Fran Trascritti bible, discipleship, gospel, Jesus, ministry

It’s Just Not the Same…

A few years ago during the time of Covid, Major League Baseball, like any other professional sports, had a problem. They wanted to resume playing, but they viewed that having fans in the stands was a risk to spreading the virus further. Their solution was to put cutouts of smiling fans, simulating a crowd, complete with a crowd noise, in an attempt to make it all feel “normal.”

Yet it was, of course, far from normal. It just wasn’t the same thing and might have been a bitter reminder of the daily environment the world had been experiencing. The stands remained lifeless: there was no participation and no human interaction. In fact, the games felt empty, contrived, and cold.

This was an admirable attempt, but like it or not, fans are a part of the game. And nothing would ever replace the human element of a baseball fan. Fans change the game in a variety of ways.

As believers, we are not just cardboard spectators on the sideline. We are part of God’s work, His workmanship designed to do His work once we come to Christ. We take the gospel and bring it to the masses, changing hearts, lives, and eternity.

John the Baptist said as much when He confronted the Pharisees, who pridefully boasted about their supposed top tier place in the Kingdom:

Matthew 3:9 ESV, “And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.”

In other words, don’t think so highly of yourselves, because after all, God can make replacements who do what you do out of rocks! Pedigrees mean nothing concerning the Kingdom. Instead, repent and bear fruit in accordance with your newfound faith.

Continuing this thought, then, just sitting in the crowd means nothing. Isaiah 40:15 ESV says,

“Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.”

Get off the sideline, because just being in the crowd might feel safe and secure for the moment, but it really is empty. Anyone and everyone can be in the crowd (after all, it is a crowd). Jesus called this state following  the wide path that leads to destruction, while He offers a more narrow way that leads to life. Being a part of Jesus means stepping out of what feels comfortable and secure and going to what is truly safe and secure.

God is calling His people to an active, vibrant life in Him. Is this life going to be perfect? Nope. Uncomplicated? Of course not. But as God calls you to a life with hope and peace and you follow Him, your life will change forever. After all, it’s only through Jesus Christ’s work on the cross and His grace that leads to everlasting life. And it’s available to all who call on Him.

Let this encourage you to step and stretch yourself in Him like never before. Step out of the crowd. Step into an abundant life in Christ. Step into bearing fruit from your repentant heart and soul.

To God be the glory!

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti culture, gospel, ministry, Missions

When Elections Fall Short…

This coming Sunday, I will be preaching on Mark 8:31-34, where Jesus shared with His disciples what was about to happen to Him when He returned to Jerusalem. Jesus was facing imminent arrest, suffering, death, and His resurrection, but all were needed to accomplish the Father’s. Peter, ever quick to react, rebuked Jesus for what He had said, and Jesus responded with a rebuke of His own: “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man” (Mk 8:33, ESV).

What was Peter thinking? I’m speculating a bit, but to be fair, he was probably concerned for Jesus’s health and well-being, but also for the work that he had given everything up for. It goes to figure that when a leader dies, a movement will usually stop, and from man’s perspective, the loss of Jesus would be devastating. This logic dictates that Jesus should never die, or at least avoid dying, and Peter’s response communicated that idea in mind.

Yet the ways of man are not the ways of God, and the ways of man will always fall short.

Photo by Element5 Digital

This brings me to today. This morning, I woke up disappointed at the news of our election in Ohio, as issue after issue fell short of what is right and proper in our state. Issue One passed, and now abortion is firmly in the constitution of Ohio. Issue Two succeeded as well, and since the recreational use of marijuana is now legal in the state, we are certainly going to be a smellier place from its distinctive “skunk smell” not to mention the real threat of having additional impaired drivers to go with its increased recreational use. Yes, in my view, the election was disappointing and sad.

