More than 150,000 people die every day. That’s 4.5 million each month, a number that exceeds the population of Los Angeles. Add to that the number of dead throughout human history—it’s a staggering figure. Tragically, many of those people died without knowing Christ. What fate awaits them? Do they really Rest In Peace, or do they find a different reality beyond the grave?

Sadly, those who reject God and His way of salvation don’t find rest when they die. They enter into eternal hell where there’s no peace for the wicked. That’s a grim, terrible reality, and it’s what the Bible teaches.

The real conflict over the biblical doctrine of hell is essentially an issue of authority. What the Bible affirms about hell forces you to believe or disbelieve, to accept or reject. It’s back to the same question that confronts everyone: Do you believe the Bible, or do you not? At the end of the day, the answer determines the fate of every person who ever lived.

The Bible is the only authority source that tells the truth about death, hell and eternity. The Bible has the final word on that subject—and on every subject—because it is a revealed book. It has come from God, from the spiritual realm, and has the answers about where all of us will spend eternity one day.

So, what does the Bible teach about hell?

Hell Is

Far from legend, myth, metaphor or allegory, the Bible presents hell as a real place where wicked people suffer the wrath of God. Consider these vivid portraits of hell from three different New Testament writers:

Then the King will say to those on His left, “Depart from me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels…” These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. (Matthew 25:41, Matthew 25.46″ data-version=”nasb95″>46)

If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:43)

And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)

Scripture presents a terrifyingly clear case for a literal hell. It’s a place where God punishes unbelievers for all eternity. Contrary to what some so-called evangelicals are teaching, hell is not a state of mind or a hard life on this earth. Your state of mind can change; your circumstances can improve. Hell never changes, never improves. Hell is not chastisement; it’s everlasting, insufferable punishment at the hands of an angry God.

According to the revelation Jesus gave to the apostle John, the fate of every unbeliever is to…

drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger. And he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. They have no rest day and night. (Revelation 14:10-11)

Judged anyone lately?

Sadly, the answer for most of us (including me) is…yes.

From the guy who cut you off in traffic, to the off-beat person who’s not picking up the social cues you’re sending, to your weed-smoking neighbor…it’s so easy to judge. And judgment just gets worse from there. It’s the basis of racism, sexism and almost every other ‘ism’ you can think of.

It’s also fundamentally incompatible with authentic Christian faith.

Jesus said Christians should be known for how deeply we love. Yet studies show that in the eyes of many non-Christians, we’re known for how deeply we judge, not for how deeply we love.

The problem in many cases is not that unchurched people don’t know any Christians. The problem is that they do. And they don’t like us—for good reason.

Christians will argue: Well, who’s going to stand up for truth?

Understood.

Yet in Jesus, grace and truth are perfectly fused.

Remove grace from the truth and you don’t actually have truth at all, but a cold, steely imitation. (This is the shadow side of conservatism.)

The opposite is also true, of course. Remove truth from grace and you don’t have grace, but a spineless imitation. (As you’ve already figured out, this is the shadow side of liberalism.)

Fusing grace and truth is an exceptionally difficult venture and is usually only successful when you spend significant amounts of time on your knees and when the source of your attempt is actually Christ himself. I am rarely good at it, flipping from one side to the other too quickly.

But when you see grace and truth fused, it takes your breath away. Why did people travel for days on foot in extreme conditions to meet Jesus? Grace fused to truth is what our hearts most deeply long for.

But in the evangelical church today (and I’m an evangelical), the hard edge of truth has crushed many. And one of the most frequent expressions of loveless truth is found in judgment.

Judgmentalism is incompatible with at least five wonderful things. Keep judging, and your church will miss all five of these Christian virtues that can advance your church’s mission.

1. Love

The presence of judgment almost always guarantees an absence of love.

Think about it through the lens of your marriage, a friendship or even someone you work with: It is virtually impossible to love someone and judge someone at the same time.

But wait, you ask: What if they’re making a mistake and I need to correct them?

First of all, look at your mistakes and the depth of your sin, and deal with your issues first. In the process, you’ll encounter a loving God who forgives you despite your rather egregious sin.

And having been loved, you can love others.

