Continuing on with my highlights and thoughts on the book by Floyd McClung.
Three Responsibilities of Those Who Lead in a Simple-Church Community
those that are given spiritual leadership are called to lead. It is going in front. It is making decisions and persuading others to be part of the decision. You can tell a leader because he or she has a following. He is not thinking in terms of hierarchy, but of relationship and responsibility.
Three primary responsibilities of those who lead in a local ecclesia:
To guard
1. Against wolves from within (Acts 20:28-30)
2. Against false doctrine (2 Tim. 4:1-5)
3. Aginst decievers (2 John 7-11)
4. Against those who cause divisions (Rom 16:17-18; Titus 3:10)
5. Aginst influences of sexual promiscuity (1 Cor. 5:9-13)
To govern
1. By caring for people.
2. By teaching God's word.
3. By correcting people in error.
4. By appointing other elders.
5. By making decisions.
To guide
1. By teaching the Word.
2. By discipling and equipping others to lead.
3. By imparting passion for God's glory to others.
Simple church by its size and nature needs a coaching and supporting leadership style, not a directing or delegating manner of leading.
Submission to Spiritual, Task, and Teaching Authority
The Bible makes it clear that we are to be committed to a local community of Jesus-followers. Being part of a simple-church community includes submission to true spiritual authority, which means we are humble enough to allow ourselves to be served by others with spiritual gifts we don't have. Some have erroneously taught that to be part of a simple church or house church is to be free from all spiritual authority. In fact, submission to a person or a group of people who follow Jesus is a sign of spiritual maturity. That includes submitting to those who lead. However, there is a difference between submission and blind obedience. Obedience for the sake of obedieince is not good. We can obey evil as well as good; we can obey man when we ought to obey God. Nor is obedience that produces conformity biblical obedience. Obedience to spiritual leaders in order to gain acceptance feeds an unhealthy need for approval.
Three Kinds of Authority
Task Authority
A person put in charge of a task or projects gives assignments and direction. Under him or her is a group of people whose responsibility is to comply with the leader's instructions as promptly and efficiently as they can.
In a work situation, sometimes we just needd to be told what to do and do it.
Teaching Authority
Teaching authority is based on the ability to persuade. The pastor or leader who balks at being asked legitimate questions needs to understand the difference between the different types of authority.
Spiritual Authority
The purpose of spiritual authority is not for passive compliance but for people to be motivated from the heart by Jesus' commands. Those with spiritual authority have responsibilities to guard, govern, and guide those they are given authority to lead. Their task is made easier if those they lead submit to their leadership. If their leadership is exercised in a mature manner, they will seek to influence those they to hear God for themselves and obey him from the heart. Spiritual growth happens through self-discovery, not imposed obedience. The purpose of spiritual authority is to inspire people to obey the commands of Jesus and to equip them for service, not command or control people's lives.
The essence of Christian maturity is a response from the heart to the will of God and to the direction given by spiritual leaders.
A spiritual leader may be a channel of God's Spirit motivating a person, but that person still needs to internalize what God is saying to him or her. Telling people what they must do, and why they should not do something else, may get a leader the immediate results he or she wants, but it doesn't produce spiritual maturity in others.
The exercise of spiritual authority in relation to this kind of obedience should be aimed at helping people discover the will of God by hearing God themselves. If people know how to hear God themselves, then spontaneously reproducing movements of simple churches are much more likely to happen. Top-down spiritual authority stifles a movement, making the leaders the bottleneck through which all decisions must pass. But when people hear God for themselves, they can get on with the work God has called all of us to do.
Tomorrow we'll look at a summary of spiritual authority, among other things dealing with leadership. Today I was able to work about and hour and a half with Greg doing landscaping. It was great. Though I have pain, while I was working, I felt no pain. Tomorrow it may hurt again, and possibly even worse, but it was better than staying home thinking about it. I hope to continue working through my healing over the next few weeks. Have a blessed sunny Monday.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
You See Bones, I See an Army (cont,)
Continuing with Chapter 3 by Floyd McClung.
It's About Bonding and First Impressions
The challenge in church today is that people are imprinted by other people who don't have the DNA of radical New Testament church. They have bonded to meeting-oriented church, to church done for them by pastors, and to church that is conducted in a building one day a week. They have a DNA of dependency on the life-support systems of Sunday school, youth programs, and men's and women's ministries. I often picture this kind of churchgoer as a very sick patient in an ICU ward, in isolation, hooked up to a life-support systems. And that is what conventional church does for many people. They are dependent on the ministries of the church. church for these people is not a radical movement where they are leading people to Christ and baptizing their converts weekly, but something that exists to serve them, to keep them alive.
If the leaders and members of conventional churches are busy maintaining the business systems and structures of the church and don't have time to be winning people to Christ, the people will bond to the Western business-oriented DNA of their leaders. If their leaders don't reproduce followers of Jesus, the people won't believe it is a high value in the church. If the leaders see themselves as the ones who run the church instead of those who preach to the lost and disciple new believers, then the people will be imprinted with that DNA. The DNA of a church at the deepest level sets the pattern of who the church becomes. It is that pattern that determines how everything else grows and reproduces, or doesn't grow at all.
Like Jesus, we don't have the right to say who can and cannot do things for God. We cannot set limits on people's spiritual authority.
God distributes authority in simple-church communities to each person. People who lead do so without needing permission or position to get on with carrying out the Great Commission. One's covering is found in his or her position in Christ, and not in human positions above them in the chain of command. It comes from heart-level humility that others recognize and accept.
The dangers of the top-down hierarchical model of command-and-control-type leadership is that it ties people to a chain of command and creates dependency on other people for empowerment and permission to minister. A codependency is developed that is unhealthy and will not lead to reproducing churches spontaneously.
Many people fear that without the top-down model of leadership there will be no clear authority. This is a false assumption based on bad experiences or lack of experience, or worse, a lack of understanding of how God designed his church to function. The strongest authority one can have is spiritual authority. If a person's life does not warrant them influence in the lives of others, then they won't be respected. But if they speak with wisdom and insight, and serve with a humble attitude, people will notice and will follow them, regardless of the person's title or position. Jesus led in this manner.
I have personal experience in this area. I was once removed from ministry by the person above me and was no longer allowed to disciple anyone. I knew at the time this was very wrong, unhealthy, and unbiblical. But, wanting to submit to my authority and keep peace in the church, I obeyed. Looking back, I wish I hadn't. Floyd explains above how our ultimate authority comes from our position in Christ. I see many loyal church-goers struggling in this area. Their scope is limited to the immediate church, not the Kingdom of God. They put their Pastor above their God in making decisions. Is it because the ramifications of not obeying the Pastor appear more immediate and threatening than the wrath of the Almighty? What if the Pastor is wrong? Greg encourages all our leaders to question his direction, to line up what he says with what the Bible says. He tells them to obey the Bible if he's wrong. He expects that. He has always done that. Once it cost him his job as Associate Pastor, but he did the right thing.
Do you have the courage to do the right thing? I wish I had.
It's About Bonding and First Impressions
The challenge in church today is that people are imprinted by other people who don't have the DNA of radical New Testament church. They have bonded to meeting-oriented church, to church done for them by pastors, and to church that is conducted in a building one day a week. They have a DNA of dependency on the life-support systems of Sunday school, youth programs, and men's and women's ministries. I often picture this kind of churchgoer as a very sick patient in an ICU ward, in isolation, hooked up to a life-support systems. And that is what conventional church does for many people. They are dependent on the ministries of the church. church for these people is not a radical movement where they are leading people to Christ and baptizing their converts weekly, but something that exists to serve them, to keep them alive.
If the leaders and members of conventional churches are busy maintaining the business systems and structures of the church and don't have time to be winning people to Christ, the people will bond to the Western business-oriented DNA of their leaders. If their leaders don't reproduce followers of Jesus, the people won't believe it is a high value in the church. If the leaders see themselves as the ones who run the church instead of those who preach to the lost and disciple new believers, then the people will be imprinted with that DNA. The DNA of a church at the deepest level sets the pattern of who the church becomes. It is that pattern that determines how everything else grows and reproduces, or doesn't grow at all.
Like Jesus, we don't have the right to say who can and cannot do things for God. We cannot set limits on people's spiritual authority.
God distributes authority in simple-church communities to each person. People who lead do so without needing permission or position to get on with carrying out the Great Commission. One's covering is found in his or her position in Christ, and not in human positions above them in the chain of command. It comes from heart-level humility that others recognize and accept.
The dangers of the top-down hierarchical model of command-and-control-type leadership is that it ties people to a chain of command and creates dependency on other people for empowerment and permission to minister. A codependency is developed that is unhealthy and will not lead to reproducing churches spontaneously.
Many people fear that without the top-down model of leadership there will be no clear authority. This is a false assumption based on bad experiences or lack of experience, or worse, a lack of understanding of how God designed his church to function. The strongest authority one can have is spiritual authority. If a person's life does not warrant them influence in the lives of others, then they won't be respected. But if they speak with wisdom and insight, and serve with a humble attitude, people will notice and will follow them, regardless of the person's title or position. Jesus led in this manner.
I have personal experience in this area. I was once removed from ministry by the person above me and was no longer allowed to disciple anyone. I knew at the time this was very wrong, unhealthy, and unbiblical. But, wanting to submit to my authority and keep peace in the church, I obeyed. Looking back, I wish I hadn't. Floyd explains above how our ultimate authority comes from our position in Christ. I see many loyal church-goers struggling in this area. Their scope is limited to the immediate church, not the Kingdom of God. They put their Pastor above their God in making decisions. Is it because the ramifications of not obeying the Pastor appear more immediate and threatening than the wrath of the Almighty? What if the Pastor is wrong? Greg encourages all our leaders to question his direction, to line up what he says with what the Bible says. He tells them to obey the Bible if he's wrong. He expects that. He has always done that. Once it cost him his job as Associate Pastor, but he did the right thing.
Do you have the courage to do the right thing? I wish I had.
Friday, December 11, 2009
You See Bones, I See an Army (cont,)
Now on to Chapter 3 by Floyd McClung.
Paul patiently waited to appoint leaders in the churches he started until they had time to grow and find their way. Sometimes he left them to develop on their own, encouraging them to build on the values, truths, and passions he imparted to them while he was with them. He trusted the Holy Spirit in them to guide them.
There is a time and place to train spiritual leaders. But if we get ahead of God's timetable inpeople's lives, it may actually hinder natural development. If we try to force growth in spiritual leaders before they are ready, it creates problems, such as a performance mentality, unhealthy dependency, and an inability to think and discern for oneself.
Those who appreciate the beauty and innate order of God's natural design for the church serve the church with the greatest wisdom.
What gives the church cohesion on such a model? Its values and vision. When the values and vision of the kingdom are clearly understood by those who father and mother a movement, and they are clearly articulated for all to understand, and imparted through discipling relationships, the DNA of the movement takes hold in people's hearts.
Our present forms of church government are perfectly suited to produce the resuls we are now seeing - that is the problem! How we typically lead and organize churches is built on a model of maintenance and direction, not heared for spontaneous expansions. We have learned how to control the church, but we struggle to learn how to allow the Holy Spirit to be in control.
Because we are Sunday-meeting focused, instead of everyday-movement focused, we immediately think about how disorderly our church meetings will become if there is no order. But think bigger: if our churches are growing spontaneously, our problems will change. Our focus will not be about meetings alone, as important as they are, but how to disciple the leaders as they disciple new converts and equip leaders to lead and reproduce themselves.
Structure should never control life, only serve it. Only involve people in structures who are secure with being out of sight and serving. You don't use a water hose to build water pipes in a large block of houses, nor should you invite someone to be an elder who doesn't have water flowing through them to the lost, or has only a small flow of life. Elders are people who "eld," who do the stuff of ministry outside the flock as well as inside. If they have the values and live the vision, they are already bringing water to the thirsty.
That's a good chunk for today. So many things to comment on! Let's do paragraph #1 today. Paul patiently waited to appoint leaders in the churches he started until they had time to grow and find their way. Sometimes he left them to develop on their own, encouraging them to build on the values, truths, and passions he imparted to them while he was with them. He trusted the Holy Spirit in them to guide them. This is often a struggle for me. Greg and I have had many conversations about many people on this very subject. For those of you who know me, I'm more task-oriented. I like efficient meetings, bullet lists, to-do lists, and read through the Bible in a year checks boxes. Do it and move on. Greg is very relational, which shows God's sense of humor in putting us together! Often I will catch him saying something cute, like, reaching for a cracker, choosing the broken one, and saying, "I'll take the rejected one." Show's his Pastor's heart too. Many times he'll treat inanimate objects like they have feelings. Cracks me up. I digress . . . Back to the point.
Often, I will see someone who might need correction in an area. Nothing major, but maybe they don't quite have the Christian perspective on a particular action or belief. I'll want Greg or I to talk to them about it. I know if I was off base on something, I would want to be put on the right track. I've had people do this to me along my walk and I have SO appreciated it. It's kind of like there are two types of people: those who tell you there is brocolli in your teeth, and those who let you walk around all night with it. Which are your friends? I'd rather have one friend than a whole room of non-confronters.
