Name: Jason
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MISSION Where you ARE ?
August 22nd, 2010
Do you ever get the sense that you’re going through life in a routine, and although you’re a believer, the gradual routine of life, just doesn’t seem to be the same as what you read in the bible. There is something to be said no doubt for living a quiet and peaceful life, and doing good, working in the workplace and raising a family. I don’t want to detract from raising a family and children in this blog post whatsoever, for I believe this of the highest calling.
This morning I was reading a blog and I read a quote that sparked me, or ignited me rather, it was attributed to Hudson Taylor, a missionary to China who was one of the first and primary missionaries to the Chinese people bringing Christ to Asia in more modern times.
Hudson Taylor was an English missionary to China who founded China Inland Mission. During his 51 years of service in China, his China Inland Mission established 20 mission stations, brought 849 missionaries to the field (968 by 1911), trained some 700 Chinese workers, raised four million dollars by faith and developed a witnessing Chinese church of 125,000. It has been said at least 35,000 were his own converts and that he baptized some 50,000.
The Quote that was attributed to him was, “Unless there is the element of extreme risk in our exploits for God, there is no need for faith.”
We have moved to the inner-city, and although we have no such faith as Hudson but we believe that moving to the city was worth the risk. Yet so far we do not have the visible fruit comparatively, yet we hope in God. Several people have joined us in moving to the city and we are praying for both converts, and for more to consider moving into places that they would not choose to live in if their flesh were in control as it screams out ( please bring me worldly comforts ), but we must go to places where our flesh would cringe, but where God would be exalted and glorified by our lives.
The most typical argument is that God can be glorified anywhere, and I believe this, I don’t believe everyone should be moving to the city, yet at the same time I believe that we should be going the opposite direction of our flesh, “Right Where We Are!”
For some the comforts of this life have such a hold on them and the most pertinent and prudent thing to do would be to leave those comforts in faith and go seek out a new country, city, but others it may be take a risk in inviting a neibhor, a family member, a co-worker home for a meal so that they may know you and you may share Christ.
What have we done to forsake this life and embrace eternity now? The kingdom is at hand, the Kingdom is now.
I have been reading a book by Richard Baxter, and it has ignited my heart along with another book by Horatiaus Bonar we’ve been reading on Saturday mornings men’s group. These books question the sincerity of the minister, and not only the minister but of the Christian who does not long for souls, and call in to question the believer’s salvation who can sit by while others in the world are perishing.
The heart of this post isn’t to urge/discourage people where they are at, I believe that God can be glorified no matter where anyone is however, I believe so often we take no risk, so few acts of “faith” are visible and we call what we do, living by faith when it is not. I confess my own guilt of trusting in me and what I can see so much.
One of the things I believe so many Christians somehow allow themselves to rest in, is the fact that that they are justified and saved by Christ (AND WE ARE)therefore, ……..
that’s just it, therefore…. I live my life like Christ in much the same way I lived my life before only now with a Christian exterior?
In the ease of my justification (I’m safe in Christ) which is a true truth,we pervert it in a sense in the rest of our full assurance, with so much of our spiritual life only concerned with ME, or ourselves. And we don’t see the lack in this….. ( I’m speaking not of something we would say outrightly, we would not say we rest in our justification, but we live as if we have not been given a mission by God after our salvation, as if we have already obtained the prize.)
To ease our conscience, we say to ourselves; I am no longer of the crowd that drinks or smokes ( in bars ) or out “in the world” yet, when we do a sharp comparison we see that Jesus himself, who is the exact image of the invisible God was with people, sinners.
And WE my friends, WE are called to go into the world and teach them to “observe” all that Christ commanded, and to make disciples?
And yet we rest in the fact that we have made it past the earthly finish line of salvation and have in our self-absorbed American Christianity forgot about the millions of souls who are being lost.
I have heard from men, well God will have to deal with that, I can only present the truth. But are you presenting a truth that you believe? Would there not be more of an attempt to tell people the truth if you were under conviction of the desperate state of the reality of their situation?
Some say we’ve moved beyond speak of Hell as a “fear tactic” in Christianity, but if we don’t tell men about hell how will they know of God’s love to keep them from hell? Yet God would use all means within His grasp to save men, and he uses warnings in scripture, Hell, and Love, mercy and GRACE and all of these things to bring men to the understanding that they are absolutely in need of GOD for their very next breath, they are unable, incapable of their own doing to come to Christ.
