TimSpivey.com

2010

Happy New Year to everyone. It's January 1, and that means it's resolution time!

Sociological bean-counters report that now barely one in three of us continue to make the traditional New Year's Resolution. Our resolutions seem always to tend towards pushing the limits of our abilities, testing the strength of our self-denial. No wonder resolution-making is falling by the wayside.

The tradition of making New Year's resolutions dates back to the early Babylonians. They too tended towards the pragmatic and responsible side of resolutions, most often resolving to return borrowed farm equipment.

    My family has a tradition we affectionately refer to as the "The Jar." We take our resolutions and our predictions for the year, seal them in a jar, and open them on the following New Year's Eve. My resolutions for 2009 were:

Well…never mind.

What is it about the future that makes both believers and unbelievers so frightened, so anxious, so fearful, so in need of the slate being wiped clean? Most of us at some point had an encounter with Charles Dickens' famed story, A Christmas Carol, in which Ebenezer Scrooge is converted from chronically selfish, bitter, and hateful, by what—a replaying of his personal sins and their potential results before his eyes.

Something like that happens at New Years. We pledge to lose 15 pounds because we finally realize how fat we have become. We resolve to save more and spend less now that we realize we've dug ourselves a hole. We resolve to give more to the church or to get the GPA up…as though because it is New Years, we will have more strength. Every health club in America can tell you about the New Year's resolution season, and how people begin the year with tremendous verve for fitness, and are sitting on the couch verveless by March.

What if we resolved to be more of what we can be, instead of resolving just to be less of what we already are? What if we allowed God to make our resolutions for us—focusing on what matters most? What if we, like Paul, said, "But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you." – Philippians 3:13a-15.

Now, that's a goal.

To that end, I offer you a prayer from my friend Ray Hardin:

I Trust You Lord by Ray Hardin

Lord, when I put my faith in you my life evens out; my days are not so tough; my nights are peaceful; my temper is calm; my joy comes back to the surface,

Why can't I live that way all the time, Lord?

And wanting to makes me want to see what my faith is all about.

It's all about you, Lord. It's all about you.

Having faith in you means I trust you. Simply that. I trust you.

I trust all my life with you… all my days… all my ways. I trust them all with you.

I trust my life to you, Lord. I give it to you to keep. I know I am safe in your hands.

I trust my past to you, Lord. I give it to you to keep. I know I am safe in your hands.

I trust my future to you, Lord. I give it to you to keep. I know I am safe in your hands.

I trust my health to you, Lord. my ambitions… my failures… my sorrows… my weaknesses… I trust them all to you, Lord. I give them to you to keep. I know I am safe in your hands.

I trust you, Lord. I put my faith in you. And I know it's the right thing for me to do.

Because you have been good to me. You have been faithful. Your constant love and tender mercy have been my salvation.

AMEN

Turnaround Fellowship – A New Blog Series

The Christian Chronicle recently published their Top Stories of 2009 list. Heading the list was the membership decline in Churches of Christ. Without a doubt, that was the biggest story in Churches of Christ for 2009. However, it's been a work in progress for some time. Hence, I'm beginning a new series of blog posts, entitled, Turnaround Fellowship.

Below I list seven things that I believe would most substantially help Churches of Christ reverse course. There are certainly others. If you have others to offer, please share them in the comments section.

All of these can be worked on, over time. I will take one per day over the next couple of weeks and offer some possible solutions. I'm not under the illusion that these are the only seven things we need to work on or that my observations won't rattle a few cages. I'm also aware that I could be wrong or off ten degrees, as these comments are also generalizations of our fellowship as a whole. Thus, individual congregations may not have some of these issues. These are simply personal observations I've made as I travel the country talking to churches and leaders about the good, the bad, and the ugly of ministry.

It's OK for us to disagree. You may think there are some things missing, and some things on my list that we already do quite well collectively. I'm hoping the comments section can provide a lively forum for passionate, godly, debate. We've got to begin talking frankly about things—or 2009's lead story will be the lead story of 2010 and beyond. I desperately want to see the church prevail in the 21st Century. Most importantly, so does God.

I believe that even mild improvement in these areas would do much to stem decline and even produce growth in many places. I am not a CofC basher. In fact, I'm known as a bit of a patriot. However, we have some issues that we need to work through...and work through yesterday.

So, in that spirit, here we go:

1. Healthy Leadership. First place by miles.
2. Flexibility and Nimbleness.
3. Increased Generosity Toward the Local Church.
4. Increased Practical Ministry Skill Among Leaders and Members.
5. Increased Cooperation Among Churches and Institutions.
   
6. Increased Care/Attention Toward the Next Generation.
   
7. Increased Care/Attention Toward Weekend Assemblies.

On Blogging

Matt Dabbs has posted the top 50 Church of Christ blogs based on Alexa data. This humble blog came in at #23, up 18 slots from July. I wanted to pause and thank everyone for logging on.

I began this blog a few years ago as a way of keeping a few friends posted on the haps with the Spiveys. It grew into somewhat of a personal journal from there...and from there to a kind of smattering of practical theological reflections on ministry, life, politics, theology, etc.

It actually takes quite a bit to post regularly (4 times a week or more) and to do it over years. I try not to post just to post. I try to offer something that might be worthwhile, humorous, or spiritually beneficial...or to simply be silent. Not everything has succeeded at being helpful I'm sure, but that's been the goal.

It would help me a great deal to know what sort of posts you find most helpful. Let me know. I want to the blog to be a blessing. I'll probably always have some personal stuff on here (because I know a lot of people read the blog to make sure the Spiveys are staying out of trouble), but other than that, let me know what is most helpful.

I tend to get the most hits on social commentary posts and ministry resource posts (i.e., the turnaround churches posts). However, that doesn't mean they are in fact the most helpful.

I'd really like to know why you read, and what blesses you. It'll help me be a better blogger. Thanks again for logging on.

From the Basement

From the basement of the SMU library (where I continue the arduous journey toward the finish line of my doctoral project) I came across a wonderful prayer. Thanks to Ignatius of Loyola:

O my God, teach me to be generous:
to serve you as you deserve to be served;
to give without counting the cost;
to fight without fear of being wounded;
to work without seeking rest;
and to spend myself without expecting any reward,
but the knowledge that I am doing your holy will.

- Ignatius of Loyola

Does anyone pray that God would make them generous? If they did, and he answered, how might the world be different?

CC Review of Jesus: the Powerful Servant

To my surprise, the Christian Chronicle published a short review of Jesus: the Powerful Servant. It was surprisingly gentle. I have printed it below.

CHRISTIAN LIVING

Tim Spivey. Jesus the Powerful Servant. Joplin, Mo.: College, 2006. ISBN 0-89900-945-X. 99 pages; $7.99; 800-289-3300.

"Part of the 3:16 series by College Press, this book is designed primarily for small-group study and interaction, but also makes an excellent personal study. Spivey’s 13 chapters offer a focused study of key passages from Mark brought to life by his use of relevant, personal anecdotes and other reflections. 

Spivey writes, “Mark does not have the ‘red print’ of Matthew, the parables of Luke, or the riveting metaphors of John. … He brings his own offerings to the table. They are urgency, conciseness, and a vision of Jesus that we would do well to preserve.”