Calvary McAllen

THE WAY OF THE CHURCH

Americans are still highly Evangelical, according to a new study. "Americans may not be losing their religion after all, according to a massive new Baylor University study on faith in the United States." The Baylor study found that past surveys that have "found" Americans to be more and more secular have been faulty in the types of questions they have asked. The new study probes deeper than other surveys. Whereas most surveys will simply ask which denomination a person is affiliated with, this survey will go on to ask five or six more probing questions.

What the Baylor study has discovered is that:

-- The majority of people not affiliated with any religion still believe in God, and a third of those pray at least occasionally.

-- Nearly 11 percent of people who claim no affiliation with a religion attend church at least once a month.

-- One out of 10 people with no religious affiliation firmly believes Jesus is the Son of God.

Also concluded from the survey is a movement away from denominational life. "People are better able to identify with a local place of worship than with a national denomination. For instance, fewer people today think of themselves as Southern Baptists than as members of a particular congregation."

They use the example of Rick Warren's congregation, Saddleback Community Church, in California which at 20,000 attendees is one of the largest churches in America. Saddleback is a Southern Baptist Church, but the study pointed out that most who attend probably wouldn't even know that. Today, most people who visit a church do NOT do it because it is Baptist (or Methodist, Episcopalian, or any other denomination for that matter). They have other reasons.

A past study by Barna Researchers concluded that 20 million Americans are Evangelical. This new study puts that number at closer to 100 million. It's just that the overwhelming majority of them are choosing NOT to go to church. And many others may go to church, but do not consider themselves to be part of any one denomination.

What does all this mean? Church work is changing ... fast. The way people view the Church and their reasons for going to church are changing. The work of the Church is the same as it always has been. The message is the same (and always will be). But the way we reach people and the way we "DO" church is changing. And those who are unable or unwilling to change with it will be left behind. Undoubtedly, they will still be used by God. But not to their full potential.

You can read the entire article on the Baylor Study HERE.

blessings,

pastor ellis

WHY SERVE?

We are the church -- a battleship -- an army -- a family -- a team.  All of these biblical metaphors for who and what we are have something in common. There is a sense of being in this together. We rise or fall together. We make it or we don't ... together. We are all a part of this community and we have a mission to complete.

If we are a battleship then there is a place for each of us to work and serve. There are tasks that each of us MUST complete. We each have a post to fill. Some are watchguards, some are gunners, some are cooks, others are radarmen (or women), a few are mechanics in the engine room, others still work in the laundry room, and some work in maintenance. I could go on, but you get the point. There are hundreds of jobs to be done. It is imperative that each soldier find their place, roll up their sleeves, and work!

If we are a family then we MUST live like a family. In my family we all pitch in to get things done. We each have our chores to complete and we hold each other accountable to those tasks. We love each other deeply and we depend on each other. We want to make our family life better, so we do all we can to nurture a healthy family culture. We build trust by being there for each other. We build respect by doing our share.

You are NOT truly part of a community until you are working for the good of that community. The same goes for a team or an army or a battleship. If you want to be a part of our church then you are under an OBLIGATION to WORK for the good of our church and her mission.

So ... get out there and start working!

blessings,

pastor ellis

A WORSHIPPING CHURCH

Our desire as a church body is to develop people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Christians who believe God for who he is and what he says. Christians who belong to a community of believers who care for each other and the world. And Christians who become everything God created them to become.

We are devoted to the discipleship process which includes Worship, Bible Study, Community, and Servanthood. There are three basic ways we accomplish this: 1. Worship, 2. Bible Study Classes, 3. Mission Work.

In Worship we fuel the Christ-life in us. In Bible Study we learn how to grow closer to Jesus and we experience community in smaller, more intimate groups. In Mission Work we learn how to serve God in redeeming his world.

So ... the most important things we do are Worship, Christian Education, and Mission Work. We try to provide multiple opportunities for each Christian to be involved in each of these areas. We provide multiple opportunities for Christian Education, practically every day of the week. We provide multiple opportunities to do Mission Work in McAllen, the Rio Grande Valley, Texas and the world. It only makes sense that we would provide multiple opportunities to Worship God.

This would include different times, days, as well as styles of worship. The most important thing is that each Christian worship! Without the worship experience, as a Christian, you begin to shrivel and die. So, let us provide a time and place for you to worship. Young or old, Spanish or English, contemporary or classic ... it doesn't matter ... our love for God is the same ... and there should be a place for each of us to worship.