Greg, on the other hand, picks his battles carefully. He will wait. And for me, wait for what seems like months and months. He chooses other things to talk to the person about. He trusts the Holy Spirit to do much of the convicting of someone's heart. He is a gentle shepherd. Me, if given full reign? I'm the pointy end of the rod. Fortunately, we balance each other out quite well and I'm learning how and when to confront people, and when not to.
You might be curious as to the areas where I've been corrected by caring people in the past. I've probably blogged on these before, so if I have, please forgive my forgetfulness.
The first was a male, Christian co-worker I asked for advice one day. My kids were little but entering the age of trick-or-treating. My husband, whom I was legally separated from, was always very much against celebrating Halloween in any fashion, even giving out candy at our door. I asked my co-worker who also had children, a little older than mine, what his family did that night and if he thought trick-or-treating was okay. Though I don't know all the details, the gist of it was that trick-or-treating originated in Satanic rituals and pagan beliefs. He reminded me of the verse, "If you're not for me, you're against me", and "Don't give the devil a foothold." I was convinced, and my children have never trick-or-treated or asked to go. We don't give out candy at our door. We usually turn off the lights and watch tv. In the early years, I posted a sign on my garage door that read "We do not participate in Halloween", which got the neighbors used to not knocking on my door.
The second instance I remember was my women's ministry director gently educating me on how to choose a qualified leader. I was wanting to get out of leading my group for single moms and was seriously considering another single mom in the group. This lady was energetic, her kids not too young to require a lot of need, fairly faithful in her attendance and great relationally. She had gone through some ringers in her life and had a good pool of experience and compassion. I felt it was a good match for her also because it would help grow her. I hoped it would help her focus more on Jesus and less on her relationship with her boyfriend. It was a healthy next step for her in ministry, from just serving in task ministries, and acutally shepherding someone.
I received an email from my leader who clued me in to the qualifications of a leader of people. They had to live a more exemplary life than this lady was leading. She was having a sexual relationship with her boyfriend. At the time, I knew that, but felt she could better relate to other ladies in the group who were in the same place. I felt I often came across as too high and mighty as I was very sold out on purity. I was gently corrected and am thankful for that to this day.
Another time I was told I should share more of myself with others, meaning opening up about my past. I tend not to go there for two reasons: 1. I don't think anyone cares. 2. It's in the past and though it may contribute to who I am today, my past doesn't define me. I prefer to live in the present and look forward. I think now it is good to share, when needed to help build bridges relationally. I always will answer questions about my past, I don't hide anything, but at the same time, my past doesn't monopolize my conversation. I prefer to listen to others.
So, that's where I'm at and what I think about letting the Holy Spirit lead others to repentence. I try not to be too spontaneous or impetuous in fixing situations.
Paul patiently waited to appoint leaders in the churches he started until they had time to grow and find their way. Sometimes he left them to develop on their own, encouraging them to build on the values, truths, and passions he imparted to them while he was with them. He trusted the Holy Spirit in them to guide them.
There is a time and place to train spiritual leaders. But if we get ahead of God's timetable inpeople's lives, it may actually hinder natural development. If we try to force growth in spiritual leaders before they are ready, it creates problems, such as a performance mentality, unhealthy dependency, and an inability to think and discern for oneself.
Those who appreciate the beauty and innate order of God's natural design for the church serve the church with the greatest wisdom.
What gives the church cohesion on such a model? Its values and vision. When the values and vision of the kingdom are clearly understood by those who father and mother a movement, and they are clearly articulated for all to understand, and imparted through discipling relationships, the DNA of the movement takes hold in people's hearts.
Our present forms of church government are perfectly suited to produce the resuls we are now seeing - that is the problem! How we typically lead and organize churches is built on a model of maintenance and direction, not heared for spontaneous expansions. We have learned how to control the church, but we struggle to learn how to allow the Holy Spirit to be in control.
Because we are Sunday-meeting focused, instead of everyday-movement focused, we immediately think about how disorderly our church meetings will become if there is no order. But think bigger: if our churches are growing spontaneously, our problems will change. Our focus will not be about meetings alone, as important as they are, but how to disciple the leaders as they disciple new converts and equip leaders to lead and reproduce themselves.
Structure should never control life, only serve it. Only involve people in structures who are secure with being out of sight and serving. You don't use a water hose to build water pipes in a large block of houses, nor should you invite someone to be an elder who doesn't have water flowing through them to the lost, or has only a small flow of life. Elders are people who "eld," who do the stuff of ministry outside the flock as well as inside. If they have the values and live the vision, they are already bringing water to the thirsty.
That's a good chunk for today. So many things to comment on! Let's do paragraph #1 today. Paul patiently waited to appoint leaders in the churches he started until they had time to grow and find their way. Sometimes he left them to develop on their own, encouraging them to build on the values, truths, and passions he imparted to them while he was with them. He trusted the Holy Spirit in them to guide them. This is often a struggle for me. Greg and I have had many conversations about many people on this very subject. For those of you who know me, I'm more task-oriented. I like efficient meetings, bullet lists, to-do lists, and read through the Bible in a year checks boxes. Do it and move on. Greg is very relational, which shows God's sense of humor in putting us together! Often I will catch him saying something cute, like, reaching for a cracker, choosing the broken one, and saying, "I'll take the rejected one." Show's his Pastor's heart too. Many times he'll treat inanimate objects like they have feelings. Cracks me up. I digress . . . Back to the point.
Often, I will see someone who might need correction in an area. Nothing major, but maybe they don't quite have the Christian perspective on a particular action or belief. I'll want Greg or I to talk to them about it. I know if I was off base on something, I would want to be put on the right track. I've had people do this to me along my walk and I have SO appreciated it. It's kind of like there are two types of people: those who tell you there is brocolli in your teeth, and those who let you walk around all night with it. Which are your friends? I'd rather have one friend than a whole room of non-confronters.
Greg, on the other hand, picks his battles carefully. He will wait. And for me, wait for what seems like months and months. He chooses other things to talk to the person about. He trusts the Holy Spirit to do much of the convicting of someone's heart. He is a gentle shepherd. Me, if given full reign? I'm the pointy end of the rod. Fortunately, we balance each other out quite well and I'm learning how and when to confront people, and when not to.
You might be curious as to the areas where I've been corrected by caring people in the past. I've probably blogged on these before, so if I have, please forgive my forgetfulness.
The first was a male, Christian co-worker I asked for advice one day. My kids were little but entering the age of trick-or-treating. My husband, whom I was legally separated from, was always very much against celebrating Halloween in any fashion, even giving out candy at our door. I asked my co-worker who also had children, a little older than mine, what his family did that night and if he thought trick-or-treating was okay. Though I don't know all the details, the gist of it was that trick-or-treating originated in Satanic rituals and pagan beliefs. He reminded me of the verse, "If you're not for me, you're against me", and "Don't give the devil a foothold." I was convinced, and my children have never trick-or-treated or asked to go. We don't give out candy at our door. We usually turn off the lights and watch tv. In the early years, I posted a sign on my garage door that read "We do not participate in Halloween", which got the neighbors used to not knocking on my door.
The second instance I remember was my women's ministry director gently educating me on how to choose a qualified leader. I was wanting to get out of leading my group for single moms and was seriously considering another single mom in the group. This lady was energetic, her kids not too young to require a lot of need, fairly faithful in her attendance and great relationally. She had gone through some ringers in her life and had a good pool of experience and compassion. I felt it was a good match for her also because it would help grow her. I hoped it would help her focus more on Jesus and less on her relationship with her boyfriend. It was a healthy next step for her in ministry, from just serving in task ministries, and acutally shepherding someone.
I received an email from my leader who clued me in to the qualifications of a leader of people. They had to live a more exemplary life than this lady was leading. She was having a sexual relationship with her boyfriend. At the time, I knew that, but felt she could better relate to other ladies in the group who were in the same place. I felt I often came across as too high and mighty as I was very sold out on purity. I was gently corrected and am thankful for that to this day.
Another time I was told I should share more of myself with others, meaning opening up about my past. I tend not to go there for two reasons: 1. I don't think anyone cares. 2. It's in the past and though it may contribute to who I am today, my past doesn't define me. I prefer to live in the present and look forward. I think now it is good to share, when needed to help build bridges relationally. I always will answer questions about my past, I don't hide anything, but at the same time, my past doesn't monopolize my conversation. I prefer to listen to others.
So, that's where I'm at and what I think about letting the Holy Spirit lead others to repentence. I try not to be too spontaneous or impetuous in fixing situations.
Monday, December 7, 2009
You See Bones, I See an Army (cont,)
Finally continuing on with Floyd McClung's great book, here is what I liked in this chapter titled, Asking the Right Questions.
Simple Versus Complicated Church
I believe there are distinct advantages to such a simple expression of church and ministry:
1. It is simpler to get things done. It doesn't take a long time to conduct the business meeting of the church!
2. Accountability is more natural and powerful with two or three people. It is more difficult to confess sins or weaknesses with a larger group of people.
3. There is greater flexibility. It doesn't take long, or involve as many decisions, to change or adapt to new opportunities.
4. Communication flows more easily with a small group of people. Misunderstandings can be cleared up more quickly when the group is smaller.
5. There is greater proximity ot people who don't know Jesus. It is natural for a small group to meet in a restaurnat or bar or office, thus keeping a group located among people who don't know Jesus.
6. Direciton is more quickly and clearly confirmed in simple church. God often uses two or three others to confirm what he says to us.
7. Leadership stays natural and relational. When the leadership functions in a small group of people, it is much more difficult for it to function from a lofty position since everyone knows each other.
8. Multiplication can happen spontaneously as the group grows. It doesn'ttake a worship band, a fat check, a telemarketing campaign, and a new building to plant a new church!
The difference between complicated church and simple church is that the complicated church relies on programs to disciple people, while simple church empowers people to disciple people.
I believe deeply and fervently in the marriage of church and mission. One of my coworkers said to me at one point, "You don't believe in direct sending, do you?" He clarified that he believed local churches should not and could not send missionaries directly to the field, that they were not gifted or anointed by God to send people as missionaries apart from missionary organizations. That kind of thinking seems a long way from the church of Antioch in Acts 13.
On the other side of the coin, there are many local churches that have no vision for the nations and no room in their thinking or their leadership for visionary leaders that are not part of their local church. These churches are ingrown and controlling. Their view of God is too small and their understanding of church is too narrow.
A person with a vision is not a prisoner of a person without one.
Vision from God for his church will give you faith for the church you are part of. You will see how much God loves the church. You will pray for her and weep for her and, if necessary, leave her. You will be free to love, forgive, and submit to her and her leaders as well - if that is what God says to do.
When God imparts a vision and finds someone with courage to take hold of that vision and run with it, God himself will stand behind it. If he gave it, it is his vision. He will complete what he starts in you, as long as you obey him and act with integrity and humility. Even if you make mistakes, God will rescue you if you ask for his mercy. No force on earth or demon in hell can keep you from the will of God if you walk obediently before God and humbly before others.
[Speaking of his training program for doing simple church.] Interestingly, we have to train people from traditional and institutional church backgrounds out of the old way of doing church, and orient them to the new paradigm of simple church. I jokingly say to those we train, "You never have to worry about losing your job because you will never have one." In other words, they key to passing the torch to the next generation of leaders in simple-church-planting movements is never to hold the torch, speaking of positions and titles. We teach people to be servant leaders who raise up others to carry the torch from the beginning. This is a new style of leadership that requires serving behind the scenes, being secure enough to be a coach to new leaders without poistion or title. The goal of a simple-church-planting movement is not being an up-front pastor or elder but being a spiritual father or mother to a movement of elders and church planters.
That's plenty for today. The part I would like to comment on is the last paragraph. "being secure enough to be a coach to new leaders without poistion or title." I don't believe it is always a sense of security that makes a person want a position or title. Sometimes it is a belief that they will function better in society with other institutional church leaders if they have a position or title, as the church culture expects it. It's a way of identification and an element of communication. Whether that is true or not is debateable. A person can always explain, "I don't have a position or title. In our church, we all do the work of God, as is needed at that moment. Some of the things I do or have done are . . ." That would actually help to open up a dialogue of simple church methods and paradigms. I don't believe we always have to conform to those around us to be effective in carrying out God's will for the church.
I also believe that sometimes people desire positions or titles out of pride, self-centeredness, and ego. Some people have a goal to have the most lofty job title in an organization. The Bible makes it very clear that "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6. My mom always quoted "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18. Pride in someone is always the negative thing that I identify in a person first. Whether it is in their words, their mannerisms, their actions, their lifestyle, etc. For me, like seeing an alcoholic or ex-alcholoic, I can spot it a mile away. Pride is the thing I like to work on correcting in a person, and it is not always easy, comfortable, pleasant, or enjoyable. It can hurt, and it should. It is a deep rooted evil that God opposes in people.
