talk about the worship and whether it was anointed or off. We evaluate and measure things.

My contention is not with evaluating the church, it’s with what we evaluate the church by. I would say that in the pastor world the standard three things we evaluate the church on is this: budget, buildings, or attendance. Is our budget growing? Are our facilities top notice? Is our attendance growing? And then we start evaluating how we are doing by our programs (i.e. preaching, worship, youth min. etc)

And none of these things are intrinsically bad. We need to be thinking through our budgets, buildings, people, and programs – but these are not the best criteria to evaluate the church. These are not the best criteria to make sure that our church and communities are pointed in the right direction. Because hear me clearly, what the world needs is not bigger budgets, better buildings, more churchgoers, or cooler programs. What the world needs is more devoted followers of Jesus. We need more disciples.

Neil Cole writes this:

Ultimately, each church will be evaluated by only one thing – its disciples. Your church is only as good as her disciples. It does not matter how good your praise, preaching, programs, or property are; if your disciples are passive, needy, consumeristic, and not moving in the direction of radical obedience, your church is not good.

Cole is seeking to take our focus off of the things the church often does (programs, preaching, etc) to the thing the church is called to make – disciples. And I think this is how we need to be looking at our churches. I think these are the kind of questions we need to be asking:

What kind of disciples are we making, and do they look, live, and love like Jesus.
Are we doing a better job at that – than last year.
Are we releasing and raising up disciples and sending them out?

And rather than just using our budgets, buildings, or numbers to evaluate where we are going, what if we ask this simple question: how are we doing at making disciples? Because for the church to be faithful to Jesus, it needs to be faithful to its calling – to make disciples.

And I think if we ask that question it will point us in the right direction. It will help us to be more faithful. It will help us to not get caught up in all the good things around us and miss out on the most important thing – making disciples.

And so it’s a hard question as a pastor to ask, but I think it’s the right one. And I think it’s one that points in the right direction, because it points to Jesus and the church’s calling. And I think that matters.

October 29, 2014 by Andrew Mills

Why I Still Believe in Church…Even When Its Imperfect

On Sunday we challenged a pretty close and dear North American myth of Christianity. That all you need is “me and Jesus” to follow him.

This idea that you can follow Jesus without committing to a church, or a community of believers is pretty common. Our culture values autonomy, individualism, and freedom of choice so it’s no surprise its affected religion. The truth though is that you need a community to follow Jesus. Following Jesus isn’t a solo sport, and it’s not healthy Biblically to follow Jesus on your own.

And this is a difficult truth to hear. Richard Rohr once said, “Before the truth sets you free, it makes you miserable.” And this is true.

Because the truth is you need others deeply in your life to follow Jesus well, deeply, and for a lifetime. Faith is passed on in community. Faith is grown in community. And faith is found in community.

So while I know it’s not popular to say: I believe we still need to commit to the church. Yes the imperfect, messy, and occasionally hurtful church. I know it’s not a popular belief, but I believe it is true. God is still using the church, imperfect as she may be.

St. Cyprian once said, “You cannot have God for your Father if You have not the Church for your Mother.” And this is true.

So on Sunday we looked at the last statement in our SevenFold Way of Following Jesus Series.

I am participating in a community of followers of Jesus on mission to the world.

And I believe that we do actually need to commit, participate, and join in God’s mission through the church.

I’m not saying that you need to join our church, or a church that looks, acts, or is structured like ours. But I do believe we need to join a local body of believers to participate in God’s mission to change the world.

You see, Church is not somewhere you go, it’s a people you participate with. Church isn’t a destination you go to, It’s a calling you live. And it needs to be lived out with others.

So we need the church, and the church needs you. And I hope you might be able to agree with this statement for you and your context:

I am participating in a community of followers of Jesus on mission to the world.

Because I think the church and community matters, and I hope you do too.

Community is the deepest and most foundational reality that exist. Leonardo Boff

Teaching Notes

Big Idea: I am participating in a community of followers of Jesus on mission to the world.