We have lost the effect of the crippling truths of God’s word, they have been relieved of their sting to appease the wicked desires of carnal and lost world, and to soften the blow. In effect when we remove these, we remove the truth effectively gutting the gospel and remove its effect.
We can no longer as the “young and reformed” look through the eyes of our post modern lens and take away the truth from people who are perishing, and have not heart about it. This is in effect hyper-Calvinism, not in doctrine but in practice. We believe in God’s sovereignty so much that our emotions, and the power in God’s word has been lessened.
Let me make one qualifying statement, I am not speaking of “harshness.” But explicitly if we care about men, and we believe that there is a hell, and we believe that we are all eternal, how many people, friends do we let pass by without a word?
I fail in loving people as I should, both Christians, and non believers, I pray God teach me to love, as He loved on the cross for me. I want to love this way to the world that they may know Him.
Consider taking an extreme risk this week, and ask a neighbor, an old friend, someone you care about, about their story, and when God brings the right time, ask them about their soul. Tell them of Christ and this love.
Do this “Right Where You Are!”
Popularity: 14% [?]
Is This Really Church
July 16th, 2010
It is one thing to consider “what church is” in starting a new church, what are the essential components of “The Church”etc? I think as we learn from Francis Chan’s experience and listen to his answers, and although should be no surprise, it will shock and surprise some. Enjoy!
Popularity: 69% [?]
Steadfast
July 5th, 2010
As of late I have had difficulty “regaining” what I would said is “right” perspective or “God’s” perspective. However, a couple of things came out in James this morning for me. Besides the first part of take joy in those trials, I camped on “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast.” This society is so non-committal and so very voluntary association driven, not just with churches but with everything. Upon the first offense, we don’t go back to a business, we don’t go back to a church, we don’t go back to anything because we have a myriad of choices, even friendships, relationships, and many professing Christians even say marriages. But God says “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial” for a reason. It goes on to talk about how we like to blame God for our circumstances, and this is where the perspective change comes in in verse 16 refocusing on getting the right perspective of circumstances and God. Every good and perfect gift is from above, and there is NO variation or shadow due to change or because of change? God does not change simply because our circumstances do, and we often need a heavenly perspective, in other words it’s not even our circumstances that “change” God or what He’s doing in our life it’s the way we are viewing the circumstances or situation. If anyone is having any struggles please pray this way that God would grant you sight to see from His perspective.12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.
Popularity: 69% [?]
Gospel As We Go – William – Theology Gospel Life
May 18th, 2010Yesterday 
my wife had the opportunity to go spend time with a friend, which afforded me the opportunity to take the children to the park. We brought our dog along with us, Nitro. Little did I know that Nitro would be such a conversation piece. As the children ran over to the new playground equipment at Budd Park, in North East Kansas City, Missouri, I had person after person come up to pet him and say hello. I had thought to perhaps read while I was there sitting at the bench watching the children burn off some of their energy but so many people kept coming by to chat about the dog, and before I knew it I had a gentleman sitting next to me.
His name was William. I didn’t get a last name, but he was a Veteran who served in Vietnam. He said his family has disowned him, his life isn’t of much value, but spent much of his conversation with me attempting to tell me of his value. I could see him attempting to grasp at his worth or value, his need to be recognized as loved by someone, but without recognizing Jesus. He then proceeded to admire our Lab and then as we were sitting there, I asked him what he thought this life has after here. He said he wasn’t sure, he grew up Baptist, but didn’t know that his parents were baptist until later. ( In other words, William had grown-up in a third generation baptist home. ) (More on multi-generational faithfulness later)
William was somewhat intoxicated and as the conversation progressed, his level of inebriation progressed, because of the bottle in hand. We started off with much clarity however. I asked him if he knew the gospel, and like so many men he knew the mechanics of the gospel word, and had heard the gospel given, preached, spoken. I asked him if he knew why Jesus died? And he said yes, because God required a perfect sacrifice for his wrath to be satisfied.
I was really in shock for some time at his coherent answer when it came to not just articulating that Christ died for sin, but that God requires a perfect sacrifice. He obviously didn’t learn his theology from a Jehovah’s Witness, but from someone who seemed to have somewhat sound Christian theology.