Next time we will talk about our responsibility to serve!

blessings,

pastor ellis

SOLDIERS IN GOD'S ARMY

We are in God's army. That means discipline. I don't like that word. But there it is. DISCIPLINE. It's a word that is related to another Christian word: DISCIPLESHIP.  So, as a soldier, in God's army we have to arm ourselves (Read Ephesians 6), and prepare ourselves for the sacrifices that must always be made in battle (Read 2 Timothy 2:3).

Every soldier in God's army has something to do. If there are tasks left undone, it's because someone is disobeying God. If there are battles we are losing, it has to be because some soldiers are back at the officer's club when they should be on the front lines.

Now, this laziness in the troops could be due to poor or ineffective leadership. The work of any army (or team or family or organization) is always a reflection of leadership. That's true.

But any analysis of how we're doing in battle has to begin with each soldier asking themselves the most important question: "Am I doing my part?" That question should be followed up by another: "Am I answering the call from my leaders?" And then another: "Do I really care about the mission?"

When every soldier gives serious reflection on these three questions, then the church -- the ARMY OF GOD -- will rise up and take the victory that is rightfully theirs. May it be so at Calvary ...

blessings,

pastor ellis

WHAT ARE WE DOING?

Sorry I haven't written in a few days. I've been sick. Hardly able to get out of bed, actually. My doctor said to rest and the virus that was in me made sure I kept his orders. I'm back today ... kinda.  Anyway ... enough about me ... let's get back to the church.

Why do we have four worship services?  Well ... to answer that we have to understand what we are doing as a church. We are a battleship. That means we are on a very specific and vitally important mission. We are in a fight against Satan for people's souls, and by extension, the soul of our culutre. In view of that, we are attacking at two levels. First, we want to reach as many people as possible (that's called evangelism). Second, we want to incorporate people into life on the battleship (that's called discipleship).

At the heart of winning and discipling people is worship. Worship is the life-blood of the church. So, we must worship. Now, that doesn't mean that we all have to worship together or that we all have to worship the exact same way or that we all have to sing the same tune ... the important thing is that we worship. We all live on the same battleship. We all serve the same captain (Jesus). We all fight the same battle. But we serve on different shifts. We have different tasks. We each fill a different part of the puzzle.

A battleship has to follow a strategic battle PLAN in order to achieve victory. Each member of the battleship community has to find their place and then fulfill their part of the PLAN. An important piece to our strategic PLAN for accomplishing the mission (winning and discipling as many as possible) is to establish worship outposts where worshipping communities can form, grow, and thrive. These communites may be small (30-100). They may be medium sized (100-300). They may be large (300 and up). It doesn't matter. We want to create worshipping communities that will connect with people, introduce them to Christ, incorporate them into the body, and help them grow.

Some say, "I feel disconnected from the rest of the church because I worship at the ____ o'clock service (you fill in the blank) and I don't see the people who worship at the other services." I understand. But fellowship is NOT the primary purpose of worship. If you miss certain people invite them over to your house (or better yet, go to ABF with them). If you miss someone that badly, find out which worship service they go to, and then join them. The worship service is meant to fuel the church for action. It is to help WIN and GROW people. It is the life-blood that energizes you to be all that God wants you to be. It is also a place where non-Christians can be introduced to the basic elements of faith in Christ. Worship, therefore, should have nothing to do with who else is in the room OR how many are in the room OR what people are wearing OR who's preaching OR who's leading the music OR ... well, you get the point.

I know that this is hard. Change is never easy. I don't particulary enjoy it. The greatest temptation for me is to keep doing what I know how to do and never change. It's just easier that way. But God will not let me do that. So ... change is a part of vibrant life in Christ. And we are a battleship. We are being called to battle. We must put our personal preferences aside and do what needs to be done to win the battle.

blessings,

pastor ellis

THE WAY WE WORK

It's time to start addressing some important questions about why we do things the way we do at Calvary. As we address these questions we must keep in mind our definition of the church: The church is a living, breathing thing made up of many people who are mysteriously connected to each other through Christ. In this connection alone they have everything they need to live, grow, and accomplish all that God created them to do.

We worked long and hard to get that definition so we'll keep coming back to it. Along with that we should always keep in mind the overarching metaphor for the church: the battleship cruising at sea ready for battle. 