Teaching Points:

Before the truth sets you free, it tends to make you miserable. Richard Rohr
Myth: That you can follow Jesus on your own
Following Jesus is not a solo sport
You cannot have God for your Father if You have not the Church for your Mother. St. Cyprian
Church isn’t a destination you go, It’s a calling you live. And it needs to be lived out with others
We need to: Commit, Participate, and Transform the World
Church is not somewhere you go, it’s a people you participate with.
You are needed
God what have you given to me to give to others?
This idea that Christianity and consumerism are completely compatible…is the great insanity of our times. Win Butler
The church exists to transform lives.

Adult Discussion Questions:

What stuck out to you from the sermon? What was challenging to you? How did God speak to you through it? What was new?

Have you ever had a bad experience with church? Have you ever had a beautiful experience with church? Why or why not do you think being a part of a community of believers matters? How might you more deeply commit, and participate in church? What next steps can you take?

Discussion Question for Families:

Talk to you kids about the importance of community. Ask them who other than you as their parents, are adults that they really respect. Ask them why, and then think about how you might have them invest more in your kids, because raising kids takes a community.

Challenge for the Week: Commit and participate in a church, to transform lives.

October 27, 2014 by Andrew Mills

Do we need the church?

On Sunday we are going to be looking at why we need church.

I know that’s not a popular topic, mostly because many people have had bad experiences with church. So have I. But I still believe we need it, and here is why.

God chooses to use his church to change lives.

The church can be messy, misguided, misinformed, and sometimes just plain wrong. But that’s because the church is made up of messy, misguided, and imperfect people. And despite the failings of the church, I still believe God wants to use his church.

So that’s what we are looking at on Sunday. Why it is important to connect with community of followers of Jesus – otherwise known as the church. Now the church you connect with doesn’t have to be ours, structured like ours, or styled like ours. But I do believe that if we want to change lives, if we want our lives to be changed we can’t do it alone. We need one another. We need the church.

But what do you think about this? I know the church brings up a lot of emotions for people. So think about it over the weekend – do you believe we really need the church?

October 24, 2014 by Andrew Mills

I’d Rather Have Moments Not Hours or Days

I was listening to music the other day, and I heard this one line that really spoke to me. It just stopped me as so true. I’ve listened to this song multiple times, but for the first time I heard it. The line was this:

Give me moments, just give me moments, not hours or days.

And here is what I think that line means and why it matters. Life is not made up of hours or days lived, but moments experienced. Moments and memories give life depth, not just hours and days. And we have many little clichéd sayings that pick up on this theme (i.e. life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by every moment that takes your breath away) The problem with clichés is that they are actually true, but are so true and familiar that they’ve lost their meaning. We forget they are true, we skip over them even though we know they matter.

We all know a deep moment with your spouse, your kid, or with God matters deeply. But we often settle for hours and days spent in the same space with our spouse, kids, or God rather than moments actually with them.

So here is my challenge for you just today, have a moment today.

– Have a moment with your kids.

– Have a moment with your spouse.

– Have a moment with God

– Have a moment with friends

Why not focus on finding a moment that matters today. Because that line is true, we need moments not just hours or days. Moments that matter and last.

I found this picture from the summer of me and Hudson. That’s a moment I’ll remember for a long time. So why not focus on making some of those memories and moments today, because in the end that’s what matters and lasts.

October 22, 2014 by Andrew Mills

Red Letters of the Bible

On Sunday we looked at this statement from the “Sevenfold Way of Following Jesus” – I am learning the teachings of Jesus.

This is such an important part of following Jesus. Because how are we to follow Jesus if we don’t know what he taught, or how he lived? Learning the teachings of Jesus are absolutely crucial to follow Jesus well.

We cannot follow Jesus well if we are unsure, confused, or misinformed about what he taught and how he lived.

And I would also add this: that Whenever we, as Jesus followers, have neglected his teachings, disaster has happened. The Crusades, hate, persecution, and most certainly a lack of love.

So I believe we need to focus back in on the teachings of Jesus. Yet this can also be difficult, because while we tell people to read the Bible we don’t often teach them how.

So on Sunday I gave you three simple tips to read the Bible, that helps to find more out of it. The first is to pay attention not for information, but revelation. God is fully revealed in Jesus. So as you read the teachings of Jesus, what does this reveal about God? For example, holiness in Jesus is revealed not as separation, but incarnation. Very different things.

