0-16, at least we are tied for the worst team ever, but which one is the absolute worst

Over the weekend something not so amazing happened. The Cleveland Browns lost their 16^th straight game tying them with the Detroit Lions as the worst record in NFL history (For a 16 game season). While I feel bad for the Browns and their fan base. I rejoice for the fact we are no longer the only 0-16 team.

Just like we like to do as humans, we start to compare. Which team would win between the 2008 Lions and the 2017 Browns? This peaked my interest as I read articles about the teams. Who had the better people at each position? This was discussed in great detail over a couple of articles. After spending about 20 minutes of my life deeply entrenched in this debate, I came to my conclusion. We will never know and this was a waste of 20 minutes of my life.

I sat back in awe. I just wasted 20 minutes of my life on a fake debate. How much better could I have spent my time? Not exactly what I thought I would do with my time, studying about a fake game that could never take place. I turned off my phone and moved on. We tend to waste some of our lives on pointless chatter.

This happens in the church. Paul address this talk when sharing with Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:3-4, “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work – which is by faith.”

False teachers can overtake the church and Paul wanted Timothy to stay there to stop this from happening. False teachings can ruin the church. On top of this, people devoted themselves to myths and endless genealogies. The results of this didn’t have any ability to accomplish what God intended us to accomplish. I thought the words controversial speculations was powerful. The Greek meaning of these words means without limits and idle dispute. Idle dispute can destroy churches and pointless chatter can stop all movements in God’s work and/or our lives.

Idle disputes and pointless chatter can still impact the church today. Just this week someone told me a story about a church (We will call this person Sam). Sam said they were sitting in a dentist chair getting their teeth cleaned. The person cleaning their teeth talked about how they knew some of the same people as Sam. Sam asked how they knew them and the person said church. Then this person told Sam but they didn’t see much of these people because their church had a big split over worship. For the next 40 minutes Sam (getting his teeth cleaned with no place to go) endured this person’s story about how there was this worship minister that was loved by the congregation and he was replaced by some young kid who wore flip flops on stage. The person went on to tell how this split the church and couldn’t believe the church leadership would do this. Sam mind you has attended church but never more then that. Did this person telling Sam about a church split accomplish God’s work? Did Sam learn more about the love of Jesus through this story of a church split?

We need to limit controversial speculations in our lives. Something’s in our lives are within our control, some are not. We as Christians need to focus on God’s work. We need to share love and hope with a sincere faith. We need to limit pointless chatter like the 20 minutes focusing on a game that won’t ever happen and focus on more important things. What do you need to focus more on and what pointless chatter do you need to turn away from?

Have a great day.

Are mission trips pointless?

I was recently asked to share my thoughts on going to Haiti for a mission trip.  This is some of the thoughts that came up in no particular order…

·         I had reserves about going on an overseas mission trip, I heard and mostly agreed that they were beneficial for the person going but not the community they were going too.  I often heard that Americans would go over, build things and spend a ton of money on airfare to get there.  A mission organization figured out that if they just shipped the money they would have spent on going and gave it to the people 10-15,000 would be sent in money alone.  This would allow the people to hire local people to do the jobs and help the economy out.  As a result of hiring people locally this allowed the churches over there to minister to the people and help them by giving them jobs.  This was a thought I had before going on this trip.  Should we as Americans go on mission trips or raise and give money? I tried to keep an opening mind as I went on the trip.

·         Food – I was really worried about eating the food over there for the simple fact, if it’s not a burger it’s questionable to me.  The food was more than adequate and in fact I had some amazing food over there including the best pineapple upside-down cake.  We were treated very well in the food department and I tried some different food.  I tried goat for the first time, not bad but would not have again.

·         People – What I enjoyed the most was meeting the people down there.  Matthieu (Our mission leader) took us through the cities in order to meet with some people from the Church.  I cherished this time, we got to meet and see families from the Church and were able to offer money to the people that really needed it.  It was so nice to meet with other Christians and fellowship even when you didn’t understand all of the words they said.  The people were amazing and faithful.  We met a family where the husband died and they literally had no way of bring in money.  Unlike here there isn’t a job market, people do what they have to do to make money and survive.  We were able to start supporting this family and help in that way.

·         Worship – This was one of a kind.  We got to hear and see people that truly worshipped God everyday.  We witnessed a middle through college age retreat in which the people literally camped on concrete grounds and had the spirit of God with them.  They praised God to the best of their abilities and it was amazing worshipping in Church for upwards of 4 hours and feeling like you were there maybe an hour.  Simeon (one of the worship leaders) was able to create a worship song for the retreat in a week and it was very well done.  I was amazed by the worship.  There was even a group of 15-20 women that got together every morning at 5 to sing and pray for the Church.  I was in awe of this.  They were so dedicated in their faith, loved it.

·         Teaching – I was able to share in the word of God with the people and honestly didn’t feel at home, these people went through struggles I never had in my faith and it was very humbling to say the least.  Matthieu even told me I was a much better teacher then a preacher, I didn’t know if this was a complement or not but it was funny.

·         Conclusion – I really enjoyed my mission experience and overall came to my own conclusion that it’s great for us to go over there.  Matthieu mentioned multiple times he loves when groups are able to come over because you get a firsthand experience that sending money does not do.  I will never forget my time over there and truly enjoyed worshipping with my brothers and sisters in Christ over there.  It is a trip I think every Christian would benefit for and will gain a great perspective of the kingdom of God.  We were able to see one of the Churches had a wall falling apart and if the government saw it, they would close the building and as a result close the school in this community.  So rather then going on a mission trip next year we are going to raise money as a Church to help pay for a new school over there.  It’s amazing what we can do to help another Church out.

Have a great day.