I try to remember this rule: If I’m judging someone, I’m not loving them. You can’t judge someone and love them at the same time.

2. Help

Ever notice that people who judge almost never help and people who help almost never judge?

That’s because judgment creates a line. The line is labeled “better than” or “smarter than” or “more righteous than” the person who needs help.

Help knows no such line. It just knows how to help.

When Jesus taught on judgment, not only did he tell us not to judge, and to remove the massive timber from our own eye before trying to find the speck of dust in someone else’s eye first, but he then showed us the purpose of removing the speck from someone else’s eye: It’s to help them.

The Christian purpose of stepping into someone else’s world is not to judge someone, but to help them.

If you’re not trying to help, don’t bother. You’ll probably only make it worse.

And if you are trying to help, you’ll likely notice something else has disappeared: any sense of judgment you once carried.

Everyone loves compliments—myself included. I received a compliment recently from someone who met me for the first time and it was so encouraging.

I met some visitors in the hall at church one Sunday. It was their first time and they didn’t know where the preschool area was, so I walked them there. (I actually took them in the preschool wing through the wrong doors, as I found out later, but I got them there. What do I know, right?) They didn’t realize until I got up to preach I was the pastor. The lady sent me an email the next week and apologized for inconveniencing me. I had actually told them that morning it was not a problem—I actually enjoyed helping them. Then she wrote, “I felt like you were just a nice person. I didn’t know you were a pastor!” She meant it—and I took it—as a compliment.

It reminded me of some of my favorite compliments I have received as a pastor.

Pastors, do any of these make you smile when you receive them?

Here are my seven favorite compliments to receive as a pastor:

“You hang out just like a regular guy,” or “You seem pretty normal for a pastor.”

Well, thank you. It may be because I pretty much am a regular guy. I am full of mistakes, fears, frustrations and heartache. I’m called to be holy—“set apart”—but, so are you. This doesn’t mean, however, I don’t know how to have fun, can’t laugh or talk about things you talk about—such as sports, families, current events or life struggles—which I have too.

By the way, as a normal, regular guy, I’m also capable of disappointing you. I hope I never do, but I am. It comes with being normal.

“I can understand you when you preach.”

Well, good, I’ve succeeded. Of course, you could be saying I’m simple-minded, but I’d own that statement too. “Jesus loves me” still blows my mind. But, one of the things I strive to do is take a more complex truth and make it simple and easier to apply to someone’s life. When I hear a sixth grader takes notes on my messages, and then I hear a person in their 80s say I challenged them—I know God is using me most effectively.

“I liked your speech today.”

This is always said by a visitor who has seldom—if ever—been in church. I hear it frequently from internationals, but also from people who simply don’t know church language. I love it. It shows we are reaching people far from God.

“You were speaking just to me today.”

It may appear this way and I’m glad you took it personally. Sometimes I’m staring into the crowd—and, because my eyes aren’t as good as they used to be—I can’t see anyone well. It always amazes me though how God can take one truth and apply it to a dozen different people in their individual circumstances. So, if the shoe fits with today’s message, please wear it. Probably, however, it is God’s Spirit trying to speak to you. My question—will you obey what God’s Spirit says to do?

“Thank you for being transparent about your mistakes.”

Seriously, I try. Honestly, I don’t have a choice. When you’ve found yourself on the bottom so many times, you certainly aren’t comfortable trying to be someone you’re not. To me, the real test of integrity is living Monday through Saturday the life I claim behind the podium on Sunday. So, to do that means you’re going to hear evidence of how I’m not perfect when I preach.

“Thanks for what your church does to help the community.”

Wow! Thanks! I hear this frequently when I attend community functions. This is certainly our goal. Thank you for recognizing one of our values is actually being accomplished. We love our community and we are here to serve!

(Side note—Jeremiah 29:7 is a verse that challenged me years ago for how we do ministry: “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”)

“Where’s Cheryl?”

People are always looking for my wife on Sunday—mostly to give her a hug or a prayer request. I love knowing our church loves my wife as much—OK, being honest—more than me. I know so many pastors who wish their wives were more active in their ministry. I’m blessed. Also, if you do get mad at me, since I’m just a regular and normal guy, at least you’ll keep coming because you love my wife. She never makes anyone mad. (Not even me.)