And with such a result comes the reminder that people will vote as their heart believes, and we should remember that elections will miss the mark in a post-Christian society. So what is our response? More lobbying? More marketing activities? More politicking? These responses all fall short as they are all man-centered, and we end up looking more like Peter than our Savior. These ways pale in comparison to God’s ways, and although Christians should vote and passionately speak on issues, we cannot depend on these activities. Rather, elections should remind us that there is more gospel work to be done. This work is not going to happen through the ballot box, clever marketing, or gimmicks, but through the faithful sharing of the gospel. It’s on us, after all, to be the missionaries our neighbors need, as their souls cry out for someone, anyone, to share Jesus with them.

Church, wake up. Let’s love those who are without our Shepherd. Let’s stop demonizing people and instead love them with the blood-covered beauty of the gospel. Let’s care enough to get out of our comfort zones and do the real work that God calls us to do: to have gospel-centered conversations with others who desperately need eternal life. Let’s return to our own first love, sparking a fire in our hearts to reach more, teach more, and serve more with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s change our state, one soul at a time.

We have work to do. May we step out for the Kingdom. May God use us to advance His gospel and change the world.

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti ministry, Pastors

Stop Trying to be Famous!

Years ago at a gathering of church leaders, I ran across a young man and immediately could see that he was a guy who was trying to climb the “ladder.” He entered the large lobby, chewing on a piece of gum, hair done perfectly right, clothing in style, and spoke to no one. No one, except those who in his mind, mattered. He quickly climbed that so-called ladder, rose to more influential, higher paying, and well known positions, and appeared to be set. At least from a fleshly perspective.

Years later, this young man would fail morally, losing his ministry position, and falling into relative obscurity. His fall was faster than his rise.

In the Book of Genesis, there is an interesting description of the people post-flood and how they reacted to God’s commands to multiply and fill the earth: Genesis 11:4 (ESV), “4 Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.'”

The people were commanded to fill the earth, but they intended to do the opposite. They were to be a world that would praise YHWH’s name, but they sought to elevate their own. In other words, the Kingdom of God would have to wait, because, after all, they were out for themselves.

Ministry is no place for names to be made. It’s no place for famous people. In fact, it should be the opposite. For a church leader, there’s only one name that needs to be elevated, and that is the saving name of Jesus. People don’t go to my church but Christ’s church, people don’t need to worship their pastor, but Jesus and only Jesus.

Brother, sister, stop trying to be famous. Vanity is vapid and the praise of man is folly. God will not share His glory with you or any other, so move on. Instead, join with me as we seek to go deeper in our walk, loving people who may not always love us, and share what it means to serve a holy God in a whole hearted way.

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti ministry

What is revitalization, anyway?

A few years ago, my wife and I did something crazy. We bought a house, gutted a good chunk of it, and started over. What we realized was that the basic foundation was good—the walls, the subfloor, the electrical even, but most everything else needed to be changed. With the help of some handymen, we removed walls, replaced plumbing, built cabinets, and changed the house into a home. It was tough work, but a labor of love, so much that when we moved back to Cincinnati, we bought a house that needed the same work, even more!

When it comes to the church, pastors and leaders are often in a labor of love. And yet, because the conditions of the church, the approach to transforming a church to health can look much, much different. In other words, there’s no one size fits all.

That said, there’s a difference between the terms restart (or replant) and revitalization. The term restart, for example, is just that: it is a process of completely removing existing structures in the church and starting over. The founding documents are redrawn, new leadership is brought in, the building is transferred, and the church reexists, yet completely different than the existing one. Often, the new church is considered a plant or a replant, with the exception being that the new church has ownership and possession of the existing building and assets.

Revitalization is much, much different. It is the process of keeping much of the existing church, making major changes in the structure, focus, and methodologies, and clearing a pathway so that disciplemaking can begin again. It’s plowing the field to allow the scattered seeds of the gospel to flourish and grow. This is painful, and church leaders need to know that revitalization is not a matter of rebranding…it’s a return to gospel centeredness.

Philippians 2:3–4 (ESV), “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

When we are talking about making such major changes, the passage above is so appropriate. Both methods, whether replanting and revitalization, have their challenges, but humility is key. With the right heart, breakthroughs in the attitudes and motivations can be made within the congregation. Honest conversations can occur. And with these breakthroughs and conversations, a spirit of deference such as in Phil 2:3-4 can permeate in the church!

