Professional Clergy Disorder – PCD

 Church, Culture, Entertaining, Missional  No Responses »
Jun 262008
 

Professional Clergy Disorder (PCD) is a behavioral disorder affecting professional pastors who have isolated themselves from anything remotely “real life” and results from those clergy who focus on keeping their parishioners happy and satisfied rather than leading them toward a life of influence with people in the “real world”.   

Professional Clergy Disorder (PCD) has been plaguing the Christian Church since 313 AD and has symptoms that you can recognize if you look for them such as:

  • A significant deepening of the voice and raised vocal volume when speaking to over 3 people at a time.
  • Interspersing King James language into your vocabulary when making hospital visits or greeting church people in public.
  • Wearing a coat and tie to any “official” clergy function such as denominational meetings, pastor’s conventions, budget committee meetings, and senior adult luncheons. 
  • The placing of a “clergy” bumper sticker or car tag on the car of the official clergy.  The car will likely be a Lincoln Town-car for clergy from large churches or it will be a Ford Crown Victoria for bi-vocational clergy from smaller churches.
  • Utilizing the affectionate term “brother” in addressing men from the congregation or other clergy.  This also applies to “official church” correspondence whereby the signature of the clergy will include the title “Bro.” 
  • When asked about his church’s attendance, a clergy suffering from PCD will always respond with a number roughly 25% (rounded off) higher than the actual attendance number. 

More PCD research coming soon!

 Posted by at 12:33 pm

Sack Lunch!

 Church at the Grove, Community, Jesus, Missional  No Responses »
Jun 252008
 

This week is CATGrove Student Mission Week.  Here is how the day goes:

  • They work at FISH Ministries packing lunches for approx. 2000 children in the Monroe/Walton County area and then help deliver the lunches personally.  See Nathan’s post here for pictures. 
  • They eat some lunch and then work a few more hours at the Boys and Girls club, the FISH thrift store or with the Parks and Rec department.
  • They take a break and eat dinner at the CATGrove office.
  • They host a Backyard Bible Club in my neighborhood. 

I love these students!  Read this in James 1:27

Student Mission

Students Serving

Students Serving

 Posted by at 3:09 pm

Lost in Translation

 Church, Church Planting  1 Response »
Jun 242008
 

I grew up playing sports and have continued playing a variety of sports such as adult softball.  I have taken a few years off from playing due to pursuing my graduate studies in seminary and I promised my wife after finishing my degree that I would not add a lot of extra things to my schedule.  As a result, I have NOT been playing softball the last few years.

I was called this past Saturday (6-21-08) by Jeff to be recruited to play softball with his team and he desperately needed me since some of his team could not play.  (Please no jokes about Jeff being desperate and calling ME.)  I could not say no in such a time of need!  I couldn’t think of a good reason outside of missing the Diamond DAWGS playing on ESPN to reach the finals of the College Baseball World Series, which by the way they WON and they are IN the finals. 

Surprisingly, I hit the ball well a few times, most specifically I hit a ball to the fence down the left field line.  As the ball got passed the left fielder I immediately had a cranial explosion, “I should kick it into a higher gear and as a result, I am thinking “triple”, maybe even inside the park “homer”! 

When a thought originates in the brain, it has to be sifted and examined by the body for a correct and safe response.  A healthy translation results in an equally healthy action from the body.

The problem I encountered on the ball that got by the left fielder was that my brain was thinking “run faster”.  The translation was not received adequately by my body.  The result of the “lost translation” was that my face hit the ground after rounding first based.  It wasn’t pretty!

I think this explains (however poorly) the lack of credibility in the western or American Church.  We understand the truth in our brain, but the truth gets “lost in translation” and doesn’t result in transformed bodily actions.  As a result, the church is known for talking about truth but not living it out in action.

We must as a church apply truth to our lives in such a way that the culture takes notice of transformed lives.  Truth changes things and transforms lives. 

May we embody truth as well as proclaiming truth!  We have the truth living in us! John 14:6

 Posted by at 7:29 am

Sunday Night Thoughts

 Church at the Grove, Random Thoughts  No Responses »
Jun 222008
 

This Weekend’s Random Thoughts:

  • This morning at CATGrove was a simply SWEET gathering.  I cannot express it simply, but it was a great morning.
  • The worship was great, (thanks Ric) the crowd was great and we had a good number of guests.
  • The greatest part was seeing two individuals cross the line of faith and turn to follow Jesus!
  • We are in our third week of One Prayer and we heard a great message from pastor of the Healing Place Church in Louisiana.
  • Pastor Rizzo’s One Prayer was “God, make us extremely Generous!” 
  • My favorite quote, “We are never more like Jesus than when we give our all for the sake of others.”  Great quote!  May we apply it to our lives!
  • I almost could not get out bed this morning after playing in a softball tournament yesterday!  Jeff Durr recruited me to play ONE game and three games later……..This was after Josiah and I got up early and climbed Stone Mountain for a workout!
  • I am excited about this week.  Our students are having a local mission week and are serving in our community during the day and they come to our neighborhood in the evening for a Backyard Bible club. 
  • Other than not being able to move, it has been a good weekend!
 Posted by at 10:32 pm
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