So ... why do we operate the way we do? Why do we have business meetings where we vote on things? Why do we have five adminstrative committees that make decisions on the different aspects of the church? Why do we allow the pastoral staff to make certain decisions with respect to their individual ministries?

We could take these one at a time but it's better to establish some general understandings that help to answer all these questions. If we are a battleship then there are some things we need. First their are times we need to be able to make decision quickly and effectively without disturbing the work of the rest of the ship. There has to be a de-centralization of many of the decisions with the persons most involved in certain aspects of ministry making the decisions that have to do with that particular area of ministry. These decision need to be made quickly and effectively for the fast paced world we live in. That's the way its done on a battleship. There are some decisions that the captain makes. There are some decisions that other officers make after consulting each other.

Another thing that is essential to the work of the battleship is trust. That's why we have business meetings. So that everyone can be informed on the decisions that are being made by pastors and committees. There are also some major decisions that must be made. These major decisions are not made by the captain of the battleship (like where is the ship going next, when does it enter the battle, and what is its ultimate mission) -- these decisions are made by higher powers than even the captain himself. In the case of the church the really big decisions (purchasing or selling land, hiring or firing pastors, constitutional issues, who will serve on committees, who will serve as deacon, etc.) are made be the entire church body. This policy of coming to a consensus on major intiatives and decisions helps to build trust and makes everyone on the battleship feel that they are a part of the team.

I could go on, but we'll stop here for now and continue the discussion next time ... stay tuned ...

blessings,

pastor ellis

THE CHURCH, Pt. 8

The overarching metaphor for the church is a BATTLESHIP on the high seas ready for battle. This metaphor encompasses the overarching characteristics of the work and nature of the church.

The first is that the church is ALIVE. The battleship also is alive. It has a synergy that brings an effectiveness essential for the completion of the mission. No one person on the battleship can accomplish the mission. In fact, no one person can keep the ship moving or defend the ship. It takes a larger "life" of the battleship community to make the ship work. Every person on the ship has a job to do and a part to play. Each member depends on the others. When they are all working in concert, the battleship community takes on a life of its own. The CHURCH is different from the battleship in that the battleship is "like" a living organism in the way it works, whereas, the church IS a living organism. But the metaphor still works.

The second is that the church is the BODY of Christ. Christ is the head of the church. The church does not have a life of its own. The church is lead by only one voice -- the voice of Christ. The church is led by only one mind -- the mind of Christ. Without Christ, the church dies. The Battleship knows and understands this life-flow from Head to body. The commander of the ship is the mind, heart, and soul of the battleship. He gives the commands and everyone obeys. The hundreds of little jobs that must be done are all based on the voice of the commander. There is a "spirit of the corps" on the battleship. "Corps" comes from the latin for "body." When the commander issues a command the "Corps" (BODY) springs into action. Once the commander makes his will known it effects every person on the ship. Without his commands the ship is a sitting duck.

The third is that the church is on a MISSION. The battleship is clearly on a mission. In fact, if there is no mission everyone gets off the ship and takes a vacation. There is no reason to be on the battleship if there is no mission. Once on the ship and out to sea the ONLY thing that matters is the completion of the mission. Every decision from the commander and every action from every member is directly related to the completion of the mission. If one person fails to do their part the mission is in jeopardy. If even one player refuses to do their part, people die. The mission is everything.

The fourth is that the church is in a BATTLE. Satan is working to destroy the church. The battleship is built for battle. Fighting for what is right is the very reason the battleship was created. Everything on the battleship is designed and built for the battle. Once in the battle everyone on the ship understands the gravity of their work. They understand that they are in a battle. They have prepared for the battle. They are ready to sacrifice everything to win the battle. They understand that all of eternity hangs on winning the war.

This is the CHURCH. If you agree with this portrait of the church then it will greatly impact the way we operate. It will inform every decision we make. It will determine how we "do church." It will effect how we invest ourselves in God's Kingdom work. And it will make a difference in the way we look at each other and the way we treat each other.

blessings,

pastor ellis

THE CHURCH, Pt. 7

There are two foundational, biblical truths we have discovered about the NATURE of the church.

1. The church is a living, breathing, moving, working organism.

2. The church's life is sustained by Jesus Christ alone.

There are two foundational, biblical truths we have discovered about the WORK of the church.