After working with churches to grow in their leader and disciplemaking efforts, I’m now pastoring a small church that has been going through the process of revitalization. Like our work in renovating our houses, church revitalization is truly a labor of love. Our breakthroughs have come and more are to come. Yet, we are seeing progress in the gospel! In just a little under three months, people are coming to Jesus, lives are being changed, and gospel centeredness is ruling the day. The church feels alive, the members are encouraged and active, and though we have far to go, we can see our church being a light for the community through the lives of real people. May God use us to reach the West Side of Cincinnati and beyond!

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti bible, Devotional, ministry, Pastors

What Do you Do When Others Attack?

Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” Nehemiah 6:8 ESV

At this point in the building of the wall around Jerusalem, the enemies of the work resorted to threats, lies, and deceit against the city, the people, and especially, Nehemiah. They openly mocked the work, threatened the safety of the families, sent multiple letters to Nehemiah, and even hired a prophet to try to entice him to sin.

Yet none of these plots worked. At every new threat, Nehemiah resisted and relied on the Lord. Even when the enemies accused him of beginning a rebellion against the king, Nehemiah refuted it and plainly told them, “you are inventing these things in your own mind.” The work continued as he inspired confidence and encouragement in the people. Soon the wall was built, the Temple was protected, and regular worship and sacrifices took place again.

When we are truly doing God’s work in the Kingdom, the enemy is almost certainly going to attack. And it tends to come in waves of strikes, usually in the form of accusations, deceptions, and even attempts at personal smears of the leadership. Opponents of the gospel will devote hard work and energy to divide and discourage the people of God, and good, godly leaders will often experience great pain and suffering. Personally, I have experienced these attacks in the past and I expect that attacks will continue to occur until glory comes. That is, as long as I am not discouraged or dissuaded from preaching Christ.

But, as we did with my last post, let’s look again at Nehemiah’s responses to his opponents. When he was attacked, Nehemiah had a response of encouragement, a word from the Word. He was angry but did not sin. Instead, he stood firm, held to the task at hand, relied on the Lord and His people, and stayed pure as he avoided temptations to sin.

His example should be your example if you are under attack. Here’s a few practical responses you can take:

  1. Run to the Word. Check your motives and walk. Don’t let the accusations have any ground for truth by being in the truth of the Scriptures.
  2. Be confident in your calling. This does not mean to be self confident, but be “God confident.” Stay reassured that God’s calling in you is going to be completed, for “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6).
  3. Stay free of temptations and sin. Everyone is going to sin, of course, but it is vital to avoid the intentional sins which so easily plague us. Nehemiah did just that, choosing to stay pure in God’s eyes, whether avoiding sin or even more importantly, being righteously angry and not sinning. You need to be no different in your lifestyle, but when you do blow it (and you surely will) repent and do better.
  4. Respond in a godly, firm manner. The best and only response is a calm, Christ centered response that places the gospel first and ego last. Let God work it out, because, well, He will. The means to again run to God, not standing on your own strength but on His power. This also means, of course, to stay connected with the Spirit in prayer and the Word.

Hope these are useful and helpful. Let me know if you have any other takeaways from this passage.

May the Lord use you greatly, suppressing the enemy and advancing His Kingdom. To God be the glory!

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti bible, Devotional, ministry

Got Wolves?

This morning while reading God’s Word, I came across this passage about the opposition that Nehemiah had when trying to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem:

And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.
Nehemiah 3:5 ESV

Here’s the background behind this text: God gave Nehemiah a clear vision to rebuild the walls, and the Lord even made a way for Nehemiah to have favor and blessings from the king to do this task. So once he came to Jerusalem, the favor continued as the people as a whole followed him. However, not all were on board.

Along with the two riff-raff opponents, Sanballat and Tobiah, the Tekoite nobles didn’t want to be a part of this work. Whether it was pride or fear as the reason for their passive aggressive behavior, we don’t know for sure, but their opposition was big enough of an issue to be mentioned here in Scripture. We can guess, however, that the nobles (who lived in Jerusalem) probably benefited in some way from the exile. These “wolves within the gates” must have thrived on the instability around them and stood much to lose if the rebuilding failed. In other words, they favored the status quo in order to be in the best position to benefit themselves. Of course, the walls and gates were completed in a short period of time, the city was secure, and Nehemiah began to reform the city spiritually and morally once the city was secured physically.