Know that pride is the unhealthy version of what a person thinks of him or herself. The healthy version is what the Bible tells us to do. It is to have an honest estimation of ourselves. That means we shouldn't think too lowly or too highly of ourselves, but know what our strengths and weaknesses are and continue to strive to become a better person. "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." Romans 12:3. Even when we have a true estimation of ourselves, it doesn't mean we go around flauting all the positives. Your good points will be evident to all. We don't have to impress anyone but God, and he knows our hearts and our thoughts, and sees all our actions.
Simple Versus Complicated Church
I believe there are distinct advantages to such a simple expression of church and ministry:
1. It is simpler to get things done. It doesn't take a long time to conduct the business meeting of the church!
2. Accountability is more natural and powerful with two or three people. It is more difficult to confess sins or weaknesses with a larger group of people.
3. There is greater flexibility. It doesn't take long, or involve as many decisions, to change or adapt to new opportunities.
4. Communication flows more easily with a small group of people. Misunderstandings can be cleared up more quickly when the group is smaller.
5. There is greater proximity ot people who don't know Jesus. It is natural for a small group to meet in a restaurnat or bar or office, thus keeping a group located among people who don't know Jesus.
6. Direciton is more quickly and clearly confirmed in simple church. God often uses two or three others to confirm what he says to us.
7. Leadership stays natural and relational. When the leadership functions in a small group of people, it is much more difficult for it to function from a lofty position since everyone knows each other.
8. Multiplication can happen spontaneously as the group grows. It doesn'ttake a worship band, a fat check, a telemarketing campaign, and a new building to plant a new church!
The difference between complicated church and simple church is that the complicated church relies on programs to disciple people, while simple church empowers people to disciple people.
I believe deeply and fervently in the marriage of church and mission. One of my coworkers said to me at one point, "You don't believe in direct sending, do you?" He clarified that he believed local churches should not and could not send missionaries directly to the field, that they were not gifted or anointed by God to send people as missionaries apart from missionary organizations. That kind of thinking seems a long way from the church of Antioch in Acts 13.
On the other side of the coin, there are many local churches that have no vision for the nations and no room in their thinking or their leadership for visionary leaders that are not part of their local church. These churches are ingrown and controlling. Their view of God is too small and their understanding of church is too narrow.
A person with a vision is not a prisoner of a person without one.
Vision from God for his church will give you faith for the church you are part of. You will see how much God loves the church. You will pray for her and weep for her and, if necessary, leave her. You will be free to love, forgive, and submit to her and her leaders as well - if that is what God says to do.
When God imparts a vision and finds someone with courage to take hold of that vision and run with it, God himself will stand behind it. If he gave it, it is his vision. He will complete what he starts in you, as long as you obey him and act with integrity and humility. Even if you make mistakes, God will rescue you if you ask for his mercy. No force on earth or demon in hell can keep you from the will of God if you walk obediently before God and humbly before others.
[Speaking of his training program for doing simple church.] Interestingly, we have to train people from traditional and institutional church backgrounds out of the old way of doing church, and orient them to the new paradigm of simple church. I jokingly say to those we train, "You never have to worry about losing your job because you will never have one." In other words, they key to passing the torch to the next generation of leaders in simple-church-planting movements is never to hold the torch, speaking of positions and titles. We teach people to be servant leaders who raise up others to carry the torch from the beginning. This is a new style of leadership that requires serving behind the scenes, being secure enough to be a coach to new leaders without poistion or title. The goal of a simple-church-planting movement is not being an up-front pastor or elder but being a spiritual father or mother to a movement of elders and church planters.
That's plenty for today. The part I would like to comment on is the last paragraph. "being secure enough to be a coach to new leaders without poistion or title." I don't believe it is always a sense of security that makes a person want a position or title. Sometimes it is a belief that they will function better in society with other institutional church leaders if they have a position or title, as the church culture expects it. It's a way of identification and an element of communication. Whether that is true or not is debateable. A person can always explain, "I don't have a position or title. In our church, we all do the work of God, as is needed at that moment. Some of the things I do or have done are . . ." That would actually help to open up a dialogue of simple church methods and paradigms. I don't believe we always have to conform to those around us to be effective in carrying out God's will for the church.
I also believe that sometimes people desire positions or titles out of pride, self-centeredness, and ego. Some people have a goal to have the most lofty job title in an organization. The Bible makes it very clear that "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6. My mom always quoted "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18. Pride in someone is always the negative thing that I identify in a person first. Whether it is in their words, their mannerisms, their actions, their lifestyle, etc. For me, like seeing an alcoholic or ex-alcholoic, I can spot it a mile away. Pride is the thing I like to work on correcting in a person, and it is not always easy, comfortable, pleasant, or enjoyable. It can hurt, and it should. It is a deep rooted evil that God opposes in people.
Know that pride is the unhealthy version of what a person thinks of him or herself. The healthy version is what the Bible tells us to do. It is to have an honest estimation of ourselves. That means we shouldn't think too lowly or too highly of ourselves, but know what our strengths and weaknesses are and continue to strive to become a better person. "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." Romans 12:3. Even when we have a true estimation of ourselves, it doesn't mean we go around flauting all the positives. Your good points will be evident to all. We don't have to impress anyone but God, and he knows our hearts and our thoughts, and sees all our actions.
I Survived!
It was one of those weekends that don't happen too frequently, that makes you take a deep breath, lead with your helment, and try not to get a foul. All last week was packed with things to do, like painting the sets, taking care of a sick child, typical stuff like laundry, dishes, and dusting, Christmas shopping and wrapping, and many, many others. Friday was my birthday and I looked forward to a slice of cake from Old Tyme Pastries and seeing Kristen on opening night at the Gaslight Theater. So began the treadmill, a good pace, but there is an element of stress that comes when your youngest is on stage all by herself for a 12 minute monologue. She did great. It was my favorite birthday gift.
Saturday was full of more details, the bulletin, wrapping presents for the set, and gathering all the many items needed to make my part of Sunday happen. My mom, brother, and sister-in-law stopped by with turkey soup and their Christmas gift. Then they went to see her perform. I cleaned house and Greg helped make snacks for our Leadership Team White Elephant Christmas party. It was a blast. After everyone left, we worked on church stuff for another hour or two until Kristen came home around 11:00.
Sunday, we loaded everything into the truck and car and headed to church by 7:30. Mark helped Kristen with her car windows and she came and played the drums like a very exhausted trooper. Still fighting her sinus infection, she did great, then left at 10:30 for the theater for her next 2 performances. Church was great. We had Mike do his Christmas Rap, Arline, his friend, came from Tracy and sang Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song), my favorite, we had a great and very original Christmas sermon that especially blessed one of the ladies who was visiting, and we handed out a gift to each family. Tear down began, and it was something. We must have broken 10 glass ornaments on the floor. The tree was definately a learning experience, especially when you have to set it up and tear it down each week.
After church, we came home and waiting for Greg's mom to arrive from Escalon. I went to buy some roses for Kristen and headed to the theater. Greg and his mom soon followed. She was turning around in a neighbor's driveway when she arrived at our house and her car died. Greg had to push it to get it parked in front of our house. We didn't know if he could fix it, if she had to spend the night, or just what was going to happen, but we enjoyed the performance and Greg got the car working when we got home. She arrived safely back in Escalon last night. It was great seeing our Youth Pastor's family and another youth at the theater to see Kristen, as well as Kristen's dad and step-mom.
Yesterday afternoon and evening, Mark was in Carol Fest at Stanislaus State. We could have gone, but were too tired. I'm glad I got to experience it 2 years ago when Mark was a music major. We enjoyed a quiet evening watching Greg's team beat the Vikings and I dozed off and on during the game.
Kristen is exhausted and not over her sinus infection, so she's home sleeping today. We saw snow flurries outside this morning for a brief minute. Greg is home preparing for his next sermon. He can't cut grass in the rain. It's a blessing.
So today, it's catching up on details that didn't get done last week, like blogging, and trying to catch up on sleep. The next blog will be on Floyd McClung's You See Bones, I See an Army. Have a blessed rainy Monday.
Saturday was full of more details, the bulletin, wrapping presents for the set, and gathering all the many items needed to make my part of Sunday happen. My mom, brother, and sister-in-law stopped by with turkey soup and their Christmas gift. Then they went to see her perform. I cleaned house and Greg helped make snacks for our Leadership Team White Elephant Christmas party. It was a blast. After everyone left, we worked on church stuff for another hour or two until Kristen came home around 11:00.
Sunday, we loaded everything into the truck and car and headed to church by 7:30. Mark helped Kristen with her car windows and she came and played the drums like a very exhausted trooper. Still fighting her sinus infection, she did great, then left at 10:30 for the theater for her next 2 performances. Church was great. We had Mike do his Christmas Rap, Arline, his friend, came from Tracy and sang Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song), my favorite, we had a great and very original Christmas sermon that especially blessed one of the ladies who was visiting, and we handed out a gift to each family. Tear down began, and it was something. We must have broken 10 glass ornaments on the floor. The tree was definately a learning experience, especially when you have to set it up and tear it down each week.
After church, we came home and waiting for Greg's mom to arrive from Escalon. I went to buy some roses for Kristen and headed to the theater. Greg and his mom soon followed. She was turning around in a neighbor's driveway when she arrived at our house and her car died. Greg had to push it to get it parked in front of our house. We didn't know if he could fix it, if she had to spend the night, or just what was going to happen, but we enjoyed the performance and Greg got the car working when we got home. She arrived safely back in Escalon last night. It was great seeing our Youth Pastor's family and another youth at the theater to see Kristen, as well as Kristen's dad and step-mom.
Yesterday afternoon and evening, Mark was in Carol Fest at Stanislaus State. We could have gone, but were too tired. I'm glad I got to experience it 2 years ago when Mark was a music major. We enjoyed a quiet evening watching Greg's team beat the Vikings and I dozed off and on during the game.
Kristen is exhausted and not over her sinus infection, so she's home sleeping today. We saw snow flurries outside this morning for a brief minute. Greg is home preparing for his next sermon. He can't cut grass in the rain. It's a blessing.
So today, it's catching up on details that didn't get done last week, like blogging, and trying to catch up on sleep. The next blog will be on Floyd McClung's You See Bones, I See an Army. Have a blessed rainy Monday.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
A Must See
If you haven't seen the Turlock Christian High School Drama, "It's a Wonderful Life", you've got to. Jeffrey, who plays George Baily, did an amazing job. He sounds just like Jimmy Stewart! Leon Fox, who plays Mr. Potter, was also amazing, sounding just like the original. Casey Franco, who plays Clarence, was also equally impressive, sounding just like Clarence. Kristen did a fabulous job with her monolog as Mary's mother, a jewish woman, in Swaddling Clothes. Touching and funny. Mrs. Dawn Davis, the director, once again pulled out amazing performances from all the actors. It was truly an enjoyable, heart touching evening at the Golden Gaslight Theater in Denair. Today's performances are at 2:00 and 8:00 and tomorrow at 2:00 and 7:00. Adults $7.00 and can be bought at the door. The junior class has wonderful holilday goodies to purchase as well. Don't miss this holiday classic event.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Flexibility Was the Word Yesterday
I sit at my desk remembering all the things that happend yesterday and my eyes glance over to the Franklin Covey catalog I get. (Time to re-order my calendar pages for 2010!). On the front cover are the words, "I am a planner." How true! Me too! That didn't seem to matter at all yesterday.
I got up, showered, did my shoulder stretches and sat on the sofa with my Bible, thinking, "Ah, this is so nice! Kristen will drive herself to school, Mark will drive to school, Greg will go to work, I will spend a couple hours with a dear friend, hit the grocery store on the way home, start the laundry, and spend the next few hours finishing painting the set for Sunday, catch up on my list at my desk, and take Kristen to her oral surgery consultation at 3:30. It's going to be a great day!"... Ha!!!
Kristen got up, not having gotten dressed for an hour (she's been not feeling well) and asked me to write a note to get her out of class early, as the teacher was planning to dismiss the kids early today, but I had to sign her out at the office, since Kristen is under 18. Which meant, driving to school at 2:30. My first flexibility moment. "Could you also drive me to school?" My second flexibility moment. Ugghhh. "Sure." "Could you make my lunch? I'm running late." "Sure." My third flexibility moment. I take her to school and come home.
Mark got up and said, "Mom, I think I need your help with something today. I ran over a screw and my tire is going flat. Can you follow me to the tire store to drop off my car and take me to the college? (Which also meant, and could you pick me up at 2:30 and drop me off to pick up my car at the tire shop). My fouth flexibility moment. "Sure." "I'll call my friend and tell her I'll be late." I asked him to call around to see who had his tire in stock and get the best price. He found my tire store was $20+ cheaper, had it in stock, and could have him out in 30 minutes. He decided he could wait for the car and be late to class. "I'll call my friend back and tell her I can come now." My fifth flexibility moment.