The second hint is to look for things to practice. Jesus himself says: “Whoever hears my words and puts them into practice is like a Wiseman” (Matt 7.24). So watch for things to put into practice that day. Rather than reading a chapter, read till God reveals something you need to practice that day. It shifts the point from information, to practice and it’s a good shift to happen.

And lastly, I shared how we should read, watching for how we can grow in “loving God” and “loving others”. Jesus when he summarizes the teaching of the Old Testament says, it all comes down to loving God and loving others. That’s the point. So when I read I watch for that: how does this help me love others and God better, deeper, and wholer. St. Augustine once wrote:

“So anyone who thinks that he has understood the divine Scriptures or any part of them but cannot by his understanding build up this double love of God and neighbor, has not yet succeeded in understanding them”

And I think that’s true. So I watch for what the text reveals about God, reveals about what I’m to practice, and reveals about how I’m to love God better. This helps me to focus in on it, and to better learn the teachings of Jesus. Because I know that the more I learn the teachings of Jesus the clearer God becomes, and the more my life reflects Jesus. So I gave this challenge: read the gospels everyday this week. That’s a probably good challenge for all of us for a week…or probably for a lifetime.

Sermon Notes:

Big Idea: I am learning the teachings of Jesus

Teaching Points:

We do not drift into discipleship.
We cannot follow Jesus well if we are unsure, confused, or misinformed about what he taught and how he lived
Whenever we, as Jesus followers, have neglected his teachings of disaster has happened
Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. John 14:9
Focus not on gaining information but revelation
Holiness is not separation from messiness
Rather than reading the Bible for information, read it for action
How does this help me to love God, or love others better?
We need to learn the teachings of Jesus
If we want to keep our identity, if we want a text to live by that keeps us in the company of God’s people, keeps us conversant with who he is and the way he works, we simply must eat this book…The blunt reality is that for all our sophistication, learning, and self-study we don’t know enough to run our lives. Eugene Peterson

Adult Discussion Questions:

What stuck out to you from the sermon? What was challenging to you? How did God speak to you through it? What was new? What have been some of your struggles with reading the Bible? How might looking for things to practice help you in learning the teachings of Jesus? Why would you say learning the teachings of Jesus is important? Which teachings of Jesus stand out to you most?

Discussion Question for Families:

This week rather than asking questions, tell stories. Find a story of Jesus to tell each day and do that as a family, and let them ask questions and discover who Jesus is.

Challenge for the Week: This week everyday read some of the teachings of Jesus

October 20, 2014 by Andrew Mills

Delivering Movies and Doing It Right

My kids aren’t perfect…by any means. Just come spend a day with us, and you’ll see. Actually, just come spend an hour and you’ll probably see that. We’re not perfect parents by any means. We love our kids, and do our best – but sometimes it doesn’t seem to work. Asher and Hudson fight, Asher refuses to eat and screams, Hudson refuses to share and throws his toys, or like any parents the kids have a meltdown in a grocery store.

I have a theory that if our kids are going to meltdown and lose it…there is always someone else around to see it.

But all that aside, sometimes my boys get it right. And when they do it absolutely makes all the timeouts, all the talks, all the time spent with them just so worth it.

The other day our neighbor was sick, like really sick with a fever so he couldn’t play with Hudson. So we went back home, and Hudson disappeared for 30-45 minutes. He was quiet up in his room…too quiet. This is normally when we’d go and and discover that he painted his room, or he painted his brother or something.

But instead, what we discovered was he was making cards, getting his favorite toys together, and his favorite movies into a bag. And he came and said that all of this was for his neighbor friend. I asked him why he did this and he said, “Because Daddy, when people are sick we help them. That’s what you said right? Did I do it right daddy?”

And of course your heart breaks a little bit with happiness, and you say “Of course you did it right – let’s go give it to him”

So I write all this to say one thing. No ones perfect, and there are moments when we fail and screw up as parents. But there are also beautiful moments where they grow, get it, and so surprise you that it just makes it all worth it.

October 15, 2014 by Andrew Mills

Where the Wild Things Run

The more I considered Christianity, the more I found that while it has established a rule and order, the chief aim of that order was to give room for good things to run wild. G.K. Chesterton

I love this quote by Chesterton, who was brilliant in many ways. Because so often we think of Christianity as a staid, rigid, and giant institution opposed to change, creativity, and wildness. But I think Chesterton is right, Jesus did not come to just bring rule and order but to let some good things run wild.

Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit being wind that is wild blowing where it will (John 3). Jesus seems intent on letting loose disciples to change the world through love and grace. Jesus seems intent on letting God’s love run wild throughout the world without constraints or restrictions.

So Chesterton is right, Christianity has established rule and order. There is nothing wrong with that, that is good as well. But its chief aim was give room for good things to run wild: God’s love, justice, hope, mercy, and grace.

I think that’s a beautiful thought and something the world needs more of. A little more of God’s love running wild, God’s hope, God’s mercy, and most of all, God’s grace.

October 8, 2014 by Andrew Mills

I cannot lead people where I am not trying to go…

Here is a leadership principle that I live by. I’m sure I read it somewhere, by someone brilliant. But it’s a simple principle that I think matters. Here it is: I cannot lead people where I’m not trying to go.

I really think that this is true. You cannot lead people where you are not trying to go. And the reason I love this principle is for a few reasons.

Know Thyself. This principle means you need to know yourself and know where you are going. This principle focuses me in on self-awareness which matters so much in leadership. If you don’t know where you are headed, no one will be able to follow. So this focuses on knowing yourself, and your direction.
I don’t need to be there, I just need to be trying to get there. And this is so freeing. I don’t need to have “arrived” to have it “all-together” to be an “expert”. I need to be someone on the journey. So this principle is freeing and true in that it focuses me on progress, on direction, and intentionality.
Going Together. The last reason I love this principle is that inherent in it is this idea about journeying together. Leadership isn’t so much directing, and telling people what to do – but journeying with people. And that’s what this principle gets. Leadership isn’t about solo directing, but communal journeying.

And this principle really comes down to three questions I often ask myself, tied to those three reasons. First, where am I trying to go? Second, what’s the next step to take towards that goal? Third, who is journeying with me?

This helps me to stay focused and moving forward. Not perfect by any means, but progressing. Because I can’t lead people where I’m not trying to go.

What do you think of this principle?

October 1, 2014 by Andrew Mills

OrthoKardia the Missing Link: Or Why Christians Don’t Look Like Christ

On Sunday we looked at this statement from the EMCC’s “Seven-Fold Way of Following Jesus”. And it says, “I am learning to be like Jesus in terms of my attitudes, behaviors, and character”. And this is really key because the world doesn’t need more information about Jesus, it needs more people living like Jesus. But here is the snag in our modern Western world; we think that the key to people living more like Jesus is learning more about Jesus. But knowledge does not translate directly into action. There is a missing step. And we know this (Just think about whether you flossed, exercised, or walked to work today. We all know this is a good thing to do, we just don’t do it).

So we looked at three terms on Sunday. Orthdoxy – which means right beliefs (or knowledge). Orthopraxy – which menas right actions. And lastly, the missing link between the two – Orthokardia – which means right-heartedness.

The point is that right actions flow out of a right heart not just the right knowledge. And this is something that Jesus actually teaches in Mark 7; that evil things flow out of an evil heart. And good things flow out of a transformed heart. This is why the heart is such a key image in the Bible. This is why all the Old Testament promises in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Ezekiel 36:25-27 talk about God giving us a new heart, so that we can live differently.

The point is that if we want to live like Jesus, we need a heart like Jesus. A heart transformed to have the desires he does, to have the inclinations, and longing that he does. And this is exactly what we get when we decide to follow Jesus. We get a new heart, or as Paul puts, we are a new creation. We are made new and different so that we can live in a new and different way. When we decide to follow Jesus, our old selfish heart is gone, so that we might follow Jesus in a new way.

And that’s what we looked at on Sunday, because, before we will ever live differently, we need to know that we are different. And we are different if we have decided to follow Jesus. So we can actually learn to live like Jesus in terms of our attitudes, behaviours, and character.

And we landed and focused on one simple next step to learn to live more like Jesus. It sounds silly and trite but it isn’t. The next step is simple: pray to Jesus. Pray to Jesus asking him to help you live more like him. Pray to Jesus asking him to reveal areas to live more like him. Pray to Jesus asking him to empower us to live more like him.

