Tag: faith

Saved and Sanctified

On By Rob PrinceLeave a comment

Back when “testimonies” were a regular part of a Sunday night church services (do you remember those?*), one of the cliché’s frequently heard in Nazarene circles was the claim, “I’m save and sanctified.” Too often, the phrase sounded like an accomplishment achieved. “Saved and sanctified” seemed more a badge of pride instead of an acute awareness of how far one has yet to go in their journey toward Christ-likeness. 

There is no boasting in the truly “saved and sanctified.” There is a humility that is averse to using such “arrival-like terminology.” To be “saved and sanctified” is not like taking an airplane to Atlanta and stepping off the jetway saying, “I’m here. I made it.” Instead “saved and sanctified” is more like a long arduous hike. There are cracks and crevasses along the way. Plenty of places, where it would be easy to fall, and sometimes one does. It can be exhausting. It’s not always fun. The life traveler learns from the rough places. In times of distress, as they call upon the Lord, and God picks the journeyer up, dusts them off, and they more carefully traverse the road ahead. In self-reflective moments, the “saved and sanctified” look back at the trail they’ve travelled and think, “Wow, the Lord has brought me a long way.” Still they realize that there is plenty of trail ahead. They are not alone, but they aren’t done either. They haven’t arrived. They continue walking upward.

An unchurched neighbor might not use “saved and sanctified” terminology, especially if not versed in “Christian-ese.” Instead they might use words to describe their truly “saved and sanctified” friend as: Honest, kind, loving, joy-filled, patient, good, merciful, gracious, faithful, gentle, and display immense self-control (unknowingly, the unchurched just described the fruit of the spirit). To the point, being “saved and sanctified” is not a claim that one makes lightly about themselves, but it’s better merited as non-churched watchers unintentionally acknowledge the identifiers of holiness and humility displayed in the person’s life.

Pray that our non-church, pre-Christian neighbors and friends will see the attributes of holiness in us more and more, as we carry the kingdom of God with us into the world.

*Please note: in spite of the random goofiness of some Sunday night testimonies, I miss them. They were good for the unsaved and young believers to hear the victories of the saints. It was good for the seasoned believers, to hear the joy and excitement of newbie Christians. I miss other elements of the Sunday night service too. We lost a bit of community that once existed in the old-time Sunday night services.

This Pastor Needs the Jesus of Easter Maybe You Do Too

On By Rob Prince2 Comments

In my sixth decade of life and closing in on my fourth decade as a pastor, I hope I’m not turning into the stereotypical codger saying, “Get off my lawn, you blank-ity-blank kids.” Life could easily devolve if I lose my Center. Fixing my eyes on the Jesus of Easter is my only hope.

The church isn’t fair. Nepotism, cronyism, fundamentalism, materialism and a host of other bad “isms” infect the church. I need to constantly remind myself Jesus is the way.

Church leaders (both lay and clergy) have flat out lied to me. Not little white lies. Big black lies. I get it. The church is made up of people and people are people and sometimes people bare false witness. That’s why it’s so important to focus on Jesus. He is the Truth.

People are angrier. Less respectful. Have greater expectations and less patience. It can suck the life right out of you. That’s why it is so important to remember that Jesus is the Life.

I’ve been figuratively punched in the stomach plenty of times. I’d heal quicker from a literal punch. Jesus takes care of His battered sheep. He is the Good Shepherd.

It’s easy to get distracted. I’m at my best when connected to Jesus. He is the Vine.

When depleted and defeated, hungering for truth and justice, it’s Jesus who fills me. He is the Bread of Life. 

In dark times, and there have been dark times, He rescues and redeems. Jesus is the Light. 

When I feel boxed in, trapped by life’s circumstances, through him there is peace. Jesus is the Gate. 

This Easter season, I need to be reminded, maybe more now than ever, He makes the impossible possible. Jesus is the Resurrection!

I’m still trusting in the GREAT I AM.

Under Pressure? Read this

On By Rob PrinceLeave a comment

On Tuesday I had a lumbar puncture where the doctor inserted a hollow needle into the space surrounding the spinal column in the lower back to withdraw some cerebrospinal fluid. The hope for this procedure was to lower the fluid pressure surrounding my head to below normal levels (without giving me a crazy spinal headache) and relieve my migraines. If this sounds like fun, you need your head examined (ha). It wasn’t fun, and I don’t think it worked. Which is mostly a big bummer. 

Relieving pressure in other areas of life can be difficult to overcome as well. Maybe more so. Students talk about the pressures in school. Thanks to social media these anxieties have substantially increased over when I was in high school and college. Often in the workplace there is pressure to perform, sell or increase productivity. Even within our homes there can be pressure brought on by money issues, trauma, grief, poor communication and so many other factors. There isn’t a needle that a doctor can inject to bring relief in any of these situations. 