I saw my friend and spent a little more time than planned, but it was a great time of sharing and learning. My sixth flexibility moment. I come home and was greeted at the door by our 2 year old golden retriever who once again jumped the six foot wooden gate on the side of the house. My seventh flexibility moment. I put him in the backyard and went to the bathroom. When I came out, he was gone. I opened the front door, looked at the driveway, and here he comes again! I put him in the backyard and tied him up, getting mud all over my shirt, pants, and shoes. I came in and changed into my paint clothes. After all, I had to get back to my planat some point, and now seemed like the time to do it!
I put on the laundry, noticed the dog dish was dirty and decided to clean it. As I'm washing the dish, the phone rings. It's Greg. "I'm so glad you called! I have to tell you what the dog did." When I finished, he told me Kristen called him and is sick at school and needs to be picked up. My eithth flexibility moment. I left and picked her up in my paint clothes. I connected the dots of her symptoms with a list on TV of the swine flu. Sore throat, body aches, tiredness, etc. I decided to call the doctor.
They could get her in at 2:30. My ninth flexibility moment. I called and rescheduled the oral surgery appointment. I worked on the laundry tried to finish my quiet time. No painting in sight. The doctor said she had a sinus infection and was negative for swine flu. Yeah! She had the same symptoms Greg and Mark had. I hope I'm not next.
I came home and then left to get her prescription. I had to wait about 30 minutes so I finished my Christmas shopping. I went to the counter and asked for the prescription I had just dropped off. I paid for it and my items and came home. When I called Kristen to come take her medicine, I noticed they had given me the auto refill prescription that had given Kristen hives two weeks ago, not the antibiotic. I had to go back. My tenth flexibility moment. They wouldn't take it back. It was in a plastic/foil heat sealed bag, like a bag of candy, obviously had not been tampered with at all, and they wouldn't give me my $20 back. Not a happy camper at all! I got the antibiotic after being advised to call the regular pharmacy manager tomorrow. Now they're infringing on my plans for tomorrow! Gggrrrrr. I had had a good attitude until this point, now I was losing it. I was nice at the pharmacy, but not happy when I got home.
Anyway, I hope I can go to the grocery store and paint today. I dare not make any further plans for today in case God isn't finished dealing with my inflexibility.
Have a blessed foggy Thursday.
I got up, showered, did my shoulder stretches and sat on the sofa with my Bible, thinking, "Ah, this is so nice! Kristen will drive herself to school, Mark will drive to school, Greg will go to work, I will spend a couple hours with a dear friend, hit the grocery store on the way home, start the laundry, and spend the next few hours finishing painting the set for Sunday, catch up on my list at my desk, and take Kristen to her oral surgery consultation at 3:30. It's going to be a great day!"... Ha!!!
Kristen got up, not having gotten dressed for an hour (she's been not feeling well) and asked me to write a note to get her out of class early, as the teacher was planning to dismiss the kids early today, but I had to sign her out at the office, since Kristen is under 18. Which meant, driving to school at 2:30. My first flexibility moment. "Could you also drive me to school?" My second flexibility moment. Ugghhh. "Sure." "Could you make my lunch? I'm running late." "Sure." My third flexibility moment. I take her to school and come home.
Mark got up and said, "Mom, I think I need your help with something today. I ran over a screw and my tire is going flat. Can you follow me to the tire store to drop off my car and take me to the college? (Which also meant, and could you pick me up at 2:30 and drop me off to pick up my car at the tire shop). My fouth flexibility moment. "Sure." "I'll call my friend and tell her I'll be late." I asked him to call around to see who had his tire in stock and get the best price. He found my tire store was $20+ cheaper, had it in stock, and could have him out in 30 minutes. He decided he could wait for the car and be late to class. "I'll call my friend back and tell her I can come now." My fifth flexibility moment.
I saw my friend and spent a little more time than planned, but it was a great time of sharing and learning. My sixth flexibility moment. I come home and was greeted at the door by our 2 year old golden retriever who once again jumped the six foot wooden gate on the side of the house. My seventh flexibility moment. I put him in the backyard and went to the bathroom. When I came out, he was gone. I opened the front door, looked at the driveway, and here he comes again! I put him in the backyard and tied him up, getting mud all over my shirt, pants, and shoes. I came in and changed into my paint clothes. After all, I had to get back to my planat some point, and now seemed like the time to do it!
I put on the laundry, noticed the dog dish was dirty and decided to clean it. As I'm washing the dish, the phone rings. It's Greg. "I'm so glad you called! I have to tell you what the dog did." When I finished, he told me Kristen called him and is sick at school and needs to be picked up. My eithth flexibility moment. I left and picked her up in my paint clothes. I connected the dots of her symptoms with a list on TV of the swine flu. Sore throat, body aches, tiredness, etc. I decided to call the doctor.
They could get her in at 2:30. My ninth flexibility moment. I called and rescheduled the oral surgery appointment. I worked on the laundry tried to finish my quiet time. No painting in sight. The doctor said she had a sinus infection and was negative for swine flu. Yeah! She had the same symptoms Greg and Mark had. I hope I'm not next.
I came home and then left to get her prescription. I had to wait about 30 minutes so I finished my Christmas shopping. I went to the counter and asked for the prescription I had just dropped off. I paid for it and my items and came home. When I called Kristen to come take her medicine, I noticed they had given me the auto refill prescription that had given Kristen hives two weeks ago, not the antibiotic. I had to go back. My tenth flexibility moment. They wouldn't take it back. It was in a plastic/foil heat sealed bag, like a bag of candy, obviously had not been tampered with at all, and they wouldn't give me my $20 back. Not a happy camper at all! I got the antibiotic after being advised to call the regular pharmacy manager tomorrow. Now they're infringing on my plans for tomorrow! Gggrrrrr. I had had a good attitude until this point, now I was losing it. I was nice at the pharmacy, but not happy when I got home.
Anyway, I hope I can go to the grocery store and paint today. I dare not make any further plans for today in case God isn't finished dealing with my inflexibility.
Have a blessed foggy Thursday.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Preaching Rotation
If you haven't heard, Greg is not preaching this month, but instead we are rotating through the very talented men in our church who will be preaching. Dick Pritchard preached the first weekend, Josh preached last weekend, Jason is preaching this weekend, and Dan will be finishing up the month preaching. Dick and Josh have done a great job and I'm sure Jason and Dan will also. If you're available at 9:00 a.m., please come and support them.
We have a lot of special things planned for the three services in December. You won't want to miss them. Seriously!
Have a blessed chilly Thursday!
We have a lot of special things planned for the three services in December. You won't want to miss them. Seriously!
Have a blessed chilly Thursday!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
You See Bones, I See an Army (cont,)
Sorry for the hiatis, you'd think I'd have more time, not working! So many things to do!
Continuing with chapter 2 by Floyd McClung.
Being incarnational means relating to people in ways that allow us to identify with people without compromising our message.
Paul preached, gathered the new believers, taught and baptized them, and then trusted the Holy Spirit in them to empower them to live thier faith in their culture, not apart from it.
Some people believe that the attractional approach to church is about improving our programs, projecting better audiovisuals, and getting people to come to our church instead of the church down the street. It caters to the consumer mentality of shopping around to find the church that fits us. There are church growth conferences dedicated to better parking lots and more appealing children's programs. When I hear people talking like this, I feel what Jesus must have felt like when he cleansed the Temple. What have we come to? Better parking lots? The right packaging of our worship set? Is church really that far gone in our Western ways of doing things?
I believe there are distinct advantages to such a simple expression of church and ministry:
1. It is simpler to get things done. It doesn't take a long time to conduct the business meeting of the church!
2. Accountability is more natural and powerful with two or three people. It is more difficult to confess sins or weaknesses with a larger group of people.
3. There is grater flexibility. It doesn't take as long, or involve as many decisions, to change or adapt to new opportunities.
4. Communication flows more easily with a small group of people. Misunderstandings can be cleared up more quickly when the group is smaller.
5. There is greater proximity to people who don't know Jesus. It is natural for a small group to meet in a restaurant or bar or office, thus keeping a group located among people who don't know Jesus.
6. Direction is more quickly and clearly confirmed in simple. church. God often uses two or three others to confirm what he says to us.
7. Leadership stays natural and relational. When the leadership functions in a small group of people, it is much more difficult for it to function from a lofty position since everyone knows each other.
8. Multiplication can happen spontaneously as the group grows. It doesn't take a worship band, a fat check, a telemarketing campaign, and a new building to plant a new church!
The difference between complicated church and simple church is that the complicated church relies on programs to disciple people, while simple church empowers people to disciple people.
That was such a good end note, I'll end there. A few comments:
On the paragraph on attractional church. I believe it is very easy for people (church staff, congregation) to believe this is the best model to reach the community for Christ. After all, it's like luring ants to a picnic. You make it smell good enough, they're bound to come. It makes sense. But is it Biblical? Did Jesus spend time making his message 'look' and 'sound' good? No. He was at times offensive, angry, and frustrated. But he delivered the message of salvation clearly and without compromising. He didn't sugar-coat it. He talked about sin. He even specifically pointed out the sin in the people he was talking to. There's conviction for you! Let's be basic in our message, not manipulative, wrapping the Gospel in twinkling lights. Some might say we should strive for excellence in trying to reach every one we can for Christ. Yes, we should strive for excellence. But let's not compromise. I believe God made the Gospel attractive and powerful and able to stand on it's own without us interferring with it to try and make it better. It is timeless. It works by itself, yesterday, today, and forever.
Also, on catering to the consumer mentality of shopping for church: I think 'the consumers' have it backwards. WHERE IS PRAYER? It is not about US finding a church that fits US. We should not be consumers here. If God is Sovereign Lord in our lives, God should be directing us to the church He wants us to attend. He does this with His purpose for our lives in mind. We should be praying about where He wants us to go and be obedient to that calling. We should not attend a church because our parents do (if we're over 18), or because our friends do, or because it is where we accepted Christ, or because it is the only church we've ever attended. We should attend a church because it is where God has called us for this season. The season may last a lifetime, or less than that. There is no sin in changing churches when we are on our knees before our King and are led to go elsewhere because God wants to teach us something else under another Shepherd. The Shepherd doesn't own the sheep. God does, and He calls the sheep as He wills. Though loyalty is a great thing, it is secondary to calling. Who and what are you being loyal to? Don't be so loyal that you sacrifice the care and feeding of your soul. You won't be as useful to God as quickly if He has to heal the damage caused by you being in the wrong place.
Blessings on this cold, windy Wednesday.
Continuing with chapter 2 by Floyd McClung.
Being incarnational means relating to people in ways that allow us to identify with people without compromising our message.
Paul preached, gathered the new believers, taught and baptized them, and then trusted the Holy Spirit in them to empower them to live thier faith in their culture, not apart from it.
Some people believe that the attractional approach to church is about improving our programs, projecting better audiovisuals, and getting people to come to our church instead of the church down the street. It caters to the consumer mentality of shopping around to find the church that fits us. There are church growth conferences dedicated to better parking lots and more appealing children's programs. When I hear people talking like this, I feel what Jesus must have felt like when he cleansed the Temple. What have we come to? Better parking lots? The right packaging of our worship set? Is church really that far gone in our Western ways of doing things?
I believe there are distinct advantages to such a simple expression of church and ministry:
1. It is simpler to get things done. It doesn't take a long time to conduct the business meeting of the church!
2. Accountability is more natural and powerful with two or three people. It is more difficult to confess sins or weaknesses with a larger group of people.
3. There is grater flexibility. It doesn't take as long, or involve as many decisions, to change or adapt to new opportunities.
4. Communication flows more easily with a small group of people. Misunderstandings can be cleared up more quickly when the group is smaller.
5. There is greater proximity to people who don't know Jesus. It is natural for a small group to meet in a restaurant or bar or office, thus keeping a group located among people who don't know Jesus.
6. Direction is more quickly and clearly confirmed in simple. church. God often uses two or three others to confirm what he says to us.
7. Leadership stays natural and relational. When the leadership functions in a small group of people, it is much more difficult for it to function from a lofty position since everyone knows each other.
8. Multiplication can happen spontaneously as the group grows. It doesn't take a worship band, a fat check, a telemarketing campaign, and a new building to plant a new church!
The difference between complicated church and simple church is that the complicated church relies on programs to disciple people, while simple church empowers people to disciple people.
That was such a good end note, I'll end there. A few comments:
On the paragraph on attractional church. I believe it is very easy for people (church staff, congregation) to believe this is the best model to reach the community for Christ. After all, it's like luring ants to a picnic. You make it smell good enough, they're bound to come. It makes sense. But is it Biblical? Did Jesus spend time making his message 'look' and 'sound' good? No. He was at times offensive, angry, and frustrated. But he delivered the message of salvation clearly and without compromising. He didn't sugar-coat it. He talked about sin. He even specifically pointed out the sin in the people he was talking to. There's conviction for you! Let's be basic in our message, not manipulative, wrapping the Gospel in twinkling lights. Some might say we should strive for excellence in trying to reach every one we can for Christ. Yes, we should strive for excellence. But let's not compromise. I believe God made the Gospel attractive and powerful and able to stand on it's own without us interferring with it to try and make it better. It is timeless. It works by itself, yesterday, today, and forever.