Just as wolves were among the people, we can also see this taking place at times in the church of today. These sort of wolves are named in the New Testament as “waterless clouds” (Jude 12) or even “waterless springs” (2 Peter 2:17). Jesus, of course warned of those “who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15, ESV). People like this are not of the Spirit but of the flesh, and they see the world through the lens of the physical and the political. They seek to place themselves first, and worst of all, they look at God’s work in the church from a worldly, fleshly perspective. Such people harm and destroy ministries and lives. And yes, they are frustrating and discouraging for these leaders, and for good reason: many a leader has fallen victim to attacks by these sort of wolves, even causing some to leave their God given calling. This should not be so.

So, what should you do? Look at Nehemiah’s example. First, he sought the Lord and His vision. Second, he sought help, brining resources and godly people to implement the plan. He ignored critics, focusing on the work in front of him and praying in the Spirit for protection. When he discerned that there were evil people trying to distract them, he moved forward, knowing that a few fleshly opponents of God’s vision cannot be allowed to hijack God’s work before them. Instead, he prayed, focused, and brought entire families to help complete the work.

And complete it they did. His laser like focus remained until the work was finished. His dependence on God led him to further reforms after the walls were completed. And most of all, Nehemiah finished well.

Finish well. Stay in the Word. Bring others with you. Stay encouraged.

Blessings,

Pastor Fran

Fran Trascritti Devotional, Jesus, ministry

A word on worship…

Just a random thought this morning as I read some scripture passages about worship (Leviticus 5 and Romans 9:30-33):

First, let’s remember that the actions of worship are not about what is perfect but about the One who is perfect. In other words, the sacrifices mean nothing if the faith isn’t there. We can do everything right technically, but still miss out completely on a worship that is rich in spirit and truth.

This impacts us today. The worship in the New Testament church should be more about purpose than the pursuit of the perfect. The music might be dated, or loud, or off beat, or the preaching might go long, or the reader might stumble on a word or two, but none of that matters. What does matter is the audience, the true audience, the audience of One. The focus of all worship is to be on God Himself and the declaration that He is sovereign and His people trust in Him by faith.

My prayer this morning: God, do not let me stray in my focus on You, whether in my personal, private time of worship or in a corporate setting. Focus me on You. Keep me set on the beauty and the sacrifice of Christ, His resurrection, His return one day, all for His glory. Amen.

Fran Trascritti Devotional, Jesus, ministry

An encouragement: Keeping the Word

He said, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” Luke 11:28, CSB

Jesus did not want hearers only, those who sat and listened without ever taking action. Nor did He want people to work without listening to Him, as the Jews blindly did in His day. Instead, He called for faith followed by fruit, or faith with works as James wrote in his epistle.

Believers are called to faith in Jesus Christ, and called to serve Him out of that faith. Those who come to faith in Jesus have a new life, a life that has purpose, and meaning, and excitement as they share their joy with people around them. A life in Christ, a true relationship with Jesus, is contagious.

Don’t be one who merely wants to hear from the Lord and never do anything with it. Serve and share Jesus daily out of your faith in Christ. Be contagious with your spirit, your joy, and your biblical wisdom. Be ready to explain the truth about who Jesus is and what He has done for others.

Be on mission. It will make an eternal difference to others around you.

Fran Trascritti Devotional, ministry

I was once stuck on a Rollercoaster.

I was once stuck on a rollercoaster. Backwards. In an almost vertical position. And what I thought was fun was not. Nope, not at all.

The people around me on the coaster car started to groan, first in a reaction to the delay, but then quickly groaned impatient ones as the minutes ticked by. We waited, hopeful that the unexpected expected drop would begin, but instead there we were, stuck, with blood beginning to rush to each of our heads. More impatient groaning. Now some cursing ensued (no, not me, from others). We can hear the clicking of the coaster resetting itself, but still nothing. So we waited. And waited. And waited some more. Backwards, at a steep angle, hoping that a change in our circumstances won’t take too long.