In 2 Corinthians, Paul talks about all the pressures the has endured. It’s a lot. Shipwrecks, beatings, starvation, hardships, many dangers and then he writes, “Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:28). He had a lot on his plate in other words. Still he concludes, “I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). It’s the same attitude that James encourages us to have when he writes, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2). 

I’ve yet to counsel a person (or counsel myself for that matter) who is going through pressures and trials who “delight” in them as Paul tells or “considers them pure joy” like James. It’s tough. It stinks. We want to scream or escape or scream while we are escaping. Delight? Pure joy? Fat chance. When in the throes of such circumstances and troubles, is it possible to get to delighting or considering them joy?

Paul and James aren’t saying the situations are easy. Don’t hear that. Trials by definition are “trying.” They try or patience. Try our endurance. Try our attitudes. They can even try our Christianity. The only way to “delight” and experience “pure joy” is to step back and take a bird’s eye (heaven’s eye) approach. See things as God does. Are you still living and breathing? Praise the Lord! Have you managed to keep your attitudes Christ-like thus far? Praise the Lord! Do your friends see you as an example of faithfulness in trials? Praise the Lord! Will a health care provider, fellow student, co-worker, family member or someone else come to Jesus because of your model? Really praise the Lord! Is Jesus, who endured far more than you, getting the glory for your situation? Praise. The. Lord!

Trials aren’t fun. In my case, chronic pain stinks. But if someone, somewhere, somehow, in some way finds Jesus through it—then bring it on! I consider it pure joy! I will be delighting all the way to Glory with my new-in-faith friend! 

If you want to read more about my Chronic Pain journey read this: https://www.amazon.com/Chronic-Pain-Finding-Midst-Suffering/dp/0834132257/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3B926J59O2SDN&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jocs3EQ9dvvvhGr1Is3mgg.Koms5WFgzLoxXnWgnwFCwKzrt4LIYt7cSlSGesuD3YA&dib_tag=se&keywords=rob+prince+chronic+pain&qid=1715856520&sprefix=rob+Prince+chronic+pain%2Caps%2C154&sr=8-1

If you want to read more about our journey with our cancer friend, read this: https://www.amazon.com/Got-Cancer-Theres-Help-Victory/dp/B0B7HBZYXL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ZYGRTITO87H7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ioQtZRdY_5o2j6CYF1D4hh71Lp011q3OHYeTgoPXfqPGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.6TEFSqW9eWUwz5qwkmFxdCTviUwcEbyI4BxeZ1DhSPY&dib_tag=se&keywords=rob+prince+got+cancer&qid=1715856570&sprefix=rob+prince+got+cancer%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-1

A few simple Questions Concerning Heaven, Hell and Judgment Day

On By Rob Prince1 Comment

1)  Do you believe in heaven, hell and a coming Judgment Day? 

2) If you answered “no,” then might I suggest reading the Gospels. Jesus seemed to talk a lot about such things.

3)  If you answered “yes,” then (here’s a tough, in your face question) how much do you have to HATE someone to NOT TELL them about the either/or eternal accommodations for everyone who has ever lived?

The Bible is clear on the cost of our salvation. Peter put it this way: For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. (1 Peter 1:18-19. NLT).

“Jesus paid it all,” we sing. What about us? What is our investment in others?  In assessing our efforts to see people come to Christ, are we going “all out”? Do we give a maximum effort to see that the people we love have a relationship with Jesus too? If not, why not? If we believe people will face judgment and then spend eternity without Christ, shouldn’t we walk over broken glass if needed to see these folks spend eternity with Jesus?

I’m not suggesting that we bully, guilt, scare, annoy or manipulate people to make a decision for Christ. No knocking people on the head with our big King James Bibles. I am suggesting that we take our call to make disciples much more serious than it seems that we do. Have you prayed for people who don’t know Jesus today? Have you fasted on their behalf? Have you thought through conversations you might have with them concerning their eternal accommodations? Have you asked the Lord to give you wisdom, the right words and to open the doors when the time is absolutely right? Are you prepared to walk through those open doors?

If one believes in a real heaven, a real hell and a coming Judgment Day in which all will stand before a holy God, then giving maximum evangelistic effort seems like the only appropriate response. 

What could possibly be more important?