William then proceeded to tell me that he had lived with a minister for 8 months during his life. And he had learned and understood much “Christianity stuff…..” but what he couldn’t seem to understand was the fact that while he lived in the basement of the minister’s home, the minister treated his wife like dirt. He spoke down to her all the time, he held himself up to be special and self-righteous, he never came down to the level of anyone else. There was nothing his wife could do right, and the way that he spoke to her was horrible.
Topics changed at some point for a moment, William said he had a decision to make this evening, he was thinking about going to a VA home where he could rest for the remainder of his life, because he said he didn’t have long in this world. I spoke a little of Matthew 7, about fruit, but spoke to him about trust in Christ. Not trusting in his drink or the things of this world. When we were done I prayed with him, and there were some tears, but I wasn’t sure if they were from the alcohol or from God softening his heart. I pray the latter, yet I do not know.
Williams “Life Philosophy” however, he didn’t get from the bible, but he got from the apathy of life, the depression of being unwanted, when he feels as if there is little to live for, and all that was worth living for now, is gone. He took his favorite saying which he lives by from a Doris Day movie, “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be).” This is William who lets life happen to him now, he’s understood the gospel, he says he believes, and yet, he doesn’t believe.
And though he knew the mechanics of the bible for whatever reason God hasn’t seen fit to show William that he’s in need of a savior, he understands that in a sense “Whatever will be will be” yet at the same time he takes little responsibility for his own life or the things happening to him, ascribing his lack of true faith in Christ to those whom claimed the name of Christ but did not live it out eg. the minister whom he lived with while he lived in Oklahoma.
Last night’s encounter brought conviction to me, and to my life. It had me examine how others view my life, with those possibly watching. Not only with my spouse, my children, but with strangers and neighbors, with co-workers and friends. When I speak the name of Christ, of the Gospel, of discipleship and the like, how does my life demonstrate my belief? or does it repulse, what about being self-righteous, proud, dogmatic, insincere ?
It’s only the Holy Spirit in us which provides us with the “Care” for others souls in eternity, and it’s only “Him” who moves us to action, to speak to them about Jesus, I can claim no part in it. I pray God grant us belief, strength, and will power to overcome the flesh, the apathy, the pride. We are so prone to apathy, to not care about anyone but ourselves here in the U.S…., may God grant us intentionality, and purpose as we seek not to live Christianity out of a programmed legalistic life, but to bring the gospel to bare on everyday life because of Christ.
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. -2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Popularity: 81% [?]
Meeting Together T & V
April 27th, 2010
We have been meeting together on Saturday mornings. It’s been a rich time as we go to seminary, (not literally go to seminary) but the book we’re going through every Wed, I’ve written about before is a book of ecclesiology of sorts. The book which I have blogged about in the past is The Trellis & The Vine.
It’s been good because we’re able to meet at 6:00 am in one of the homes, and by God’s grace we’ve been treated well in hospitality by the host home. This has been a time of focus and of reflection. Often I have noticed that in the way that “Church methodology or ecclesiology” is set up, people truly believe often that the way they are holding it is the “only” way. As we have moved through the book I get a great, and deeper sense that Jesus is the only way, John 14:6 the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the father but by him… however he’s made diversity in His bride to be able to look differently in many many different ways, and yet they need to contain many of these basic elements which often in our American culture are super-ceded by that which demands our attention or the thing that is easier. We compromise what’s valuable eternally with that which takes over as immediately important now, and those things are often what’s important to the flesh.
We are in fact American’s and one of our greatest difficulties is, attempting to live in an opposite way the world is living which appeals to the flesh. This way is primarily to seek comfort, comfort, comfort, at all cost. Our flesh gravitates toward ease. If we can find something and label “comfort with Jesus” on the outside we have in the American mindset, this accomplishes what’s needed in our Christianity. We have eased our conscience, to say that we have Jesus in addition to whatever it is we like to do, or hobby or selfish desire etc. True faith requires us to live with our rest and comfort in Christ, and long for the real comfort of heaven in eternity with Jesus, but not comfort for comforts sake, here and now.
Our greatest challenge it seems is the subtle, slow, drowning of our Christian faith in worldly possessions, activities, and hobbies. We are easily pulled to those things with a “Jesus” type label or sticker but I heard one preacher ask this weekend, what are we doing that is distinctively “Christian” ? Matthew 23 comes to mind..