What’s a favorite compliment you receive, Pastor?

In the last year, I’ve met far too many people who have lost their jobs in their 40s. In fact, it feels like an epidemic. Technology is transforming today’s workplace, and far too many people are caught by surprise when changes happen. On the job, we need to always keep our eyes open, look ahead and see changes coming as much as possible. Certainly recovery can take a long time, but if you’ve been ambushed and find yourself on the street, here are the first steps I’d take:

1) Get up to speed on the world—and fast. Most full time employees lose touch with how the employment world is changing—even within their own field. I’ve been told that the two most addictive things on earth are heroin and a full-time paycheck. Full-time employees tend to get lax, and stop staying up on changes in the industry. Well now is the time to shift gears. This may also mean you’re due for a personal make-over—clothes, style, makeup, hair—everything. It’s time to start fresh.

2) Get on the phone. Not to panic, but to renew relationships. Go through your contacts and pull the names of people who could help. Let them know your situation, but instead of asking for a job, ask them for suggestions, ideas and recommendations. Get them on your team, and chances are they can connect you with new opportunities.

3) Make sure your resume, portfolio or demo reel is updated and evergreen. Sure you worked on that award-winning TV commercial, but it was in 1985! Don’t date yourself or your work. Refresh everything so it has a newer, more recent feeling. Pull the old-style videos off the reel, yank the dated graphic designs from your portfolio and, if you have to, create updated spec work to take their place. Nobody wants to hire yesterday’s genius.

4) Leave the job with a good attitude and positive relationships. No matter how awkward the layoff or firing may have been, be gracious. You may need their recommendation later. And while you’re at it, offer to do your job on a part-time or freelance basis—at least until they find someone new. A friend of mine was fired from his job at an advertising agency, but worked out a freelance deal that gave him the freedom to launch his own company. Now he hires his old ad agency!

5) Get used to it. The “uberization” of the workplace has begun. Like it or not, more and more jobs will be tasked out, freelanced or done part time. Learn to become comfortable without a full-time safety net. To do that, you need to up your interview skills, become a better leader, learn to cold call and hustle. You can always tell the freelancers on a film shoot in Hollywood. After every scene, as soon as the director yells “Cut!” they’re the ones that pull out their phones and start booking their next job. I’ve worked for myself for more than two decades, and although I wake up every morning unemployed, I’m able to depend on my skills, not somebody else’s for my paycheck. Once you get past the fear of living on the street, the possibilities start opening up.

They key is not to panic. Keep in mind that you’ve built relationships and connections over the years, but probably haven’t activated them in a long time. If you can stay flexible and look at new possibilities for your future, you can not only weather this storm, but come out stronger. Most important? Stay alert, and never be surprised again.

Any other good suggestions for our job hunters?

This is a difficult post—about a difficult issue. It is one we don’t necessarily like to talk about in the church, but sometimes we must.

I came out of a business background, so some things that are done in ministry are different for me. And, frankly, many should be. Ministry isn’t business—it’s ministry. Let me say it again. Ministry isn’t business—it’s ministry.

Some of the people who think I don’t understand this need to read it one more time. Ministry isn’t business—it’s ministry.

At the same time, we should never hide in the label of ministry or use it as an excuse to waste Kingdom dollars. We need good practices of financial and people accountability. Just as the business world has to have healthy employment practices in place simply to stay in business—we need them in ministry. What we do is too important not to consider every dollar.

And, also frankly speaking, this hasn’t always been my experience in ministry.

I struggle being the bad guy, for example, about our utility bills. Some people are terrible about wasting electricity—especially not turning out lights. But, when your utility bill is larger than any one ministry budget you have to consider how you spend it.

Another example is in the area of staffing—people paid by the church. I’ve seen and encountered numerous times where staff people were allowed to continue drawing salaries from a church when their effectiveness is in serious question—or they aren’t even doing their job anymore. Everyone may know something needs to be done, but no one is willing to make the hard decision.