Also, on catering to the consumer mentality of shopping for church: I think 'the consumers' have it backwards. WHERE IS PRAYER? It is not about US finding a church that fits US. We should not be consumers here. If God is Sovereign Lord in our lives, God should be directing us to the church He wants us to attend. He does this with His purpose for our lives in mind. We should be praying about where He wants us to go and be obedient to that calling. We should not attend a church because our parents do (if we're over 18), or because our friends do, or because it is where we accepted Christ, or because it is the only church we've ever attended. We should attend a church because it is where God has called us for this season. The season may last a lifetime, or less than that. There is no sin in changing churches when we are on our knees before our King and are led to go elsewhere because God wants to teach us something else under another Shepherd. The Shepherd doesn't own the sheep. God does, and He calls the sheep as He wills. Though loyalty is a great thing, it is secondary to calling. Who and what are you being loyal to? Don't be so loyal that you sacrifice the care and feeding of your soul. You won't be as useful to God as quickly if He has to heal the damage caused by you being in the wrong place.
Blessings on this cold, windy Wednesday.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Let This Challenge You
If you're not already excelling in the grace of giving, here's a great place to start. If this 4-year old can do it, you can too!
http://www.stevenfurtick.com/uncategorized/financial-management-from-a-4-year-old%E2%80%99s-perspective/
http://www.stevenfurtick.com/uncategorized/financial-management-from-a-4-year-old%E2%80%99s-perspective/
Monday, November 9, 2009
Crazy!
As if the frozen should and tendonitis wasn't enough, I came down with a UTI 2 weeks ago. Fortunately I just finished 7 days of antibiotics and was feeling mostly better by the time we went away this weekend for our anniversary to A Lovely Place, where we go every year. The day before we left, however, I was cooking for 4 hours, making spaghetti, chili beans, apple crisp, and a couple batches of chocolate chip cookies. As I was stirring the spaghetti on the back burner, the steam from the pot of beans on the front burner gave me a rip roarin' burn across my stomach. The pain left in about 3 hours. The skin started coming off the next day. Now it's a little green. Not to worry, though, I see the Dr. on Wednesday for my shoulder. It may be more than a frozen shoulder, the Physical Therapist said today, as I can't do my exercises without gobs of pain. So, we'll go down the xray, MRI route like before to rule out other things like bone spurs, rotator cuff tears, etc.
Greg came down with a cold over the weekend and he's in bed trying to sleep. He has to work tomorrow. It's always something!
Greg came down with a cold over the weekend and he's in bed trying to sleep. He has to work tomorrow. It's always something!
Shoes in church
I showered and shaved............. I adjusted my tie.
I got there and sat. In a pew just in time.
Bowing my head in prayer...... As I closed my eyes.
I saw the shoe of the man next to me..... Touching my own. I sighed.
With plenty of room on either side..... I thought, 'Why must our soles touch?'
It bothered me, his shoe touching mine... But it didn't bother him much.
A prayer began: 'Our Father'............. I thought, 'This man with the shoes, has no pride.
They're dusty, worn, and scratched. Even worse, there are holes on the side!'
'Thank You for blessings,' the prayer went on.
The shoe man said............. A quiet 'Amen.'
I tried to focus on the prayer....... But my thoughts were on his shoes again.
Aren't we supposed to look our best. When walking through that door?
'Well, this certainly isn't it,' I thought, Glancing toward the floor.
Then the prayer was ended........... And the songs of praise began.
The shoe man was certainly loud..... Sounding proud as he sang.
His voice lifted the rafters........ His hands were raised high.
The Lord could surely hear. The shoe man's voice from the sky.
It was time for the offering... And what I threw in was steep.
I watched as the shoe man reached.... Into his pockets so deep.
I saw what was pulled out......... What the shoe man put in.
Then I heard a soft 'clink' . As when silver hits tin.
The sermon really bored me......... To tears, and that's no lie.
It was the same for the shoe man... For tears fell from his eyes.
At the end of the service........ As is the custom here.
We must greet new visitors, And show them all good cheer.
But I felt moved somehow.............. And wanted to meet the shoe man.
So after the closing prayer........ I reached over and shook his hand.
He was old and his skin was dark...... And his hair was truly a mess.
But I thanked him for coming......... For being our guest.
He said, 'My names' Charlie.............. I'm glad to meet you, my friend.'
There were tears in his eyes........ But he had a large, wide grin.
'Let me explain,' he said.......... Wiping tears from his eyes.
'I've been coming here for months.... And you're the first to say 'Hi.''
'I know that my appearance.........'Is not like all the rest.
'But I really do try...................'To always look my best.'
'I always clean and polish my shoes..'Before my very long walk.
'But by the time I get here...........'They're dirty and dusty, like chalk.'
My heart filled with pain.......... And I swallowed to hide my tears.
As he continued to apologize........ For daring to sit so near
He said, 'When I get here...........'I know I must look a sight.
'But I thought if I could touch you..'Then maybe our souls might unite.'
I was silent for a moment............ Knowing whatever was said
Would pale in comparison... I spoke from my heart, not my head.
'Oh, you've touched me,' I said......'And taught me, in part;
'That the best of any man.............'Is what is found in his heart.'
The rest, I thought,................. This shoe man will never know.
Like just how thankful I really am. That his dirty old shoe touched my soul
You are special to me and you have made a difference in my life.
I respect you, and truly cherish you.
I got there and sat. In a pew just in time.
Bowing my head in prayer...... As I closed my eyes.
I saw the shoe of the man next to me..... Touching my own. I sighed.
With plenty of room on either side..... I thought, 'Why must our soles touch?'
It bothered me, his shoe touching mine... But it didn't bother him much.
A prayer began: 'Our Father'............. I thought, 'This man with the shoes, has no pride.
They're dusty, worn, and scratched. Even worse, there are holes on the side!'
'Thank You for blessings,' the prayer went on.
The shoe man said............. A quiet 'Amen.'
I tried to focus on the prayer....... But my thoughts were on his shoes again.
Aren't we supposed to look our best. When walking through that door?
'Well, this certainly isn't it,' I thought, Glancing toward the floor.
Then the prayer was ended........... And the songs of praise began.
The shoe man was certainly loud..... Sounding proud as he sang.
His voice lifted the rafters........ His hands were raised high.
The Lord could surely hear. The shoe man's voice from the sky.
It was time for the offering... And what I threw in was steep.
I watched as the shoe man reached.... Into his pockets so deep.
I saw what was pulled out......... What the shoe man put in.
Then I heard a soft 'clink' . As when silver hits tin.
The sermon really bored me......... To tears, and that's no lie.
It was the same for the shoe man... For tears fell from his eyes.
At the end of the service........ As is the custom here.
We must greet new visitors, And show them all good cheer.
But I felt moved somehow.............. And wanted to meet the shoe man.
So after the closing prayer........ I reached over and shook his hand.
He was old and his skin was dark...... And his hair was truly a mess.
But I thanked him for coming......... For being our guest.
He said, 'My names' Charlie.............. I'm glad to meet you, my friend.'
There were tears in his eyes........ But he had a large, wide grin.
'Let me explain,' he said.......... Wiping tears from his eyes.
'I've been coming here for months.... And you're the first to say 'Hi.''
'I know that my appearance.........'Is not like all the rest.
'But I really do try...................'To always look my best.'
'I always clean and polish my shoes..'Before my very long walk.
'But by the time I get here...........'They're dirty and dusty, like chalk.'
My heart filled with pain.......... And I swallowed to hide my tears.
As he continued to apologize........ For daring to sit so near
He said, 'When I get here...........'I know I must look a sight.
'But I thought if I could touch you..'Then maybe our souls might unite.'
I was silent for a moment............ Knowing whatever was said
Would pale in comparison... I spoke from my heart, not my head.
'Oh, you've touched me,' I said......'And taught me, in part;
'That the best of any man.............'Is what is found in his heart.'
The rest, I thought,................. This shoe man will never know.
Like just how thankful I really am. That his dirty old shoe touched my soul
You are special to me and you have made a difference in my life.
I respect you, and truly cherish you.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
A Little Braggin'
I'm so proud of my daughter. Here's why:
1. Every year of Jr. High and High School, she participates all week long in homecoming week by dressing up in the particular type of costume set forth by the student body. This, though it has been embarrassing at times for her, shows how much school spirit she has and how much she is dedicated to participating in school activities. She works on the float every year, though only a handful of kids from her 50 student class do so. Here she is this year as a superhero:
1. Every year of Jr. High and High School, she participates all week long in homecoming week by dressing up in the particular type of costume set forth by the student body. This, though it has been embarrassing at times for her, shows how much school spirit she has and how much she is dedicated to participating in school activities. She works on the float every year, though only a handful of kids from her 50 student class do so. Here she is this year as a superhero:
2. At the end of Homecoming week this year, the kids had MORP. Prom spelled backwards, as the girls ask the boys. It's not a romantic dinner/dance kind of thing. It's a friend/activity kind of thing. This year she asked a very nice young man from her class. I asked her why she picked him out of all the boys in her school. She said, "He's the only boy who I've never heard anything unwholesome come out of his mouth." This shows her priorities. She isn't interested in the muscle-bound, cute, athletic boy because of how he looks. She looks at the character of the person to decide who she wants to spend time with. 1 Sam. 16:7 says, But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." Here they are before they left for the Standford football game as Robin Hood and Maid Merriam.
3. Last night she had to drive her new car to youth group for the first time. She's been working on driving the manual transmission. She was very apprehensive. Greg and I left to go to dinner. When we got home we were happy to see she had driven her car. When she got home she said before she left she called her Youth Pastor and asked him to pray for her. He prayed for her on the phone. She said she felt at peace afterwards and was able to drive there. I'm proud of her being able to ask her Youth Pastor for prayer and seeking God for strength. Today she drove her car to school all by herself for the first time. She's growing up!
4. She's braver than I was at that age. Her wisdom teeth are coming in. Because she's had braces, she wants to get them pulled, as they're crowding her other teeth and she doesn't want to waste the thousands of dollars the braces cost. How thoughtful!
Okay, I'm done bragging for now. Thank you for indulging me! Have a blessed Thursday evening.
Fantastic post
Check out Perry Noble's post:
http://www.perrynoble.com/2009/11/04/15-signs-that-a-church-is-in-trouble/
http://www.perrynoble.com/2009/11/04/15-signs-that-a-church-is-in-trouble/
Monday, November 2, 2009
You See Bones, I See an Army (cont,)
By Floyd McClung, here are my highlights from the first half of Chapter 2.
You don't have to go to a Bible school for four years to be a leader in the church. In fact, Jesus defined leaders in the new way of doing things as servants. If leaders are servants, anyone who serves God's people through their gifts, leads.
We win battles by fighting in the opposite spirit. Instead of violence, we fight with peace. Instead of anger and hate, we fight with love and forgiveness. Instead of power, we fight with humility. Instead of demanding our rights, we fight with meekness and transparency. Our weapons are not those made with human hands, but they are fashioned in the hearts of humble people.
Such a focus of serving and engaging our culture will continually drive humble and fearless people to their knees in dependence on God for fresh outpourings of the Spirit.
Being "full-time" for God is not about being called to a religious vocation or the mission field but about realizing that no matter what our vocation or where we live, we are called to represent the heart of God and share the love of Jesus all the time. Holistic spirituality means that making money and earning a living is not the primary purpose of any occupation, but being there for God - active, subversive, and courageous - is our calling and purpose.
The apostles of the church are not all up-front, highly charismatic personalities.
An apostolic church is a church that is gripped by the imperatives of Jesus to preach the good news and plant new communities of faith. Apostolic leaders are missional. That is, they align themselves with the mission of God. An apostolic leader is one that believes the whole church is a sent church. Their defining values are to win, gather, and multiply kingdom-minded communities that reach unchurched people, impact culture, and touch nations. Apostolic leadership is God's mechanism for mobilizing his people.
Institutional churches have ignored the role of the evangelist, prophet, and apostle. Pastors and teachers have had more than their share of recognition. It's time to restore greater balance to all five of the equipping gifts that Paul describes in Ephesians 4, but not in a top-down, command-and-control structure.
Apostolic leaders encourage holy dissatisfaction, risk taking, questioning, and experimenting.
I have found personally that to the degree I am caught up in maintaining church structures, something in me dies. My creative gifts and energy turn inward and I am less effective in every way.
In a real sense, a true biblical maverick acts in a prophetic manner by exposing the lies that the dominant group tells itself in order to sustain its shared illusions.
Being incarnational means relating to people in ways that allow us to identify with people without compromising our message.
Paul preached, gathered the new believers, taught and baptized them, and then trusted the Holy Spirit in them to empower them to live their faith in their culture, not apart from it.
That's enough for now. There's more, lots more. Think about these statements. Do they agree with your view of church? Do they make sense? Are they totally different from what you've always believed and experienced?
Have a blessed sunny Monday.