What is it that we’re doing in our lives that we would not be doing if we weren’t Christians and how different does our life look to the world around us?
The Trellis and the Vine is a helpful tool to help re-focus ministry on the main thing which is spiritual growth and discipleship. Growing and reproducing people who are devoted followers of Christ. This is done as Jesus did it, and why I believe Jesus came in the flesh and was called Emanuel “God with us. This is done with human interaction as we see the Gospel lived out.
Here are the questions for the discussion of chapter 8 and 9 which is provided by Mathias Media.
1. Look at the three models of pastoral ministry described on page 94-101. How would you describe the pastoral model at your church? Does it fit in one of these categories, or is it a mixture? Or something else entirely?
2. “Sunday sermons are necessary but not sufficient?” (ch 8 Page. 102) Do you agree? Why or why not? What Scriptures would you use to support your position?
3. What would your church learn from the example of Richard Baxter? (ch 8 Page 104-107)
4. Look back at the seven people you jotted down in the last discussion. If you only had time to meet with two of them personally, which two would you choose and why?
5. Read 1 Corinthians 3:5-9; 16:15-18. What do we learn from these passages about the nature of team ministry?
6. To what extent does your congregation operate with a team of co-workers? What is going well in this regard? What could be improved?
7. What are the key things to look for in gathering a team of co-workers?
They were challenging to me personally as we consider all of these things, as I hope they are to you!
Popularity: 84% [?]
Drive-by-Evangelism and Discipleship
April 8th, 2010
I started to write a blog based upon this and found out that after doing a google search there was something very very similar to what I was about to write already out there in cyber-space. I understand, no thought I have is my own, and there is nothing new under the sun, but I was excited to see two things, that this brother is established with folks here in KC, and that he captured the heart of what I was about to say. You can find this blog post here on Black and Reformed Ministries.
I too have shifted away from the “Drive by Evangelism Method” and like my brother am not wanting to discourage any type of evangelism if this is your calling, however I don’t see this type of “methodology” lived out in the book of Acts or scripture in general. Granted it was a different time, and the gospel message is the same, what I think we have often tried to do is divorce the message from the messenger. I believe that God is sovereign over salvation, and does not need us to save anyone but God chooses based upon His choice to use men, yet God has commanded for all believers to make disciples. Both of these truths are true and neither one negates the other. I want to be clear over this aspect of soteriology.
Often with good theology modern techniques in sharing Christ fall short in their genuine sincerity. In our delivery methods, where our society is built on capitalism, advertisements, and gimmicks, the delivery of the message comes off very disingenuous and is often related to these sales tactics. The truth of the matter is we often deliver the message out of a sense of Christian duty as opposed to a love for the lost. Or let me put it this way, somehow in our Christianity we have determined that even though it’s not said out loud, our ‘discipleship making‘ is to be done by those who ‘work‘ at church or the professionals. I don’t believe many believers would articulate it this way, but IF and I mean even IF we get to the point of doing one of the methodologies of today, ie door to door, or street preaching, or servant evangelism (which falls short of the words of truth often) but our general thought is, if we can ‘invite‘ only we have done Matthew 28, and our part in teaching men to observe all that Christ has commanded.
I do believe there should be a sense of Christian duty or obedience but not derived from the motive of earning or getting, but giving as Christ did His life four our ransom. In other words as best we can discern, it should be Christ’s motive and not our own. Please don’t hear what I’m not saying, there is the fact that God does say in Matthew 28 commanding his disciples to go and make more disciples, teaching them to observe ALL Christ has commanded. However, somehow someway our marketing ideas and ‘Ways’ have come into our churches and it’s more about getting people dedicated to a church and getting them to the professional pastor than the individual spending time with them in an individual discipleship relationship.
“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart” – 1 Peter 1:22
This brings me to my second point, pastor laity distinctions. Obviously there are roles which elders and deacons are to carry out. Most of the time the roles in churches are not always clear, or even adhered to in today’s churches. Unintentionally people have busy lives and have relegated difficult work with people to the clergy, and have abdicated their own sense of responsibility in Christian life to someone else with more time, talent, or maturity level. It’s not either the pastor’s responsibility or the Christian’s responsibility to carry on but it is both the Pastor as he leads by his example, and the Christian as they carry out the word preached, which brings together life and doctrine.