Miracle Needed: The Resurrection of the Church of the Nazarene in USA/Canada 

On By Rob Prince5 Comments

The Resurrection of Jesus is the single most remarkable event in human history. We celebrate this remarkable Day in a little more than a week. The beating and humiliation of Jesus following an unjust system of justice has been done to others in the dark annals of human history. The same can be said about the crucifixion. While inhumane and horrific, others have endured similar deaths. But no one returned to life three days later. No one. It is the rock on which our faith rests. The miracle of all miracles.  

This is meant in no way to lower the importance or the power of the Resurrection of Jesus, but the church of Jesus Christ (or more specific to my situation, the Church of the Nazarene) in the United States needs a resurrection too. The church isn’t dead. So maybe it is too early to be calling for a resurrection. But the church is in trouble. In many corners it is on life support. We need another miracle of miracles. 

Experts are predicting the closing of 100,000 churches in the United States over the next 20 years. That number is approximately 25% of the churches in America. It is already is happening in the Church of the Nazarene. Less than 10 years ago there were 5247 Nazarene churches in USA/Canada. This past year the reported number of churches was 4417. What will there be in 10 years? 3,000? 2500? 

The questions can be asked: Are North American Christians too soft? Are we too busy? Are we too political? Are we too rich? Are we too divided? Have we traded our first love? Have we forgotten the hurting, the broken, and the “least of these”? Are we no longer embodying the holiness we profess? Are we mere shadows of the saints of past generations who sacrificed for the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Is our culture so strong and our faith so weak that we can’t overcome? 

I cannot fully answer those questions. I have my suspicions. I don’t like some of my conclusions. What I do know is this: We need a miracle. We need the Spirit of God to sweep in. It’s time to beg, plead, confess, and cry out like prophets of old. If not now, when? We need to be resurrected. The Psalmist question and plea should be ours:  Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation. Psalm 85:6-7

Start it in me, O Lord. Start it in me.

“God, let us see things as they really are”

On By Rob PrinceLeave a comment

What should be our prayer throughout the rest of this tumultuous election year? Not including John the Revelator’s final, ultimate prayer that all believers should be praying– “Amen, Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20); or the prayer that sounds like it’s coming from a Miss Universe contestant, “My prayer is for world peace;” what should be our prayer?

If a survey were taken on the most dominant prayer requests from a typical church prayer meeting, physical wellbeing would undoubtedly head the list. Certainly Jesus did and can heal. I’ve written two books concerning health issues (Shameless Plug: Chronic Pain: Finding Hope in the Midst of Suffering and Got Cancer? There’s Help). God heals, but He doesn’t always. My ultimate prayer is not for my physical healing (although that would be nice too), but it does involve vision. Here’s my prayer for me and you this year:

“God, let us see things as they really are”

I want to be able to say like the former blind guy in John 9: “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:25). I want the eyes of the Savior. I want to see others as Jesus sees them. I want to see the world as the Almighty does. Sometimes I’m blind and, my guess is that, sometimes you are too.

Too often our vision is clouded by the version of the news we prefer.
God, let me see things as they really are!
Our vision is informed more by politics than Jesus.
God, let me see things as they really are!
Our vision is colored by our surroundings.
God, let me see things as they really are!
Our vision can be tainted by our own life experiences.
God, let me see things as they really are!
There are so many things that skew our reality.
God, let me see things as they really are!

Admittedly, I don’t know all there is to know– in the world, in my family or in the church I serve. I have blind spots. So do you. These blogs and my social media timeline convinced me that we don’t all see things the same way. Most of my social media friends and blog readers (not all) claim to be Christian. Most everyone believes their positions are supported biblically. But these nice, Bible-believing Christians (and sometimes not-so-nice) come to different conclusions– vastly different conclusions. We don’t see things the same way. “God, let us see things as they really are!”

If we could see things as they really are, then we could begin to collaborate to fulfill Jesus prayer for God Almighty’s  “kingdom come, will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Change begins with seeing. Here’s the formula: 1) See clearly; 2) define reality; then 3) pray for guidance, solutions, and the courage required to accomplish His will. It’s having His eyes, His heart, His strength, and His motivation. All of this begins with a simple prayer: God, let us see things as they really are!

Jesus Demands We Give Up a Whole Lot More for Lent than Coffee or Chocolate

On By Rob Prince1 Comment

Christians around the world begin observing the season of Lent today. It’s Ash Wednesday. Many people in observance of this season will fast from something dear to them. You’ve heard folks say, “I’m giving up ______ for Lent.” The fill in the blank answer can be anything from coffee to alcohol to chocolate to TV to social media to you-name-it. 

Of course, Jesus didn’t speak about the season of Lent. “Lent” isn’t mentioned in the Bible. Jesus never said, “Hey in the 40 days leading up to my death and resurrection, do this?” He never told us to give up chocolate or coffee. What he told us to give up was much, much more.

