“The Dangers of a Religious Spirit”

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My time in early 2024 in New Delhi, India did a whammy on me. I returned to the States knowing two things:

—The church I was pastoring would not be the place God assigned me to for much longer, and,

— I could no longer do the surface church thing.

As I met Christians in India and heard testimonies, I was deeply convicted. I listened to story after story about how serving Christ had literally upended or endangered their lives. I yearned for deep and real community. Manufactured harmony no longer interested me, and I went full force into being authentic. I didn’t do it well, but my heart was right. 

I had to repent for enjoying my popular, consumeristic life of faith. The one thing I didn’t want to return to was what I called “sleep number bed church.” For much too long, we’ve substituted superficial religious exercises for true life transformation.

We have such a marvelous congregation with the ability to take bold risks for Jesus Christ. Nostalgia, worship music preferences, tenure, and impenetrable social circles will only keep us clapping with one hand. Go ahead, try it right now. I’ll wait… it’s not very eventful, is it?

We were created to clap with both hands. But control, fear, and a religious spirit will keep us going through the motions with little impact. 

I read quite a bit about the dangers of a religious spirit in the local church while I was on vacation last summer. What is that, you might ask? Religion is easy to practice—but a religious spirit, can quietly replace a real relationship with Christ. Once we recognize the signs of a religious spirit, we can ask God to help us live free from its grip

The following is the best and clearest list I’ve seen. A religious spirit may have taken hold if:

  • We judge other people by their appearance.
  • We try to earn God’s love and salvation.
  • We try to conform to outward goodness without inward transformation.
  • We are critical of other people’s walk with God.
  • Our closest Christian relationships are based only on ministry activities.
  • We perform Christian duties but have no passion or hunger for God.
  • We have an unhealthy desire for position and honor in the church and are critical of others’ positions.
  • Our identity is rooted in what we do instead of in Christ.
  • We know about the truth of Jesus but not the way of Jesus.
  • We project righteousness but inwardly are filled with anger and resentment.

These things can block the Holy Spirit’s power. 

We are about to celebrate Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit blanketed the early church, it was clear it wasn’t forced—it was offered. We must welcome the Holy Spirit in order to receive that power.

The only hope to steer clear of blocks to that power is being willing to risk and open ourselves to deep transformations. I want to finish my life loving people where they are—yet teaching people that we don’t have to stay where we are. Especially if it keeps us from a real relationship with God and one another.

How about you?

Keep praying and keep the faith.

~James

“Father of the Fatherless”

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Dear Reader,

A few years ago,  I came across a book that I’ve not been able to forget. I’m reminded of it as we head into June, the month that includes Father’s Day. The title is To Own a Dragon by Donald Miller. 

Miller reflects on growing up without a father in his life. This is a book that will have the reader laughing out loud one minute, and crying the next. It caused me to really think about my own experiences growing up without a dad in my home and how that affects young men. 

Over the years, I’ve watched people closely and taught myself how to do things a father usually teaches his son; things that many sons take for granted. No one taught me to catch a ball or carve a turkey. I remember teaching myself to swim, to shave, to tie a tie, ride a bike. I never had a conversation about dating, sex or money with a male figure…and I sometimes made a mess while learning. 

Miller says that 85% of men in prisons grew up without a father. That gives me pause, and it makes me wonder about myself at the same time. I’m sure many believed that would be my fate as well because I was not a pleasant student! I remember one of my teachers assuring me that one day I would be a juvenile delinquent. I spent most of my school days in detention or the principal’s office. Looking back, I am sure it was a result of anger that I didn’t understand. 

Now, I am a father. My poor children have been my guinea pigs…especially my son, John. Luckily, he was an intelligent kid and he made it through my shortcomings. But, I freely admit that I pretty much winged the father thing most of the time. 

I love to read and write and always have. So, I constantly gave John books to read about spiritual growth, finances, politics, history, how-to, current events, etc. I could tell it aggravated him…which in turn, aggravated me! 

But, when I read, “Dragon,” I had a huge realization about why I gave him all those books. I was trying to fill in the gaps that I was afraid I’d miss teaching him. So, I thought if I gave him enough to read, I could give him what I didn’t know myself. Weird huh?  John made it by the way! He’s a fine young man, married, and spending the summer in Thailand. 