For some, doctrine has people resting in their deep understanding of the doctrine of Justification, and their rest in Christ. This is valid and completely true if understood rightly. Somehow we get confused about this doctrine in our praxis, a disconnect occurs which removes our need to be busy about the Lord’s work. Or perhaps we feel that the Lord’s work is only or for one or two compartments of our life. No need to be intentionally making disciples, or exhorting, encouraging that’s the business of “the Church.” We forget we are the church.
Other churches have a real ignorance of the doctrine of Justification, but here it is our apathy about the things of God due to our lack of understanding about the Gospel and Christ, or a true understanding of our Christian responsibility out of who Christ is and what He has completed on the cross.
We must realize that it is Christ alone and belief in Christ which saves men. We are saved by Grace through faith and not of ourselves, but this “Real” faith as I’ve called it in a recent blog, is the fruit of an authentic Christian life. Often we would like put forth our need to focus on one area over another. If we are doers, others say we are missing the fact that we can not “DO” anything to earn our salvation. ( People judging motives to ease their own conscience of not Doing) (In some cases it may be true) – or for example (The preaching of the word / high emphasis on doctrine . ) Where some would say that this can lead to white washed tombs, or puffed up knowledge, again ( People judging motives to ease their own conscience of not being good students of the word or having a passion for preaching, ) What people don’t realize is that it’s not an either or scenario. There is the narrow road of truth we must walk down.
In evangelism we need both the word of truth and the demonstration of Christian life before men, a both and, verses an either or proposition.
We need both the preaching of the word at it’s highest level of excellency as well as we are called to live a holy life which we can not attain either on our own. In each of these, it must be God, but we are to strive towards His standards not rest in our own standards often governed by our flesh, laziness, apathy. It is both the doctrines of justification as well as the doctrine of sanctification. We trust that God has finished the work on the cross, yet we are admonished to “work out our salvation in fear and trembling” indicating we have something to do. It is being both a hearer which is how God saves men and and a doer of the word which demonstrates that true fact of His finished work on the cross.
So I’m not knocking, “The Way of the Master” evangelism, great content, a little heavy on the gimmick. I still stand on the fact that God can use anything He desires to save men especially His law. My argument along side the use of those things would be a ‘both and’ approach, both the truth of the Gospel preached in evangelism and a sincere attempt to incorporate, bring along side of yourself people you know who need to know Christ more. Both word and deed, not word or deed. This is real love, real faith, real discipleship. Not simply passing out tracks or servant evangelism, but gospel words, with gospel life, thus the “Total Discipleship” approach, not the partial, or the easy, or the convenient.
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Idolatry of Self
April 6th, 2010
God has been teaching me a lot lately about differences in people, ministries, families, and life in general. Some of these differences in people are personal differences, some of them doctrinal differences, some rest in philosophical differences, some are differences, in culture, understanding, presuppositions, and so forth. As you can tell just in the opening here, there can be a multitude of ways that we can be different than one another. In general people like to congregate around those things in which they are alike. I learned recently through a message, on a play on E-Harmony, the title of the message was called “We Harmony.” It was a husband and wife team who had given Brandy and I a foundation of Christianity for our marriage in our first year of marriage and we are forever grateful for this foundation. I believe a better title for their message would have been “We Humility.” Their definition for biblical harmony in marriage stated, that we must sincerely care for the differences of other people and not only for the similarities. True harmony in marriage comes when we sincerely and truly care for one another’s differences as well as our similarities. This translates in our marriages as well as in many other types of relationships. They said that true harmony begins at the place where we begin to care for one another’s differences. I would say that true humility begins when we begin to care for one another’s differences.
Sound like silly psychobabble yet? Well let me explain it this way, when we care for people who are like us there is something often “in it” for us. Often we are “self-fulfilled” by those whom are like us, we feel validated or having value, when we are in disagreement it is how we, in turn, handle those differences which lead down the road of humility or pride.
If we love people when people are like us we are comfortable and it’s easy to carve out in our lives little replica’s in our mind of ourself and as long as they are in agreement with me then we walk in love with one another, but when we disagree, my love for them is conditional and I no longer care for this person. How many of us are guilty here? We are often fine in relationships whether with our spouse, friends, even our churches when we align in all areas, but when we differ, and someone doesn’t line up with how “I think,” our idol of self has betrayed us and we soon move on to the next idol which will fulfill or validate our thinking, our life, our theology, whatever the case may be.