One of the hardest decisions any leader ever makes is to release someone from their employment. It should never be taken lightly. It always hurts. It wasn’t easy in business and it isn’t in ministry. But, sometimes it’s the right thing to do. And, it seems in ministry we are often much slower—if ever—to get there.

I was talking with a pastor who knows he needs to make a hard decision regarding a member of his staff, but he simply hasn’t been able to garner the support or gumption to do it. This person isn’t productive and isn’t trying to be. Though the person is hugely popular with the right crowd on Sunday, he has a damaging personality on the team during the week. He continually works against the pastor’s leadership—undermining him to other staff and lay leadership. The pastor has counseled with the person, has agreement from elders something needs to be done, but no one has been willing to make the hard decision. And, this has been the case for years—not months—years; and with more than one pastor. In the meantime, Kingdom dollars are admittedly being wasted. (I have had this same conversation numerous times with other pastors.)

Many times, in my experience, churches haven’t made the decision because of fear of how others will respond and they use “ministry” simply as an excuse. Again, many times the business world would have already made the obvious decision. After having this discussion countless times with church leaders, I often feel the need to address it. (Please know, I’m talking strictly about poor performance, not about those who lose their jobs because of tightening budgets. This, too, is a growing issue, but not one I’m addressing here.)

Pastoring requires being a leader, but not every pastor is a strong leader. Rather than harshly judge these pastors, though, we need to understand reasons they may struggle—and then prayerfully help them. Here are some of those reasons:

1. They have never seen strong leadership modeled. Too many pastors are still learning leadership on their own because they’ve never spent time with a strong, godly leader. They have no personal role models.
2. They’ve seen bad models. When they see a poor pastoral leader, some pastors spend as much time trying not to be that way that they sometimes fail to develop positive leadership traits. That’s leading by avoidance rather than by intentionality.
3. Their training did not include enough attention to leadership. I teach at a seminary that requires a leadership course, but I’m aware that one course is just a start. Learning leadership takes time and training.
4. They may not be gifted for leadership. I do believe that leadership skills can be taught, but some pastors are more gifted than others for the task of leadership. Leadership is, in fact, a spiritual gift.
5. They’ve been wounded in past ministries. Some pastors who were once strong leaders have scars from previous ministries—and leading has simply become difficult. It feels risky once you’ve been hurt.
6. They’re still young. We’ve all been there: young, zealous (arrogant, even), and convinced we can lead. It’s only when we mature that we realize just how poorly we were leading. Some pastors may be in leadership roles before they’re ready.
7. They’re in maintenance mode. Maybe they’re weary, or they just don’t want to tackle the challenge of change. Some are more focused on retirement than on developing an energetic ministry.
8. They’re unwilling to ask for help. It’s hard for many of us to ask for help, especially if the church has called us to lead. The result is leadership in isolation—and that’s seldom good.
9. The church structure may not let them lead. In some congregations, the structure of committees and boards so handcuffs the pastor that few people could lead.

Take time now to pray that your pastor will lead well. What other reasons would you add to this list?

You know when a church is not healthy as an organization. You will identify things like:

• Poor communication
• Low morale
• High conflict
• Limited results
• Foggy vision

We know that healthy organizations reflect the opposite kind of list.

So far, this is not complicated.

But building a healthy organization is a challenging and complex task, that requires enormous effort and fierce focus.

The key to any healthy organization is based on the foundation of two things held in a cooperative tension.

1. The senior leadership wakes up every day thinking about what’s best for the team.

2. The team wakes up every day thinking about what’s best for the organization.

This is easy to comprehend and very difficult to achieve. There’s an obvious unspoken tension here. I’ll get to that in a minute.

But first, please absorb this same principle again, but this time in reverse. The tension becomes very clear.

1. If the senior leadership wakes up every day focusing only on the good of the organization (hit the numbers, success at all costs, staff are expendable, etc.), the staff won’t want to stay there very long.

2. If the team wakes up every day focusing only on what’s good for them (what do I get? what will you do for me today? make my load lighter, etc.), the senior leadership won’t want them to stay very long.

The tension is obvious.

And this is why healthy organizations, including churches, are rarer than we would expect.

The tension held in these two principles only works when based on trust, and fails when either one attempts to take more than it gives.