Somehow, God fills in the gaps for us. I’ve learned that lesson numerous times over the years. And though I have studied and preached, Psalm 68:5, “A Father of the fatherless…,” I need to accept that in my own life. And understand that God is my father,  he has always been there, and always will be. 

He’s there…and that is enough. 

Peace,

~James

“Water in a Dry Land”

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Dear Reader,

Most of us don’t think twice when we grab a glass of water. Clean water just flows. It’s constant, expected. But for people in ancient Israel, water was a precious and limited resource, deeply tied to both survival and spirituality.

The summers in that part of the world were long and brutally dry. Rain was rare, and rivers often shrank down to muddy trickles. Even the Jordan River, which we might imagine as strong and wide, could become shallow and silty by midyear. It was actually very shallow and most likely, Jesus and others weren’t immersed at baptism but sprinkled our had water poured over their heads. People relied entirely on the rains that came in spring and fall to fill their wells, springs, and underground reservoirs.

Most of it was obtained from a source and carried back home. In the New Testament,  the woman from Samaria who came to the well at noon, the hottest time of day, came then to avoid the others. There’s a quiet pain in that moment—a woman carrying not only a heavy jar but a lifetime of shame. 

And yet, it was at that exact time that she met Jesus.

He offered her something far beyond a drink of water. He spoke of a kind of water that wouldn’t just quench thirst, but erase it forever. Not the kind made up of molecules, but something deeper. He was offering spiritual life—his presence, his grace, his peace. 

Throughout the Bible, water is often a picture of life, renewal, and even forgiveness. David wrote of being overwhelmed by “deep waters.” Proverbs describes wise words as a bubbling brook and good news as refreshing water. And several verses point to the cleansing power of God, like water washing away sin.

Jesus told that woman at the well that what he had to give would satisfy her at the soul level. It wouldn’t just fill her—it would become a wellspring within her. That’s what he still offers us today.

In a world where we’re surrounded by temporary fixes and empty promises, there’s still living water. And when we receive it, we don’t just survive the drought—we overflow. So, how thirsty are you. If you’re parched, quickly go to the water source, Jesus. Drink your fill and don’t forget to take some with you.  And share it…all day long. 

Peace,
~James

“Created to Solve Problems”

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Dear Reader,
We were created to solve problems. 

Doctors solve physical problems. Mothers solve emotional problems. Dentists solve teeth problems. Mechanics solve car problems. Everything God created was created to solve an existing problem.

Millions of problems exist on the earth. Solving those problems provides income, favor and the flow of financial provision for the billions living on the earth.

But many remain stuck—impoverished or unfulfilled—because they haven’t recognized the problem nearest them that God may be calling them to solve. Promotions are missed, marriages suffer, and lives stall because the issue right in front of us goes unacknowledged.

In the Old Testament, Joseph solved the problem nearest him, he moved into his next season of promotion. I learned early in life that the problem I solve provided provision for my life,  But be warned: not everyone celebrates problem-solvers—especially in the church. Why? Because solving a problem often means introducing a healthy change someone else might resist.

When Moses saw an Egyptian beating an Israelite, anger rose within him. Anger is a clue, a signal that God wants you to correct something that grieves Him. Anger is the birthplace for change.

Here’s your gold for today:
Your gifts and skills are clues to the problems you were created to solve.

You might be wired for numbers, working with kids, or administration. Your gift reveals itself in what you love. The creativity needed to design skyscrapers is different from that needed to build doghouses—and the rewards are different too!

Joseph is remembered because he solved the problem of provision during a famine. Naaman’s leprosy disappeared after obeying a strange instruction: “Dip in the Jordan seven times.” And when Paul prayed for the father of Publius, healing followed—and others were healed too. Favor flows through solving problems.

David didn’t just rush at Goliath—he first asked, “What’s the reward?” The answer: riches, marriage to the king’s daughter, and tax exemption for his family (1 Sam. 17).

And a second piece of gold:
Never discuss a problem with someone who cannot help solve it.

Doing so often creates more frustration. We tend to bring others into problems when we feel insecure or lack confidence—but this usually delays resolution. Jesus taught in Matthew 18: go directly to the source. That’s love in action.

So… what problem are you trying to solve right now?

It just might change your life—or someone else’s.

Peace,
~James

“More Than Knowing – Feeling God” 

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Dear Reader,

I’ve felt really led lately to drive home the point to those under my care that God is a God who communicates.