I am speaking about this because of my own guilt in it, and God revealing this type of idolatry in my own life. I would guess that I’m not alone in my thinking. So the question is how are we to deal with differences? My wife and I are extremely different, and we have had to learn early on in our marriage to care for those differences, and we are not perfect in it. In friendships and often in church we can avoid difficult relationships, or people whom we are not like. It’s easier to be around people who are like us. We often seek to please our flesh and if our flesh finds it painful to be around people we disengage and seek comfort, and that comfort is often to play to our strengths instead of our weakness.
What I found in listening to the message about “We-Humility” and having care and concern about one another’s differences in marriage, is that we’re forced to deal with those differences. It’s not like friendships we can avoid but in marriage governed by God we deal with these differences in two ways. The first way that we often deal with them is to try to do what we would do in Church or some other relationship, if we find a difference we try to stay away from that topic, or area of discussion. The problem being is that ultimately in marriage it always comes up again.
I remember when I first got married my wife didn’t have an understanding of “white collar work” vs. “blue collar work.” For a long time she thought my many hours on the computer perhaps wouldn’t be classified as work. I looked at her often and would see that she worked non-stop with her hands and in a “blue collar” sort of way and though I was amazed at her work ethic I must say that her activity showed me my own sin. Neither one of us could see the other one’s perspective and therefore there was a point of contention for several years in our marriage. Until at some point in time God granted me the ability to see my wife from His perspective. I began to look at her the way God sees my wife, as a gift and her attributes which are reflected in God as a gift. My wife’s work ethic accused my laziness before, and then with His perspective it was her work ethic which now inspired me to do more physical labor, even though I still 10 + years later have a long way to go. Later she too came to care and understand that even though what I did wasn’t physical labor, that the work I did with my mind became appreciated. I believe she too came to appreciate, and have a thankfulness for how God had given me the ability to provide for our home.
This is an example in marriage about beginning to care for one another’s differences, humbling our selves and newly understanding that we do not have the corner on “reality” but God does, it is his perspective that matters and not the lens through which I view the world in sin, but through His eyes. This takes time, repentance, and God’s grace. Now how does this love and care for one another’s differences take place in our churches and other relationships?
I was reading the word this morning and it seemed to be an answer, but not to my surprise it is much the same as in marriage.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. – Ephesians 3:14 | 4:1-6
It is out of the love of Christ who is able, in Ephesians 3 that we humble ourselves to walk in a manner worthy of our calling which we all have been called. I believe also we have to walk this out with one another, this isn’t meant to be done by ourselves. God does this sanctifying work in His power, in His way, in His time, yet at the same time the differences between my wife and I, wouldn’t have been exposed if we hadn’t come together. This sin that was sitting below the surface may not have surfaced, I may never have been challenged by her giftedness, if I had kept myself in “self-justify” mode for laziness or “pitty party” for lack of understanding vs. asking God to show me my wife in the way He sees her, then relying upon God to produce in my heart the change. He is an amazing God, loving us, and then out of that love producing in us the ability to love in the differences of life.
In our places of worship we still must come together to be in “relationship” with one another in order for us to discover, and sharpen, and rub each other in certain ways that God may produce in us transformation through His love. When we avoid relationships with people who are different than us we are feeding our idol of selfishness. But Christ called us to die so that we may bear fruit….
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. – John 12:24
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. – Matthew 16:24
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. – Mark 8:34
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. – Luke 9:23
Where we die to those differences, and begin to love others in their differences in a real way, demonstrates the death of the idol of self, and the truth of sanctification as we walk in a manner worthy of our calling!
Popularity: 90% [?]
REAL
March 10th, 2010
Real isn’t a word that I would have used to describe Christianity when I was growing up. I think in the 80’s the generation raising us was doing the best they could, but the topic of “compartmentalization” grew out of this generation. Perhaps it’s always been a part of life, but it was definitely a growing trend when I grew up. What I mean by “compartmentalization” is something like often when you hear the term “Sunday Morning Christianity”? This is very similar. The idea that Church and Christianity are things that are done like mass for Catholics often when you go once a week and your supposed faith doesn’t inform the reality of your life. It’s an activity to go to, to ease conscience vs. being with other believers for the soul purpose of biblical worship, fellowship, and equipping in the word.