You don't have to go to a Bible school for four years to be a leader in the church. In fact, Jesus defined leaders in the new way of doing things as servants. If leaders are servants, anyone who serves God's people through their gifts, leads.
We win battles by fighting in the opposite spirit. Instead of violence, we fight with peace. Instead of anger and hate, we fight with love and forgiveness. Instead of power, we fight with humility. Instead of demanding our rights, we fight with meekness and transparency. Our weapons are not those made with human hands, but they are fashioned in the hearts of humble people.
Such a focus of serving and engaging our culture will continually drive humble and fearless people to their knees in dependence on God for fresh outpourings of the Spirit.
Being "full-time" for God is not about being called to a religious vocation or the mission field but about realizing that no matter what our vocation or where we live, we are called to represent the heart of God and share the love of Jesus all the time. Holistic spirituality means that making money and earning a living is not the primary purpose of any occupation, but being there for God - active, subversive, and courageous - is our calling and purpose.
The apostles of the church are not all up-front, highly charismatic personalities.
An apostolic church is a church that is gripped by the imperatives of Jesus to preach the good news and plant new communities of faith. Apostolic leaders are missional. That is, they align themselves with the mission of God. An apostolic leader is one that believes the whole church is a sent church. Their defining values are to win, gather, and multiply kingdom-minded communities that reach unchurched people, impact culture, and touch nations. Apostolic leadership is God's mechanism for mobilizing his people.
Institutional churches have ignored the role of the evangelist, prophet, and apostle. Pastors and teachers have had more than their share of recognition. It's time to restore greater balance to all five of the equipping gifts that Paul describes in Ephesians 4, but not in a top-down, command-and-control structure.
Apostolic leaders encourage holy dissatisfaction, risk taking, questioning, and experimenting.
I have found personally that to the degree I am caught up in maintaining church structures, something in me dies. My creative gifts and energy turn inward and I am less effective in every way.
In a real sense, a true biblical maverick acts in a prophetic manner by exposing the lies that the dominant group tells itself in order to sustain its shared illusions.
Being incarnational means relating to people in ways that allow us to identify with people without compromising our message.
Paul preached, gathered the new believers, taught and baptized them, and then trusted the Holy Spirit in them to empower them to live their faith in their culture, not apart from it.
That's enough for now. There's more, lots more. Think about these statements. Do they agree with your view of church? Do they make sense? Are they totally different from what you've always believed and experienced?
Have a blessed sunny Monday.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
You See Bones, I See an Army (cont,)
These are my highlights from chapter 1, called, Holy Frustration, by Floyd McClung.
That he invites me to be a coworker in sharing his love with others never ceases to amaze me.
[re: the church in the book of Acts] They were a dynamic movement of small communities, spontaneously breaking out all over the city. They occasionally met together in big celebrations in Solomon's Porch at the Temple. They gathered in each other's homes, crowding into living rooms and gardens and workshops, wherever they could find space to gather and worship and pray for their friends and family. They were infiltrating every part of the city.
Think about the power of what was happening: they often spent times fasting and worshipping and speaking words of encouragement to one another. They preached boldly about Jesus. Common people were discovering unknown abilities to teach, pray for the sick, serve, and organize. Everyone was involved. The whole church was actively engaged, not just a few. [unlike many churches today where 20% of the people do 80% of the ministry]
Local churches can easily become a spiritual Harmony Bay, locking people up instead of setting them free, with church leaders who mean well but, if not led by the Spirit, turn the church into a world unto itself, cut off from reality.
The church that does not carry a passion to reach the world isolates people behind walls of cultural irrelevance. When that happens, pastors and leaders serve like guards on the prison walls instead of liberators sent to pull down the walls. They stand as caretakers of dry-bone cemeteries instead of speaking life to the dry bones.
The very word for church in the New Testament is about an empowered citizenry commissioned to lead, not control. Ecclesia, or church, did not convey a Sunday meeting to go to or a boring, building-oriented place where a few people did all the ministry and everyone else was a spectator.
It was an assembly where everyone had an equal right and equal duty to take part.
He [A Bible teacher friend of the author's] challenged us to gather them in small groups and, as we were able, in celebrations. He called this process "building" in contrast to "blessing." He told me that doing ministry without a clear aim to build a healthy community, an ecclesia, was irresponsible. He said God had something better in mind. He challenged me to build a discipling community that we would lead and care for and that would in turn become part of God's mission.
Two paradigms, the Building Paradigm, and the Blessing Paradigm
Building Blessing
Focused Following spiritual fads
Strategic Lost in church culture
Intentional No clear outcome
Building a movement Living for the moment
Pioneering spirit Pleasing others
Long-term thinking Short-term mentality
Fruit that remains Immediate results
Fathers and mothers Hirelings
Building spiritual foundations Adding to what others do
Values oriented Meeting oriented
Spiritual sons and daughters Crowds and meetings
Reproduction Production
Every apostolic leader must face this challenge: will I build what God has called me to build, or will I extend what others are doing? You want to know why potential apostolic leaders don't make this transition successfully? Lack of courage. God lifts his grace off church leaders to get them frustrated enough with the old way of doing things so they seek a new way of doing church.
He [God] cares for the old ways but injects new life into his church through those people who are courageous enough to change.
One of the things I committed to was to do nothing that did not lead to new church communities being started. The results were amazing. God blessed our efforts.
When I told the pastors of the churches we had been attending that we wanted to start new churches, they reacted. In fact, I didn't meet one leader in the city who encouraged me as a young visionary to dream about starting new churches. They were concerned with losing church members. They felt the city didn't need more churches. Some of these leaders were inside the walls of "Harmony Bay" and were doing their best to guard the prison from attack. They were good men at heart, but they were locked into a way of thinking about church that was narrow and sometimes controlling. I decided I didn't want to be the kind of leader that reacted unfavorably to young visionaries.
I believe God wanted us to reach the outsiders, not coddle the insiders.
As I have traveled the world, I have found that the ministries which lack resources and credibility are often the very ones that have the most to offer in terms of creativity and inspiration. What they lack in money and status is made up for in courage and vision.
There is a great danger in defining church according to our past experience or dry theological explanations. Describing church is not the same as defining it. God has created the church to be a dynamic, growing, powerful movement, not a static doctrine. The Holy Spirit invites every generation and every race of people to create new expressions of church. Jesus called these new expressions "wineskins."
Don't try to fix the church. God is not calling us to fix what he has created. Don't focus on changing the people and the churches they are part of. It is time for a new wave of church leaders to be released who do church in brand new ways. As you read this book, I hope you hear the Spirit speaking to you. God may be calling you to believe him for your generation and your culture. Dare to believe him for a new way of thinking and a new way of acting, based on God's Word and infused by God's Spirit.
New Ways of doing church must be born on our knees, out of desperation for God.
Boy, that was a full chapter! Holy Frustration, or as Bill Hybels calls it, Holy Discontent, is something I never heard of before until I read Bill's book. That's when all the pieces of my head and heart starting coming together and making sense. That was right before God called us to pastor. It was God's way of laying a foundation for me that spring boarded what He was bringing next. It made it so much easier to accept His calling when I understood the big picture. If you're feeling frustrated or discontented with any aspect of church, seek God about it. Ask Him to reveal the purpose behind your frustration and reveal His plan for your life. Being stuck in frustration is a terrible place to be.
Blessings on this breezy, cold Wednesday.
That he invites me to be a coworker in sharing his love with others never ceases to amaze me.
[re: the church in the book of Acts] They were a dynamic movement of small communities, spontaneously breaking out all over the city. They occasionally met together in big celebrations in Solomon's Porch at the Temple. They gathered in each other's homes, crowding into living rooms and gardens and workshops, wherever they could find space to gather and worship and pray for their friends and family. They were infiltrating every part of the city.
Think about the power of what was happening: they often spent times fasting and worshipping and speaking words of encouragement to one another. They preached boldly about Jesus. Common people were discovering unknown abilities to teach, pray for the sick, serve, and organize. Everyone was involved. The whole church was actively engaged, not just a few. [unlike many churches today where 20% of the people do 80% of the ministry]
Local churches can easily become a spiritual Harmony Bay, locking people up instead of setting them free, with church leaders who mean well but, if not led by the Spirit, turn the church into a world unto itself, cut off from reality.
The church that does not carry a passion to reach the world isolates people behind walls of cultural irrelevance. When that happens, pastors and leaders serve like guards on the prison walls instead of liberators sent to pull down the walls. They stand as caretakers of dry-bone cemeteries instead of speaking life to the dry bones.
The very word for church in the New Testament is about an empowered citizenry commissioned to lead, not control. Ecclesia, or church, did not convey a Sunday meeting to go to or a boring, building-oriented place where a few people did all the ministry and everyone else was a spectator.
It was an assembly where everyone had an equal right and equal duty to take part.
He [A Bible teacher friend of the author's] challenged us to gather them in small groups and, as we were able, in celebrations. He called this process "building" in contrast to "blessing." He told me that doing ministry without a clear aim to build a healthy community, an ecclesia, was irresponsible. He said God had something better in mind. He challenged me to build a discipling community that we would lead and care for and that would in turn become part of God's mission.
Two paradigms, the Building Paradigm, and the Blessing Paradigm
Building Blessing
Focused Following spiritual fads
Strategic Lost in church culture
Intentional No clear outcome
Building a movement Living for the moment
Pioneering spirit Pleasing others
Long-term thinking Short-term mentality
Fruit that remains Immediate results
Fathers and mothers Hirelings
Building spiritual foundations Adding to what others do
Values oriented Meeting oriented
Spiritual sons and daughters Crowds and meetings
Reproduction Production
Every apostolic leader must face this challenge: will I build what God has called me to build, or will I extend what others are doing? You want to know why potential apostolic leaders don't make this transition successfully? Lack of courage. God lifts his grace off church leaders to get them frustrated enough with the old way of doing things so they seek a new way of doing church.
He [God] cares for the old ways but injects new life into his church through those people who are courageous enough to change.
One of the things I committed to was to do nothing that did not lead to new church communities being started. The results were amazing. God blessed our efforts.
When I told the pastors of the churches we had been attending that we wanted to start new churches, they reacted. In fact, I didn't meet one leader in the city who encouraged me as a young visionary to dream about starting new churches. They were concerned with losing church members. They felt the city didn't need more churches. Some of these leaders were inside the walls of "Harmony Bay" and were doing their best to guard the prison from attack. They were good men at heart, but they were locked into a way of thinking about church that was narrow and sometimes controlling. I decided I didn't want to be the kind of leader that reacted unfavorably to young visionaries.
I believe God wanted us to reach the outsiders, not coddle the insiders.
As I have traveled the world, I have found that the ministries which lack resources and credibility are often the very ones that have the most to offer in terms of creativity and inspiration. What they lack in money and status is made up for in courage and vision.
There is a great danger in defining church according to our past experience or dry theological explanations. Describing church is not the same as defining it. God has created the church to be a dynamic, growing, powerful movement, not a static doctrine. The Holy Spirit invites every generation and every race of people to create new expressions of church. Jesus called these new expressions "wineskins."
Don't try to fix the church. God is not calling us to fix what he has created. Don't focus on changing the people and the churches they are part of. It is time for a new wave of church leaders to be released who do church in brand new ways. As you read this book, I hope you hear the Spirit speaking to you. God may be calling you to believe him for your generation and your culture. Dare to believe him for a new way of thinking and a new way of acting, based on God's Word and infused by God's Spirit.
New Ways of doing church must be born on our knees, out of desperation for God.
Boy, that was a full chapter! Holy Frustration, or as Bill Hybels calls it, Holy Discontent, is something I never heard of before until I read Bill's book. That's when all the pieces of my head and heart starting coming together and making sense. That was right before God called us to pastor. It was God's way of laying a foundation for me that spring boarded what He was bringing next. It made it so much easier to accept His calling when I understood the big picture. If you're feeling frustrated or discontented with any aspect of church, seek God about it. Ask Him to reveal the purpose behind your frustration and reveal His plan for your life. Being stuck in frustration is a terrible place to be.
Blessings on this breezy, cold Wednesday.
Monday, October 26, 2009
You See Bones, I See an Army (cont,)
I'm about 1/3 way through this book and am loving it! Here are my highlights from Chapter 1 titled Five Beliefs that Changed the way I Do Church, by Floyd McClung.
Perhaps one of the reasons we have lost our relevance is because we spend so much time and energy thinking of ways to make the sacred hour on Sunday more attractive to saved people, rather than equipping saved people to take the church to world. Amen!
God created us to need a challenge so big it changes everything we believe and hold dear.
...church is not an institution but an army. Believers in the rest of the world are not devoted to doing church in religious buildings but to gathering anywhere and everywhere they can to study the words of Jesus and to pray and worship. The participants in this revolution believe they are at their best when they meet in twos and threes, not two and three thousands. And they don't see their small gatherings as the purpose for church but as the means for them to be encouraged in their longing to see more people know Jesus.