In discussing the cost of being a disciple in Luke 14, Jesus said these words:  those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:33. Underlining mine). “Everything” is a little bit bigger ask than giving up donuts or coffee. “Everything” is, well, everything. Clearly, Jesus hasn’t asked us to leave everything like he instructed the rich young ruler… or has he? Our attempts to distance ourselves from the rich young ruler seems to justify our exemption from Jesus’ leave-everything-and-follow-me instruction. We say we are nothing like the Rich Young Ruler (Truth Alert: By world’s standards nearly all Americans are rich). Our excuse making leads us to thinking we don’t need to leave everything, in fact, we don’t need to leave anything to follow Jesus.

Contrary to popular belief, Jesus doesn’t promote an easy way. His demands are hard. He said,“small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13)?  We like to think that the road to life is wide and most everyone is on it… ummm… maybe not. Jesus also said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23). We like to think if we are doing the big and mighty (read: prophesying, chasing demons and miracles or in our context– preaching, putting the Enemy to shame in big ways or leading miraculous ministries), then clearly we are doing God’s will…. ummm… maybe not. We like to think if we say the magic words (Read: Lord, Lord) then we are “in”… ummm…maybe not. The black-and-white demands of Jesus should make all would-be followers take notice.

What if we were to take Jesus literally. What if Jesus meant what he said? What if (not just for Lent but for all times) we give up everything. We take up a cross and follow him (Jesus said to do that too). We give up our rights. We give up having things our way. We give up our importance. We give up our demands. We give up our position. 

The way of the cross is the road of humility. It’s the road of peace-making. It’s the road of gentleness, kindness, patience, faithfulness and self-control. It’s the road that refuses to gossip, grumble and backbite (social media included). It’s the high road. The Jesus road. The narrow road.  

What if this season of Lent (and always) we acknowledge that Jesus calls us to give up everything—that’s a whole lot more than chocolate or coffee for 40 days.

Have American Christians Chosen Easy over Faithful?

On By Rob PrinceLeave a comment

It’s easier to put forth a mission statement to “Make Christ-like Disciples in the nations” than it is to make a Christ-like disciple in one’s hometown.

It’s easier to blame the plethora of factors that have contributed to the decline in the church than it is to except responsibility for one’s own lack of effort or involvement in disciple making. 

It’s easier to say, “All of Scripture is God-breathed” than it is to follow one verse such as, “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself” (Leviticus 19:34).

It’s easier to think “Love your enemies” only applies to a superficial, ambiguous “enemy” in the great big world and not to one’s rival at work or school or church.

It’s easier to show a poster on social media stating that a denomination, like Jesus, stands with the outcast, than it is to engage the messy, complicated, long-hours-of-conversation with a trouble person struggling with identity, belonging, faith and life.

It’s easier to read “Love your neighbor” than it is to know the names of those people who live in one’s neighborhood. 

It’s easier to eat at Ruth’s Chris Steak House than it is to feed the hungry.

It’s easier to drink Fiji Natural Artesian Water ($3+ per bottle) than it is to build a well in Africa for those without access to clean drinking water.

It’s easier to live behind double locked doors, than to invite the stranger in.

It’s easier to buy another item for an overstuffed closet than it is to clothe the naked.

It’s easier to talk about being tough on crime, than it is to visit a prisoner.

It’s easier to place the elderly and infirmed into a facility and quickly ignore them, then it is to visit and care for them. 

It’s easier to rationalize Jesus warning in Matthew 25 than to heed His words: For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’(Matthew 25:42-43). 

It’s easy to choose the wide, crowded road than the narrow, lonely path.

It’s easier. Not better. Not faithful. Just easier.  

(FYI…it doesn’t end well for “easy.” See Matthew 7:13-14)

The USA Church of the Nazarene Attendance Decline is NOT the Result of Culture, Politics or Leadership, It’s Something Much More Personal

On By Rob Prince27 Comments

The 2023 Church of the Nazarene USA/Canada worship attendance statistics have been posted and as expected the numbers are not good. You can read all the stats here. All seven regions in the USA experienced decline. Of the 73 districts in the USA only nine experienced growth. Four of the five districts in Canada experienced modest gains (Canada Pacific District reported the same numbers as last year). The total decline for the USA church was 22,220. Maybe more telling of the dire circumstance is that there were only 23 new churches started in the entire USA. Only the South Central Region (SNU) had more churches at the end of the year than the beginning, These numbers are troubling. They are the current reality for the USA church.. 