One of the most memorable times in my life, is when I came to the realization that Christianity was REAL. And not just in an intellectual way, where all the facts were real, but in the way that God really is real, and that He’s really here, and that He really cares about His people. Intellectually was one thing, but when I began to attend a bible study every Thursday evening I was blessed to be introduced to a family who was what I called evidence of the “real deal.”
That’s layman terms for I met someone who was really living the Christian life successfully. When I say successfully I don’t mean without failure, I mean someone who demonstrated weakness, who admitted mistakes, who studied the word, and then attempted to apply it in many and most areas of his life. This was a completely foreign concept for me.
I would not have articulated that Church was something I did along side everything else, just another box in the schedule but this is how I viewed life even though God had granted me a new gnawing feeling inside that there must be something different something more to real faith.
At that time in my life, I had longed for nearly two years for discipleship relationship of some sort. I looked around the church I was in at the time found it very difficult to even get invited over for dinner. Someone said to me later on, it’s the people of the home that make the guest feel welcome not the guest who need to try to make or accommodate the people of the home, in the context of church I was seeking someone’s hospitality and little was to be found.
It’s difficult to be indiscreet but I remember posting on the public church board at the time how my wife and I would like to meet another family for dinner and get to know people, and found that no one would take us up on it at the time.
Strange, people seemed friendly enough on the outside but the inside was perhaps the untold story. So we not knowing any better at the time rested there until we met the family that would disciple me over the next 7 to 9 years or so.
They took us in their home at least 2 to 3 nights a week, we had purchased a home in the city near theirs and we gutted it. The problem was we didn’t have the $ at the time for all the remodels so we waited and waited to complete things.
We didn’t have a kitchen for more than three years. My wife endured me and this family who was unoffically discipling us (In other words we weren’t going through a book or program it was just life ) . This was an oasis of kindness and mercy at that time. Over the course of the next 4 years or so they allowed us to eat in their home and watch how they raised their children.
All the while I was meeting the men for bible study and watching this man apply biblical principles and scripture to his life. And I saw him grow, even though he was so much further along in his understanding than I, I saw what I considered fruit, and sanctification taking place and it was right before my eyes. This is where I saw the words from the Gospel, and God’s word brought to real life. In otherwords the reality of the faith played itself out before me, who had little faith through these men. This wouldn’t have happened from a book or a sermon but they shephereded and guided a very misguided or unguided heart of a young man.
I remember one of the earlier nights at the bible study, perhaps I had been attending two or three months, but I left the home going, ” You’re real, you’re really real!!!” The joy of the reality of the faith was so real and so apparent, like it had never been before. This was finally something I saw being lived out beyond the theoretical, beyond the intellectual understanding. I fully realize how important understanding is, so don’t mis-understand me but the power of the word was demonstrated by the witness of the lives and hearts of these men toward God. It was seeing this example, along with scripture that helped me see that the Gospel was something that was REAL to be lived out. It was not just intellectual rhetoric, to be believed, but this was REAL.
Though the nearly 4 years without a kitchen was probably some of the more tough times in our marriage, I believe God used it to humble me, and to change me for His glory. God used it to help me change my mind about life, and my heart about my wife, and my understanding about discipleship.
So do you ever wonder why you don’t often see older men teaching the younger? or why young ladies only hang out with older ladies occasionally to teach them (although I confess it happens more with women than men ) ?
I mean really where did we stop obeying the simple things in scripture and what’s missing? I think it’s really simple, yet not easy to do. I think we’re missing each other? But most of all we’re missing God’s word, the word that we know the words to so well. We have missed the understanding and application of it.
What’s more we have desensitized our lives with email and cell phones, and little conversation except through non relational / emotive ways over these media mediums and we are taking this right into the church.
We need the understanding of the Word which comes from preaching, and then we also need the life of the Body which comes from the Body loving one another and living and doing life with one another.
That’s the real deal!
—- I may have to do a part 2
Popularity: 95% [?]
Total Church – Gospel Communities
February 23rd, 2010I’m still in the process of digesting these videos, they are definitely a shift in ministry mindsets which affect everything labeled ministry. Please consider spending the time in watching them if at all possible. I would love to hear feedback – either via email or post below!
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Steve Timmis and Tim Chester wrote a series of blogs for the Resurgence based on Total Church.
Popularity: 99% [?]