The point is that when we pray, we focus our hearts, minds, and souls on Jesus Christ. And when our hearts are focused on Jesus, then they can direct us to live like Jesus. We cannot learn to be like Jesus on our own, we need his help and the Holy Spirit. So praying isn’t a simplistic answer, it is the answer. Without prayer we won’t be able to learn to live like Jesus. But with prayer we can not only learn to know how to act, but also be empowered to act through Jesus.

So we ended with one simple challenge. To pray this week to learn to live more like Jesus in terms of our attitudes, behaviors, and character. And to ask Jesus to reveal one attitude, one behavior, and one character piece to start to work on, practice, and learn.

And my honest belief is that as we ask Jesus to lead us to live more like him, he will answer that prayer. And as he answers that prayer and we live more like him, we just might end up answering some of the prayers of the people around us. And that is a pretty cool thought.

Sermon Notes:

Big Idea: I am learning to be like Jesus in attitudes, behaviors, and character

Teaching Points:

“I am learning to be like Jesus in attitudes, behaviors, and character”
Our impact on society has a direct correlation with the level of Christlikeness in our lives
It is much easier to learn lots about Jesus, than to live like Jesus.
Christians are educated beyond our level of obedience
The world doesn’t need more information about Jesus, it needs people living like Jesus.
Merely believing the right things does not ensure Christlike behavior…We want to master the information; [the apostles] longed to master the life. Bob Roberts
Orthodoxy: Right Belief
Orthopraxy: Right Actions
Orthokardia: Right-heartedness
Simply believing the right things about Jesus does not mean you will live or act like Jesus.
The “heart is deceitful above all things”. (Jer 17:9).
Before we will ever live differently, we need to know that we are different.
That if we focused on telling people more who they are, we wouldn’t have to tell them so much what to do
Pray to Jesus for help
Rarely does transformation happen without revelation

Adult Discussion Questions:

What stuck out to you from the sermon? What was challenging to you? How did God speak to you through it? What was new?

Had you ever thought about “right actions” flowing out of a “right heart” before? What did you think of it? Was the idea that you are a new creation new? Freeing? Hopeful? How does that change how you see yourself? How might asking Jesus for help to live like him – help you? What attitude is Jesus asking you to focus on? Behaviors? Character? Who can help you to grow in them?

Discussion Question for Families:

Talk to your kids today about accepting Jesus, and how it means we become new. Ask them what they think Jesus was like in terms of his attitudes, behaviors, and character. Get them to pick on thing that was Jesus-like and to make it your goal as a family to practice it this week (being kind, generous, loving etc). Talk about it at meals and make it a focus and learn to be like Jesus together.

Challenge for the Week: Be like Jesus in terms of your attitude, behaviors, and character.

September 29, 2014 by Andrew Mills

Christians Who Act Like Jesus…What a Novel Thought

This Sunday we are looking at a really important part of following Jesus – learning to be like him in terms of our attitudes, behaviours, and character. And this matters so much for Christians. Because in today’s day and age, people don’t generally have a problem with Jesus, they have a problem with Christians. Because as Christians sometimes our attitudes, actions, and character can seem so unchristlike.

So on Sunday we will unpack why this happens. We will be looking at the false idea that “right beliefs” lead to “right actions” – because they don’t. There is a missing link between right beliefs and right actions and we will talk about how that one link changes everything.

Because here is the truth. Our impact on society has a direct correlation with the level of Christlikeness in our lives. But it is so much easier to know lots about Jesus, than to live like Jesus. But come Sunday we are going to see how to actually live like Jesus.

But before we get there if you want to be serious about following Jesus, why not pray this simple but radical prayer. Pray this, “Jesus, are there attitudes, behaviors, or character things you want to change in my life”. Because rarely does transformation happen without revelation. Pray for Jesus to reveal to you where he wants to lead you. It can be a dangerous prayer because of what Jesus might reveal, but it also just could be one of the most transformative and changing prayers you coud pray.

So pray, and more importantly act on what Jesus reveals. And then on Sunday we are going to look at the missing link between beliefs and actions.

September 26, 2014 by Andrew Mills