...but I do believe the more complicated we do church, the more difficult it is to reproduce. Complicated ways of doing church are overwhelming and difficult to feel part of. How many people believe they can start or lead a megachurch?
They key to starting churches that reproduce spontaneously is to be Jesus to lost people.
But the fact is that the bigger and more complicated a local church becomes, the more people and the more money it takes to lead one person to Christ.
I concluded many years ago that all followers of Jesus interpret the teachings of Jesus and the impressions of the Spirit via an inner set of core beliefs that, for better or worse, guide their lives. These five guide my life:
1. Simple church
2. Courageous leadership
3. Focused obedience
4. Apostolic passion
5. Making disciples
I believe the effectiveness of any movement that makes a lasting impact will be measured by how effective it is in fostering a culture of discipleship that thrusts its members out among the lost.
Yes, the lost. Those people. The unlovely. The dirty, the smelly, the homeless, the addicted, the middle-class upper management ladder-climbing folks who can do all things through themselves. Your neighbor, your sister, your father, your child. It's time we stop hoarding the greatest gift we've every been given and start giving it away. Afterall, it was free to us, and is free to everyone else.
Blessings on this beautiful fall Monday.
Perhaps one of the reasons we have lost our relevance is because we spend so much time and energy thinking of ways to make the sacred hour on Sunday more attractive to saved people, rather than equipping saved people to take the church to world. Amen!
God created us to need a challenge so big it changes everything we believe and hold dear.
...church is not an institution but an army. Believers in the rest of the world are not devoted to doing church in religious buildings but to gathering anywhere and everywhere they can to study the words of Jesus and to pray and worship. The participants in this revolution believe they are at their best when they meet in twos and threes, not two and three thousands. And they don't see their small gatherings as the purpose for church but as the means for them to be encouraged in their longing to see more people know Jesus.
...but I do believe the more complicated we do church, the more difficult it is to reproduce. Complicated ways of doing church are overwhelming and difficult to feel part of. How many people believe they can start or lead a megachurch?
They key to starting churches that reproduce spontaneously is to be Jesus to lost people.
But the fact is that the bigger and more complicated a local church becomes, the more people and the more money it takes to lead one person to Christ.
I concluded many years ago that all followers of Jesus interpret the teachings of Jesus and the impressions of the Spirit via an inner set of core beliefs that, for better or worse, guide their lives. These five guide my life:
1. Simple church
2. Courageous leadership
3. Focused obedience
4. Apostolic passion
5. Making disciples
I believe the effectiveness of any movement that makes a lasting impact will be measured by how effective it is in fostering a culture of discipleship that thrusts its members out among the lost.
Yes, the lost. Those people. The unlovely. The dirty, the smelly, the homeless, the addicted, the middle-class upper management ladder-climbing folks who can do all things through themselves. Your neighbor, your sister, your father, your child. It's time we stop hoarding the greatest gift we've every been given and start giving it away. Afterall, it was free to us, and is free to everyone else.
Blessings on this beautiful fall Monday.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
End of Book, Beginning of Book
I went to blog some more on Just Walk Across the Room by Bill Hybels and found I had no more highlights! I remember enjoying the whole rest of the book so much I couldn't highlight all of it. I really enjoyed it. If you're wanting a soft launch into sharing your faith, this may be the book for you. It's gently written with lots of real-life examples.
I've started my next book and like it very much so far. When Greg saw what I was reading, he said, "He's a really great author!" It's titled You See Bones, I See An Army by Floyd McClung. The subtitle is Changing The Way We Do Church. Part of the Foreword reads, "You See Bones unapologetically presents us with the challenge of church-planting." Got me right there.
The title comes from Ezekiel 37:1-10. Here it is in The Message version:
God grabbed me. God's Spirit took me up and sat me down in the middle of an open plain strewn with bones. He led me around and among them - a lot of bones! There were bones all over the plain - dry bones, bleached by the sun.
He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "Master God, only you know that."
He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones: 'Dry bones, listen to the Message of God!'"
God, the Master, told the dry bones, "Watch this: I'm bringing the breath of life to you and you'll come to life. I'll attach sinews to you, put meat on your bones, cover you with skin, and breathe life into you. You'll come alive and you'll realize that I am God!"
I prophesied just as I'd been commanded. As I prophesied, there was a sound and, oh, rustling! The bones moved and came together, bone to bone. I kept watching. Sinews formed, then muscles on the bones, then skin stretched over them. But they had no breath in them.
He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man. Tell the breath, 'God, the Master, says, Come from the four winds. Come, breath. Breathe on these slain bodies. Breathe life!'"
So I prophesied, just as he commanded me. The breath entered them and they came alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army.
If you're like me, one of the first things you read when considering a book is the Table of Contents. Here it is:
Forward
Five Beliefs that Changed the Way I Do Church
You See
God Grabbed Me
Part One: Simple Church
1. Holy Frustration
2. Asking the Right Questions
Part Two: Courageous Leadership
3. Courage to Change
4. The Next Bono - or Is It Billy Graham?
Part Three: Focused Obedience
5. Watch Out for the Camels
Part Four: Apostolic Passion
6. Big Cars with Very Little Engines
Part Five: Making Disciples
7. The Heart of Everything
Appendix A: Five core practices to Start and Multiply Simple church Communities
Appendix B: Suggestions for Starting Two- and Three-Person Discipleship Groups
Appendix C: The Three Core Values of the Kingdom
Appendix D: Recommended Books for Further Reading
Notes
About All Nations
I can't wait to finish this book, who know, it just might be the next book we have our leadership team read!
Blessings on this sunny Wednesday!
I've started my next book and like it very much so far. When Greg saw what I was reading, he said, "He's a really great author!" It's titled You See Bones, I See An Army by Floyd McClung. The subtitle is Changing The Way We Do Church. Part of the Foreword reads, "You See Bones unapologetically presents us with the challenge of church-planting." Got me right there.
The title comes from Ezekiel 37:1-10. Here it is in The Message version:
God grabbed me. God's Spirit took me up and sat me down in the middle of an open plain strewn with bones. He led me around and among them - a lot of bones! There were bones all over the plain - dry bones, bleached by the sun.
He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "Master God, only you know that."
He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones: 'Dry bones, listen to the Message of God!'"
God, the Master, told the dry bones, "Watch this: I'm bringing the breath of life to you and you'll come to life. I'll attach sinews to you, put meat on your bones, cover you with skin, and breathe life into you. You'll come alive and you'll realize that I am God!"
I prophesied just as I'd been commanded. As I prophesied, there was a sound and, oh, rustling! The bones moved and came together, bone to bone. I kept watching. Sinews formed, then muscles on the bones, then skin stretched over them. But they had no breath in them.
He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man. Tell the breath, 'God, the Master, says, Come from the four winds. Come, breath. Breathe on these slain bodies. Breathe life!'"
So I prophesied, just as he commanded me. The breath entered them and they came alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army.
If you're like me, one of the first things you read when considering a book is the Table of Contents. Here it is:
Forward
Five Beliefs that Changed the Way I Do Church
You See
God Grabbed Me
Part One: Simple Church
1. Holy Frustration
2. Asking the Right Questions
Part Two: Courageous Leadership
3. Courage to Change
4. The Next Bono - or Is It Billy Graham?
Part Three: Focused Obedience
5. Watch Out for the Camels
Part Four: Apostolic Passion
6. Big Cars with Very Little Engines
Part Five: Making Disciples
7. The Heart of Everything
Appendix A: Five core practices to Start and Multiply Simple church Communities
Appendix B: Suggestions for Starting Two- and Three-Person Discipleship Groups
Appendix C: The Three Core Values of the Kingdom
Appendix D: Recommended Books for Further Reading
Notes
About All Nations
I can't wait to finish this book, who know, it just might be the next book we have our leadership team read!
Blessings on this sunny Wednesday!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Just Walk Across the Room #4 by Bill Hybels
In this book, Bill tells us what it means to live in 3D in regards to sharing our faith. Here they are:
1. Develop friendships with people in your world and then take risks to
2. Discover their stories.
3. Discern appropriate next steps.
Bill talks about one way to help someone out is to be a resource provider. Sometimes you can just offer them a book or tape to check out and that starts the curiosity juices flowing. Follow up with them to discuss their impressions of what they've read or heard. That can lead to further conversations as they continue to ask questions. In order to move from initial reactions to making a significant impact in their life, use the "Be With" factor.
At a Willow Creek leadership retreat a number of years ago, I introduced something called the "be with" factor in summarizing Jesus' approach to having the most significant impact on the people in his world. Jesus most profoundly influenced his disciples by doing life with them. He invited them into his world, and he got into theirs. Undeniably, the disciples' most momentous life-change happened during their mundane, everyday times with the Lord.
Are you committed to being with the members of your various social groups - doing life with them, sharing yourself with them, rubbing shoulders with them? If not, what's holding you back? Christ modeled the life earnestly, and authentically. And friendships that are strong today can always be traced back to that first conversation when someone chose to engage, someone chose to seek out the other person's story, and someone was willing to pay attention to occasions when the right resources would meet a few needs.
Bill goes on to relate a story of someone in his church who was trying to reach out to his neighbors. He was getting nowhere inviting them to church and trying to engage them in spiritual talks. He was discouraged, feeling he was part of a 'loser' neighborhood. Soon he came up with a plan. He challenged one of his neighbors, "I bet I can put together a better kickball team than you can." "You're on!" Soon, they averaged 65 parents and kids every other Sunday night. Soon everyone was helping plan the event, they enjoyed holiday festivities together, and eventually, some decided to try their church. There's more to this story, but you'll have to read the book!
Like Bill says in his book, "Friends, this isn't rocket science."
Blessings on this cloudy, rainy, sunny, breezy Monday.
1. Develop friendships with people in your world and then take risks to
2. Discover their stories.
3. Discern appropriate next steps.
Bill talks about one way to help someone out is to be a resource provider. Sometimes you can just offer them a book or tape to check out and that starts the curiosity juices flowing. Follow up with them to discuss their impressions of what they've read or heard. That can lead to further conversations as they continue to ask questions. In order to move from initial reactions to making a significant impact in their life, use the "Be With" factor.
At a Willow Creek leadership retreat a number of years ago, I introduced something called the "be with" factor in summarizing Jesus' approach to having the most significant impact on the people in his world. Jesus most profoundly influenced his disciples by doing life with them. He invited them into his world, and he got into theirs. Undeniably, the disciples' most momentous life-change happened during their mundane, everyday times with the Lord.
Are you committed to being with the members of your various social groups - doing life with them, sharing yourself with them, rubbing shoulders with them? If not, what's holding you back? Christ modeled the life earnestly, and authentically. And friendships that are strong today can always be traced back to that first conversation when someone chose to engage, someone chose to seek out the other person's story, and someone was willing to pay attention to occasions when the right resources would meet a few needs.
Bill goes on to relate a story of someone in his church who was trying to reach out to his neighbors. He was getting nowhere inviting them to church and trying to engage them in spiritual talks. He was discouraged, feeling he was part of a 'loser' neighborhood. Soon he came up with a plan. He challenged one of his neighbors, "I bet I can put together a better kickball team than you can." "You're on!" Soon, they averaged 65 parents and kids every other Sunday night. Soon everyone was helping plan the event, they enjoyed holiday festivities together, and eventually, some decided to try their church. There's more to this story, but you'll have to read the book!
Like Bill says in his book, "Friends, this isn't rocket science."
Blessings on this cloudy, rainy, sunny, breezy Monday.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Just Walk Across the Room #3
By Bill Hybels. Here we go with Chapter 4.
Points for Practicing Commonality: . . . relax your agenda enough to uncover what they're involved in. . . . watch for ways to build bridges instead of walls when you are discovering people's stories.
This is a really an important point, so I'm going to expound on it. Case in point: A few months ago, I was working with Greg at one of our retail store accounts and a man in his 50's drove up to our truck and trailer, walked up to me (Greg was about 75 feet away) and started asking me questions, rapid-fire. "Have you ever read the Bible?" I responded, "Yes, I have." He responded, "Well, have you read it carefully? There are things in it that aren't quite true. Here, I'll give you this, read this. It will explain everything. Do you know where you'll go if you die tomorrow? It's very easy to misunderstand the Bible." On and on he went, barely giving me a chance to answer his questions or correct him. I did get to spit out that we were Pastors hoping this would slow him down, but it didn't. He responded, "Well, many Pastors have been misled by the Bible, it's hard to decipher." I told him I wasn't interested in his booklet (J.W. WatchTower). I was being as nice as I could, knowing I was representing Christ, but motor mouth was more interested in his agenda than building trust or a bridge with me whereby I would even be open to continue the coversation with him. He finally left when Greg told him three or four times thank you, but we weren't interested and that we had to continue working.