How did we get here? The three most quoted theories:

  1. A shifting cultural landscape. The USA  is a different place than it was in 1964 (as Dr. Busic’s recent sermon has reminded us). It’s true. A lack of confidence in the church and traditional understanding of scripture regarding issues like LBGTQ+ issues are changing. But this doesn’t explain why other churches (See: Assembly of God) have not experienced the steep decline that the Church of the Nazarene has endured (see AG stats here). Others seemly have navigated the shifting culture waters without watering down their message.
  • The over politicization of the church has turned off many people. Too often the church has hitched it’s wagon to political parties. In a country, nearly evenly divided politically, any church identifying closely with one party is going to put off the other half of the populace. Only the Mormon church voted more Republican than the Church of the Nazarene in the 2020 election. But politics alone can’t account for the steep decline. 
  • John Maxwell famously stated that “everything rises and falls on leadership.” Is our problem with our leaders?  At the general level? The district level? As in all levels of management, some individuals are more competent than others, but to state that the church’s problems are based totally on leadership seems to be an easy cop-out-like answer. Our general church leaders are more than capable. No doubt, there are district superintendents that would be better suited in other roles, but not all of them. In fact, some DS’s that by my evaluation (probably skewed) are the most capable have also experienced the biggest declines. Maybe Maxwell was wrong.

The answer to the free-falling USA attendance, especially the dramatic post pandemic decline, lies in looking deeper into the mirror. The Church of the Nazarene’s stated mission is to “make Christ-like disciples in the nations.” That’s the goal, but we haven’t done it. We haven’t made Christ-like disciples. Or more personally stated, you and I haven’t made enough Christ-like disciples. Can you name a person you helped to make into a Christ-like disciple?

Would the attendance decline be lessened if we had made more and better disciples?  It makes sense that it would. Christ-like disciples attend worship when able. Christ-like disciples serve. Christ-like disciples invite their friends to also participate in worship and service. Christ-like disciples are generous. Christ-like disciples are the backbone of the church. Christ-like disciples weather a shifting culture, political biases, leadership issues, pandemics and everything else. 

The Church of the Nazarene’s failure to make Christ-like disciples on a consistent basis for the last decade or two has resulted in our attendance slide. We need to get back to not simply making declarative statements about Christ-like disciple making but actually make Christ-like disciples.

Dr. Jerry Porter was right. He preached a sermon I heard so many times, I could have preached it. He asked two simple questions relevant to our demise: Who is discipling you? Who are you discipling? The USA Church of the Nazarene attendance decline is NOT the result of culture, politics or leadership, it’s something much more personal. We (you and I) have not been making Christ-like disciples. The Solution to our demise is simple: Let’s personally live into our mission statement. You and I making Christ-like disciples. 

Election Year Preaching: Keep Jesus In, Politics Out

On By Rob Prince2 Comments

The nation is on the cusp of what could be the most contentious USA political season in modern memory. My approach to election year sermonizing is simple. Keep Jesus in, politics out. 

I don’t endorse a candidate from the pulpit. I don’t allow candidates to come “share their testimony” while up for re-election (I’m not opposed to Jesus-following politicians sharing their testimony, just not from the platform during their election). Side note: in 2016 a prominent presidential political figure wanted to “share his testimony” at Central church, I said, “Thanks but no thanks. We’d love to have you share your testimony after the election.” Haven’t heard from him since. (Notice the quotation marks are only around “sharing their testimony” when the intention is to garner votes, not garner praise to Jesus). 

The USA is more divided than ever. It’s quite possible that the eventual winner in the upcoming presidential election could win without 50% of the vote (depending on the third party candidates). When I look at those numbers, I remind myself that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for 100% of the people. So how do we reach 100% without alienating 50% or more? It’s done by preaching Jesus. Keeping Jesus in. Politics out. 

The reality is that preaching Jesus (and the Bible) will upset those on either side of the political spectrum from time to time. Jesus is the Lamb, not the donkey or elephant. Preaching Jesus is the antidote to partisan political rhetoric infiltrating sermons and thereby water-down the Gospel. Keep preaching Jesus. Let the Gospel speak for itself. Let the Gospel inform voters how to vote. Let Jesus be our Voter Guide. Let Jesus be our deciding factor. 

The preacher’s job is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as possible. Period. The job description is simple: Make Disciples. Baptize them. Teach them the ways of Jesus (See the Great commission). I’m not called to make Republicans or Democrats or any other political party member or group. I am Christ’s ambassador, no other. I’m not called to tell you how to vote. I’m called to tell you about Jesus – the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus is the Answer and the truth of Jesus’ message can/should inform our voting. Just preach Jesus and all the rest (political and otherwise) will take care of itself!

In an election year, it’s important for the preacher to keep Jesus in and politics out.