3. The church has the immense, eternity-impacting responsbility to prepare the soil, plant the seed, water the plants, and harvest the fruit. This is called, "making disciples," and it is our mission.

4. The church is in an epic battle against evil, and is under constant attack from Satan.

All sixteen principles flow from these four truths which define the NATURE and WORK of the church. Read the 16 principles. You can take all 16 and fit them under one of these four truths. I think we can simplify these even further. We could say:

1. The church is alive.

2. The church is the body of Christ.

3. The church is on a mission.

4. The church is in a battle.

From these four we need to see how well our metaphor fits.  We'll do that next time ... stay tuned ...

blessings,

pastor ellis

16 PRINCIPLES ON THE CHURCH

For the record and your review let me state again the 16 principles gleaned from Scripture on the nature and work of the church. Here they are:

1. The church has some very hard work to do. Fields don’t plant themselves and the harvest doesn’t happen without some hard work. The church has been given the specific spiritual task of sowing, planting, and harvesting.
2. The church has the immense responsibility of preparing the soil, planting the seed, watering the plants, and harvesting the fruit at the appropriate time.
3. The church can only function when it is connected to Jesus. Without Him we can do nothing. When we take our focus away from Jesus we begin to wither and die.
4. The church must understand its relationship to Jesus and learn to recognize His voice. Ultimately, the church is charged with hearing and obeying Jesus.
5. The church is to exhibit the love, care, honor, loyalty, and intimacy that are found in healthy family relationships. We are to take care of each other.
6. The church is to fully accept anyone that God calls family. We don’t choose our brothers or sisters or parents … we are simply called to love and honor them.
7. The church, as a living organism, needs to be fed, nurtured and encouraged in its quest to fulfill its reason for existence.
8. The church, as a living organism, has a reason for living and a mission to fulfill.
9. The church is in a global and epic battle against Satan and his reign of evil.
10. The church is under constant and aggressive attack from Satan and his powerful allies.
11. The church was created and equipped for this battle.
12. Ultimately, the battle will be won by the power of God.
13. The church experiences spiritual growth (success) when operating in unity, like a team.
14. Christ is the head of the Church. He alone is the captain of the team.
15. The life of the Church is like a race that requires discipline and training to gain victory.
16. The common goal of the team is to run a good race, cross the finish line, and gain the reward.

Study them. Pray over them. We'll look at them over and over again as we refine our metaphor for the church.

blessings,

pastor ellis

THE CHURCH, Pt. 6

O.K. ... so do we want to be on the Cruise Ship (a Carribean Cruise) OR on the Battleship?  I have to admit the Crusie Ship is tempting. Look at it. It's beautiful and you can tell it belongs in clear aqua-blue waters and white sandy beaches. It has all the latest technology so that it can steer away from storms and promise you waters like glass all the way to your destination. Your cabin comes equipped with a king sized bed and a jacuzzi tub. It's a place of comfort and fellowship and fun. It's a ship built to cater to your every whim. You don't have to bring much on board because everything is provided. All you can eat at every meal. The best entertainment every night. Organized fun on the Lido deck.

Everyone once in awhile you stop at a beautiful port and rub shoulders with the natives. But not for too long. As soon as you tire of that you can get back on the ship where you are protected from the rest of the world. It's a great place to be. There's no real mission except your comfort and relaxation ... but, hey ... what's wrong with that?

Now look at the battleship. Yuck. It's an ugly gray and it has all those bulky guns that just get in the way making things too crowded. There are no cabins, just row after row of bunk beds where you sleep with dozens of others who are on the same journey. You eat mass procuction food that is served on long, crowded tables. No private bathrooms. No organized fun. No Lido deck parties. When you stop at a port it is to resupply the ship for the journey. You are not there to have fun. You are there to accomplish a mission.

You become family with the several thousand on the ship with you. Even though you may not know everyone on the ship, they are your brother or sister because they may save your life. You are there to get a job done. There is something that needs to be done and it is your job to do it and if you don't do it -- if you are not at your station at the right time -- people die. So when the captain asks you to do something ... you do it. If there is a battle to be fought ... you are there and you are ready to fight ... if necessary ... even die for the cause of the whole. It is called a BATTLESHIP because of what it was created to do.

Now, which metaphor sounds more like the church?  We'll take an even closer look next time ... stay tuned ...

blessings,

pastor ellis