Suddenly, after what seemed like hours (it was only a few minutes), the coaster let off a loud click and it finally started up again. The potential energy of our hanging backwards in the almost vertical position was finally released (as designed). We dropped quickly down the track, still backwards, going down each slope and around each curve, not knowing what each next turn will bring. The groans became screams of joy, a happy terror, and after a thrilling rest of the ride, the journey on the coaster was soon over.

It was fun and at times, not fun, but either way, it was an experience!

Life sometimes has delays, slopes, curves, and unexpected surprises. There’s groans, screams, laughter, tears, thrills, and plenty of memories. We might be able to predict to a certain extent of what’s next but we definitely can’t predict the far-off future with a level of certainty. Only God knows the future, controls the future, and plans the future.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven.” We have a finite amount of time and a whole life of experiences, and we don’t ever know what the future will bring. I mean, who would have been believed if they were to say a year ago that a worldwide pandemic would shut down nations, drive people indoors, and cause so much destruction? No one. And no, not even Bill Gates.

Our future is in God’s hands. David wrote that all of our days were written in God’s book, “planned before a single one of them began” (Ps 139:16). We don’t know the roller coaster that we are on, but we know the God who knows every twist and turn. And ultimately, when we devote our lives, our time, our gifts, and our passions to Him, we can be guaranteed that we will not be lost, but will be right where He wants us.

Fran

Fran Trascritti gospel, ministry, Missions, salvation

The Day Our Church Van went on a Beer Run…

It was the summer of 2006, and a group of members from my church and I were outside of New Orleans to help with the rebuild of the area, recently devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Our assignment was simple: replace a badly damaged roof of a home that week. The owner of the home was in the military, called out constantly to serve our country while his family’s needs remained. We were proud and honored to serve our Jesus as we served this family.

Over the course of the week, a neighbor kept checking in on us. Usually drunk in the middle of the day, he would shout out comments to us, asking us about how much longer we would be there, and even attempting to climb up to be with us (we stopped him from his climb up the ladder).

On the third day, however, he asked us for a favor. It was mid morning, and he needed a ride to go to the store and asked for one of us to take him there in our church van. I gladly offered to take him and we began to talk about him, his life, and the reason for us being in the community in the first place. We arrived at the store and he went in to make his purchases while I stayed in the church van.

When he came out, I was shocked to see him holding in his hand a 24-pack of beer. Essentially, I had just taken him in our church van on a beer run!

He got in and I reluctantly began to drive, but only after I protested a bit. However, picking up where we left off from our earlier conversation, I shared the story of Jesus with him, about the seriousness of sin, what Jesus did to conquer sin and death, and how he can be changed through his step of faith. We returned back to and parked in front of the house, and he began to share the pain in his life and how he had struggled with this pain during the time after Katrina. I listened, offered to pray for him, and, again sharing the gospel, I encouraged him to place his trust in Jesus.

That moment, in the church van, he prayed to receive Christ, finishing with a sentence that I will never forget: “I don’t need this beer; take it, I don’t need it anymore!” My heart skipped a beat as I realize what had just happened: this man’s life was changed forever that day!

What can we learn from this? That in the midst of crisis, there is a world hungry for the sweet, soothing words of Jesus Christ. People are scared and confused. They want to make sense of the world in order to find purpose and meaning beyond what they see. Sure, some turn to alcohol, drugs, or even pornography, but none of those things bring satisfaction and only make things worse. Instead, they need what we have: the truth of God’s Word and the love of a God who brings life through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In this time of a world-wide pandemic, people are looking for answers. Be open to talk, be available, and be ready to help them see the heart of the issue. Most of all, speak the truth in love. People are in pain, and they are looking to fill a void in their lives, so show them that the only true satisfaction is found in Jesus Christ.

You never know how God will be using you next. Things are not always as they seem. May your interactions go beyond the surface and to the heart. May your conversations be Jesus-centered conversations!

Fran