Years ago, I read a book called A Call to What Is Vital. It tells of the author’s own experience back in 1886, during a solitary walk in the foothills of the Alps:

“I felt the walls grow thin between the visible and the invisible, and there came a sudden flash of eternity breaking in on me. I kneeled down then and there in the forest glade, in the sight of the mountains, and dedicated myself—in the hush and silence, but in the presence of an invading life—to the work of interpreting the deeper nature of the soul and direct mystical relation with God, which had already become my major interest.”

Out of such an experience, a person can say not only that they know about God, but that they know God. It involves not just knowledge, but also feeling and emotion.

When the little blind, deaf, and mute Helen Keller learned to communicate through her patient teacher, Miss Sullivan, her parents felt it was time for her to receive religious instruction. She was taken to Phillips Brooks, who told  her simply about God. And Helen Keller replied:

“I have always known that there was such a one, but I did not know His name.”

That’s one of my favorite quotes.

God is a living, revealing, communicating God. We can feel His presence and have fellowship with Him—which means gaining entrance into a more abundant life. No matter what’s happening in your life right now, that assurance covers us like a beautiful blanket.

Rest in the fact that God sees you—oh yes. But He also wants to talk with you. That’s grace.

~James

“Recognizing Jesus” 

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Dear Reader, 

After Easter, I always have trouble getting this one thing out of my mind: Why could they not recognize Jesus? Some reasons I think; just my thoughts:

– It was toward evening, and the sun was in their eyes?
– They just didn’t see Him clearly?
– They were so sorrowful and had tears in their eyes?
– I feel their faith must have been a factor. They didn’t really believe He would rise (see Luke 24:11).
– But the Bible says their eyes were held—“their eyes were kept from recognizing him.”

How often we have failed to recognize Christ (One who can be known to us, and who wants us to recognize Him in all of life), as He journeys on the highway of life with us?

In our day, Christ goes unrecognized so many times, and why? Could it be because of:

– Our sophistication?
– Our opulent society and easy living?
– Our spiritual perception?

– Our preconceived notion as to what a Christian should be? (We take time more seriously than eternity.)
– We are so preoccupied—our perception is blurred.

Why can’t we see the lowly and self-sacrificing Savior with the marks and the call of the cross? Paul said, “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ,” and the call—“I will show him what great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts 9:16)

Even in the 21st century, though He split time into B.C. and A.D., Christ goes unrecognized.

We even see the believers grapple when they said, “We had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” Hear the despairing and hopeless emphasis in this statement.

WHY was their hope seemingly blasted? Could it be…

-They had not fully understood the Scriptures.
-They had not rightly comprehended Jesus’s teachings.

Maybe I’m a bit jaded, but I think the real answer is short and simple. I believe sometimes we choose not to see the Christ because we fear what it might call us to.

Is it just me, or do I really believe that Jesus is exactly who He says He is? I know in my heart I really believe it. Sometimes in my brain, I don’t act like I believe it. And I think that’s what holds the church back.

I’m thinking of this more now since I’m planting a new church. I have, for 30 years, learned the right ways to do church—and unfortunately, some of the wrong ways. 

One of the things I want to do is lead a church that honestly and truly believes that Jesus is who He says He is.

I pray every morning that I recognize Him as He reveals Himself to me throughout the day. 

Today as we recognize our country’s National Day of Prayer, would you join me in that prayer today?

~James

“The Starting Place”

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Dear Reader, 
Leonard Sweet, in his book Faithquakes, tells the story about a West Virginia man who asked for directions to a certain place. The man said, after thinking about it a few moments, “If I was wanting to get there, I sure wouldn’t have started from here.” According to Sweet, the moral of the story is that we don’t get to choose our starting places in life.

I think this is true. We start out in families, but we don’t get to choose our families. Families are the people we’re “stuck” with, someone said. Born in the South, I started life as a Southerner. And I’m stuck with a Southern drawl. We all start from some place and have very little choice, if any, in the matter.

One of the ways of dealing with your starting place is to fuss about it. “If only I had been born into a different family,” we lament. “If only I had had better teachers in school.” “If only I had been raised in Disneyland instead of Dixieland!” To lament our starting place in life is one way of dealing with it.