Rules Without Relationship = Rebellion (Trust)
February 17th, 2010
Over the past several months as we have actually moved out from our local home church and are seeking to establish a work in the North East are of Kansas City, I have found that the issue of Trust is an amazing factor is beginning a church plant.
You can call it trust, you can call it faith, we must have faith in God and trust other believers and all of these things take place in the context of “Relationship.”
Relationship would probably be one of my soap boxes, it’s something that I believe has been lost with our self-serving culture. What I don’t mean is relationships in searching out felt needs, but something little payed attention to, yet often something that is defining in everyone’s life. All of the media, and institutionalization of education, organizations ie the local ‘church’ often has people wondering if there is more to gathering with a group of people that simply the gathering itself. Is there something missing in what’s described in God’s word as the Body & Bride of Christ when there is little true deeply held relationships.
One thing we can know for certain is the fact that men’s hearts are often wicked and although we seem, and attempt to have good motives, God motives, the motives of men’s hearts tend toward idolatry often in so many ways. It has been here that we find our greatest need in relationship with others. So many times our own personal pride blinds us from our weak moments, from our most frail or self-exalting times and it is only others who can see these exhalations. Thank goodness for our wives!!! What a needed partner to cultivate humility in ones life.
These past few months have been great opportunities for motive checking along the way, idolatry checks. During the past few weeks there has been a kind of coming together and friendship between brothers that I see just starting to form at a level that often is only known through hardship. There is plenty more to learn and to grow in, and from with these brothers, yet at the same time I see a transparency coming, and a new love forming that I believe is indicative of what it really means to love your brother, and for others to know we are disciples or followers of Jesus by the way we are loving one another.
It is here in relationship that you see men more closely following the commands of Christ and fulfilling scripture in a way that most people who often simply attend Church never know. There is a deep abiding love which moves beyond the natural and enters the supernatural because it’s a love that is God’s love and not the love of man. We have only begun I believe to see the infancy stages of this kind of brotherly love but has been refreshing, authentic, and real for me at least.
I think people often long for a sort of ‘real’ experience in Christianity, that brings their faith beyond words and from the pages of God’s word into the lives they are living. This is only done in the context of community & relationship and it seems to be one of those things that you don’t know you’re missing until you begin to experience it.
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Does anyone see “relationship” in this? This indicates the relationship between both God and Men are inter-linked! Loving God and Loving your neighbor! When I was a new Christian several years back I watch a parenting video I believe by Gary Smalley which had this phrase when considering the raising up of children; “Rules without relationship = Rebellion“..
You see this is biblical, our relationship with God was severed in the garden, and it was Christ the GOD/Man who paid for our relationship to God to be reconciled.
In this small saying there’s something though very subtle makes all the difference in the world. We see that relationships, and genuine caring for your children, over mere rules laid out for them, has with in it sincerity and love as an assumed context.
This sincerity in relationship comes from Christ who in the ultimate way of sincerity and truth poured out His life for ours. Christ authentic sacrifice paid the penalty for our sins and therefore we, in our dying to self in relationship with others demonstrate this sort of Christ like love to those who are in need.
This isn’t something that’s merely said however, “I love you,” with words, but this is something demonstrated in coming along side of someone else in their time of trial, grief, pain, heartache. This coming along side of people is lost in our time management. We have knelt down at the alter of our day-timers. We have but forsaken the needy, the poor, the spiritually thirsty for, our schedules. The good Samaritan is often our story but we not being the Samaritan nor good. We pass by those who need, or keep relationships at such a distance as not to find out, therefore not having to deal with them. If we get to know people intimately we see the vast overwhelming cavern of need in the lives of men and women and we forget we must die to our selves so that Christ may live in us.
This is so essential, not only for children, but for adults, for churches and church discipline. There is something to bringing down church discipline in the context of relationships vs. bringing down church discipline in the context of being ultimate strangers to one another. In relationship because of a dotted line on an org chart vs. in relationship because someone is and has truly been caring for my soul. There is something to a reproof and a rebuke in the context of loving relationships, it’s quite another thing to be reproved by someone whom you know very little about and trust very little. Trust is something that is gained over time and in real relationship, not something gained over time as a real acquaintance. Though our relationships with one another should never be elevated over our relationship with God our father, nor should we bend the knee to please men in this way, we can never get beyond the fact that these relationships are vital, and important, and just one of the many tools God uses to conform us to the Image of Christ.
Popularity: 100% [?]
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