The other way to deal with your starting place is to “own your origins,” and then roll up your sleeves and go to work. I can only imagine what would have become of Abraham Lincoln had he spent his life apologizing for having started life in a log cabin. Our nation’s history would have been diminished if Booker T. Washington had spent his life lamenting his starting place as a victim of segregation. Our cultural and literary life would be poorer if Maya Angelou had wasted her time wallowing in self-pity because she was abused and sexually assaulted at the age of seven. These persons, and others like them, had starting places in life that were without promise. Yet, they rolled up their sleeves and went to work.

The older we get, the more we must own our choices. During the Lenten season, my thoughts have drifted to the fact that as we continue planting Grace Resurrection together, many are making choices not just for ourselves but for the community of East Cobb. In just a few short years, we’ve gone from 30 people to people flocking into this new congregation. On Easter, we connected with about 500 people. We get contacts and questions from the community consistently. New members join monthly. All of these choices change the course of our lives—but most importantly, they will change the face of our community. So starting places are important, but the future is affected by how we respond to our starting places—not the starting place itself. I don’t know about you, but that’s freeing to me. The good news is that regardless of our starting place, we are offered a new starting place every day. We are even free to choose this starting place, if we will. The starting place, of course, is God. There is ample testimony that for those who begin from this starting place, life takes on a whole new meaning.

So how is it with you? What’s holding you back that you credit to the starting place you experienced? And what steps can you take today to ensure you’ve given God control so He can use that start for His glory? I’m dealing with that personally these days. Let’s pray for one another.

~James

“Not Just Existence”

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Dear Reader, 

I’d like to share with you something written by Robert Test, of the Cincinnati Post. 

“The day will come when my body will lie upon a white sheet neatly tucked under four corners of the mattress located in a hospital busily occupied with the living and the dying. 

And at a certain moment the doctor will determine that my brain has ceased to function, and that for all intents and purposes my life has stopped.

When that happens do not attempt to instill artificial life into my body by use of a machine, and don’t call this my “death bed”. Let it be called “the bed of life.” And let my body be taken from it to help others lead fuller lives.

Give my sight to a man who has never seen a sunrise, or a baby’s face, or love in the eyes of a woman. Give my heart to a person whose own heart has pain. Give my blood to a teenager pulled from the wreckage of his car, that he might live to see his grandchildren. 

Give my kidneys to one who depends on a machine to exist from week to week. And take my bones, and every muscle and every fiber and every nerve in my body, and find a way to make a crippled child walk. 

And explore every corner of my brain and take my cells if necessary, and let them grow so that some day a speechless boy will shout at the crack of a bat, and a deaf girl will hear the sound of rain. 

Burn what is left and scatter the ashes to the winds to help the flowers grow. And if you must bury something, let it be my faults, my weaknesses, my prejudices.

Give my sins to the devil, give my soul to God. And if, by chance, you wish to remember me, do it with a kind deed, or a word to someone who needs you. And if you do all I ask, I will live forever.”

WOW.

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on this simple truth: we live every day for something.

Sure, some will claim they need nothing and no one. That rugged self-sufficiency is a badge of honor in American culture. But let’s be honest—that’s a lie of the devil. It’s a counterfeit version of life. Because the truth is, we were never meant to do this alone. We need each other.

Whether we’re living or dying, we’re always leaving something behind. It’s either life-giving… or it slowly withers and decays.

Easter is a holy reminder that we have choices. (Yes—did a question mark pop up in your head just then?)

Choices.

We’re free because the Son of God set us free. Free even to sin. Free to be self-serving. But Easter draws a bold line in the sand. Because of Jesus, every choice now has eternal weight. And every life heads in one of two directions: toward birth, or toward death.

You didn’t choose to be born. But you do choose what happens after you die.
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life, even though the body dies, yet will the spirit live.“ 

No supplement, defibrillator, or good doctor can extend your life forever. Our bodies will wear out. That’s inevitable. But those who choose Jesus? They’ll rise. Following him to leave life behind wherever we go.

And until that day—my choice is this: to follow Jesus and leave life wherever I’ve been. To point people in the direction of eternal life. 

Because of Easter, I want my life to echo eternity.

Poet Robert Test gets it. Live life. But, live until you meet God face to face.  He’s awaiting that day. That’s what Easter invites us into. Not just existence, but life… real life.

And for those who walk the resurrection path, a voice will call out in the end:


“Well done, good and faithful servant.”

And, that’s Easter.  
~James