Here's another experience I had. I man in his 60's and a boy about 6 came to my door, all dressed up in slacks, dress shirt, tie and jacket. The little boy did all the talking. He asked if I was interested in learning how to do better in these tough financial times. He asked if he could leave a booklet with me on how to manage my money better. I said, sure. I knew he was in training for something, I just didn't know what. Then finally the man spoke and asked if they could come by the next week after I had a chance to read the book. I said sure. They never came back. The back of the booklet showed they were either Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses. Now, if I were to get all dressed up, coach a child in how to deliver a message, carry around booklets, and represent my particular faith, asking if I could come back, and getting an affirmative answer, I WOULD MAKE SURE I CAME BACK! To me this showed a lack of integrity, not following through on a committment. Either that or they were lying to me, never intending to come back, and just wanted to get a book in my hands to read, thinking coming back would make sure I was prepared to discuss it when they came back. Both experiences left me very disappointed and disgusted.
Pushing agendas at people almost never leads them to Christ. In fact, it's one of the many reasons people are leary of Christians and Christianity in the first place. Be genuine in your relationships with people. Ask God to prepare the soil ahead of you and to open doors for you to speak when the time is right. Closing the deal should never be the motivator. Loving people, showing Christ's genuine care for them, opens the doors. Share your own experiences when they are ready to hear them. Don't use Christian jargon. Genuine care for people builds trust and bridges to their hearts. That's the first step.
Blessings as this storm comes in.
Points for Practicing Commonality: . . . relax your agenda enough to uncover what they're involved in. . . . watch for ways to build bridges instead of walls when you are discovering people's stories.
This is a really an important point, so I'm going to expound on it. Case in point: A few months ago, I was working with Greg at one of our retail store accounts and a man in his 50's drove up to our truck and trailer, walked up to me (Greg was about 75 feet away) and started asking me questions, rapid-fire. "Have you ever read the Bible?" I responded, "Yes, I have." He responded, "Well, have you read it carefully? There are things in it that aren't quite true. Here, I'll give you this, read this. It will explain everything. Do you know where you'll go if you die tomorrow? It's very easy to misunderstand the Bible." On and on he went, barely giving me a chance to answer his questions or correct him. I did get to spit out that we were Pastors hoping this would slow him down, but it didn't. He responded, "Well, many Pastors have been misled by the Bible, it's hard to decipher." I told him I wasn't interested in his booklet (J.W. WatchTower). I was being as nice as I could, knowing I was representing Christ, but motor mouth was more interested in his agenda than building trust or a bridge with me whereby I would even be open to continue the coversation with him. He finally left when Greg told him three or four times thank you, but we weren't interested and that we had to continue working.
Here's another experience I had. I man in his 60's and a boy about 6 came to my door, all dressed up in slacks, dress shirt, tie and jacket. The little boy did all the talking. He asked if I was interested in learning how to do better in these tough financial times. He asked if he could leave a booklet with me on how to manage my money better. I said, sure. I knew he was in training for something, I just didn't know what. Then finally the man spoke and asked if they could come by the next week after I had a chance to read the book. I said sure. They never came back. The back of the booklet showed they were either Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses. Now, if I were to get all dressed up, coach a child in how to deliver a message, carry around booklets, and represent my particular faith, asking if I could come back, and getting an affirmative answer, I WOULD MAKE SURE I CAME BACK! To me this showed a lack of integrity, not following through on a committment. Either that or they were lying to me, never intending to come back, and just wanted to get a book in my hands to read, thinking coming back would make sure I was prepared to discuss it when they came back. Both experiences left me very disappointed and disgusted.
Pushing agendas at people almost never leads them to Christ. In fact, it's one of the many reasons people are leary of Christians and Christianity in the first place. Be genuine in your relationships with people. Ask God to prepare the soil ahead of you and to open doors for you to speak when the time is right. Closing the deal should never be the motivator. Loving people, showing Christ's genuine care for them, opens the doors. Share your own experiences when they are ready to hear them. Don't use Christian jargon. Genuine care for people builds trust and bridges to their hearts. That's the first step.
Blessings as this storm comes in.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Just Walk Across the Room #2
Sorry I missed a few days. After a storm, there are a lot of downed trees and debris that needs to be cleaned up. I'm pooped! Here are my highlights from chapter 3 by Bill Hybels.
[Horse Trading with God] . . . but privately they come to God and say, "I'm really not cut out to take walks across rooms, God. I'm terribly uncomfortable with risk, edge, and adventure. And frankly, this whole 'mystical' realm isomer unnerving than I can even articulate! . . . But here's my deal, God. I will get all over spiritual development. I will be a Bible knowledge hound! If you want, I'll throw myself into building Habitat for Humanity homes - every summer, if fact. I will climb all over volunteerism - I'll show up at church five nights a week if you ask me to. You let me off the evangelism hook, and I'll prove my love for you in half a dozen other ways if it kills me. That's my deal."
If Christ-followers' tactics only went this far, I would still hang my head in dismay at the selfishness and ugliness of it all. But things can get even worse than this. I've seen scores of Christ-followers get so cut off, having horse-traded away any sense of responsibility or adventure about reaching people, that they actually get annoyed with those outside the kingdom of God.
Instead of walking toward people who need God's redemptive love, they step into a mode of no longer wanting anything to do with them. Self-proclaimed followers of Jesus Christ develop an aversion to nonbelievers, going to all lengths to avoid the exact people Christ came to redeem.
The aversion can become so intense that a Christ-follower has to plumb new depths of dysfunction to deal with it. "Here's what I think I'll do," she says. "I'll set my alarm so that in the morning, I'll get up to Christian music. I'll email my Christian girlfriends all throughout the course of my workday so that I can stay pumped up with Christian thoughts. At break time, coffee time, lunchtime, I'm going to sit by myself and read my Bible. Then, I will fill up my evenings with family and church activities, and (if I watch television at all) it's only Christian shows for me. I'll go to bed, wake up tomorrow, and start all over with Step One. My life will stay exactly how I want it to be: simple and safe. Spotless and uncluttered. Protected and predictable. Just the way I like it." . . .It is the polar opposite of the way of Christ.
. . . there is unparalleled joy in knowing that God is using you to shape and mold another person's life.
Kind of hard-hitting for Chapter 3, but good stuff nonetheless. I was here once too, not even realizing it. Then I got a passion to see people grow through discipleship. Then God called us to plant a church, which means reaching the lost as well. Step by step, God leads who will follow.
Blessings on this warm, sunny Saturday.
[Horse Trading with God] . . . but privately they come to God and say, "I'm really not cut out to take walks across rooms, God. I'm terribly uncomfortable with risk, edge, and adventure. And frankly, this whole 'mystical' realm isomer unnerving than I can even articulate! . . . But here's my deal, God. I will get all over spiritual development. I will be a Bible knowledge hound! If you want, I'll throw myself into building Habitat for Humanity homes - every summer, if fact. I will climb all over volunteerism - I'll show up at church five nights a week if you ask me to. You let me off the evangelism hook, and I'll prove my love for you in half a dozen other ways if it kills me. That's my deal."
If Christ-followers' tactics only went this far, I would still hang my head in dismay at the selfishness and ugliness of it all. But things can get even worse than this. I've seen scores of Christ-followers get so cut off, having horse-traded away any sense of responsibility or adventure about reaching people, that they actually get annoyed with those outside the kingdom of God.
Instead of walking toward people who need God's redemptive love, they step into a mode of no longer wanting anything to do with them. Self-proclaimed followers of Jesus Christ develop an aversion to nonbelievers, going to all lengths to avoid the exact people Christ came to redeem.
The aversion can become so intense that a Christ-follower has to plumb new depths of dysfunction to deal with it. "Here's what I think I'll do," she says. "I'll set my alarm so that in the morning, I'll get up to Christian music. I'll email my Christian girlfriends all throughout the course of my workday so that I can stay pumped up with Christian thoughts. At break time, coffee time, lunchtime, I'm going to sit by myself and read my Bible. Then, I will fill up my evenings with family and church activities, and (if I watch television at all) it's only Christian shows for me. I'll go to bed, wake up tomorrow, and start all over with Step One. My life will stay exactly how I want it to be: simple and safe. Spotless and uncluttered. Protected and predictable. Just the way I like it." . . .It is the polar opposite of the way of Christ.
. . . there is unparalleled joy in knowing that God is using you to shape and mold another person's life.
Kind of hard-hitting for Chapter 3, but good stuff nonetheless. I was here once too, not even realizing it. Then I got a passion to see people grow through discipleship. Then God called us to plant a church, which means reaching the lost as well. Step by step, God leads who will follow.
Blessings on this warm, sunny Saturday.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Just Walk Across the Room
As promised, I'm sharing my highlights from this book by Bill Hybels. I thought I was a very good book with great advice on how to share our faith. Bill is full of passion for sharing the greatest gift he's ever received, as we all should be. There were mini sermons and times when I read through it faster than others, but I have enough highlights to share. I hope you are re-ignited to share your faith when you see how easy it really is.
[Jesus, paraphrased] "Be people who are willing to seize every opportunity I give you - not motivated by guilt or fear or obligation, but just with an eye on me, a pliable heart, and a passion for my people."
Knowing that the God of the universe has equipped you to bestow the greatest gift in this life on another human being, choose today to lead a life of impact - eternal impact.
But as far as I'm concerned, there is only one paradigm that will not wear thin with the passing of time. These days, I'm more convinced than ever that the absolute highest value in personal evangelism is staying attuned to and cooperative with the Holy Spirit.
If I'm serious about being transformed by God's Spirit, then I can't shy away from the discomfort and awkwardness and ambiguity that exist when I abandon my safe Circle of Comfort.
[Regarding the parable of the seed sower] Jesus went on to promise that despite where all the other seed fell, some seed fell on good earth and produced a harvest beyond the farmer's wildest dreams. We cannot forget the reality of this fourth soil, friends. Jesus pledges to us that some of the seed we sow will fall on good soil.
Leave what's comfortable for that which is eternally significant. Risk your life for this, and know that you will never regret your decision. He challenges us to do the same. "What does it profit a person," Jesus once said, "to gain the whole world but forfeit their soul?" (Mark 8:36)
In short, "You cannot give up! Be seed-sowing fools, if you want to think of it this way, because someday-during one of those times when you risked taking a walk across a room-that seed is going to fall on the right soil, take root, germinate, and sprout. And you will fall to your knees in disbelief, saying, 'Thank God I did not give up! Thank God I did not flee to my little insular Circle of Comfort and stay there in hiding. Thank God this seed fell on good soil."
Those were my highlights from the first two chapters. I know you're missing a lot, but think of them as teasers. Maybe you want to buy or borrow the book. Stay tuned for more highlights!
Blessings on this warm evening.
[Jesus, paraphrased] "Be people who are willing to seize every opportunity I give you - not motivated by guilt or fear or obligation, but just with an eye on me, a pliable heart, and a passion for my people."
Knowing that the God of the universe has equipped you to bestow the greatest gift in this life on another human being, choose today to lead a life of impact - eternal impact.
But as far as I'm concerned, there is only one paradigm that will not wear thin with the passing of time. These days, I'm more convinced than ever that the absolute highest value in personal evangelism is staying attuned to and cooperative with the Holy Spirit.
If I'm serious about being transformed by God's Spirit, then I can't shy away from the discomfort and awkwardness and ambiguity that exist when I abandon my safe Circle of Comfort.
[Regarding the parable of the seed sower] Jesus went on to promise that despite where all the other seed fell, some seed fell on good earth and produced a harvest beyond the farmer's wildest dreams. We cannot forget the reality of this fourth soil, friends. Jesus pledges to us that some of the seed we sow will fall on good soil.
Leave what's comfortable for that which is eternally significant. Risk your life for this, and know that you will never regret your decision. He challenges us to do the same. "What does it profit a person," Jesus once said, "to gain the whole world but forfeit their soul?" (Mark 8:36)
In short, "You cannot give up! Be seed-sowing fools, if you want to think of it this way, because someday-during one of those times when you risked taking a walk across a room-that seed is going to fall on the right soil, take root, germinate, and sprout. And you will fall to your knees in disbelief, saying, 'Thank God I did not give up! Thank God I did not flee to my little insular Circle of Comfort and stay there in hiding. Thank God this seed fell on good soil."
Those were my highlights from the first two chapters. I know you're missing a lot, but think of them as teasers. Maybe you want to buy or borrow the book. Stay tuned for more highlights!
Blessings on this warm evening.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Taking a Turn
Greg has taken a turn for the better. He woke up this morning with an alert mind and much less phlegm coming up. Yeah! Good timing too, we need to move a lot of our bedroom out of the bedroom today, and he needs to get a bale of straw for the dogs. He also needs to work on this Sunday's sermon. I hope his energy and alertness lasts most of the day.
For me? Thankful that I get to take rainy days off as well as days my boss is sick. That certainly won't happen if I get another job. But, I will get holidays and vacation days off, something I don't get now. I think it's still better being self-employed. Got to go to the post office, since they were closed yesterday. Got to go to the credit union, since they were closed yesterday. Got to get gas for the car. Glad the laundry and shopping is done!
It's a great day to read. I got to read 60 pages of my Just Walk Across the Room book by Bill Hybels and finish it last night. I'll be sharing that tomorrow.
Blessings on this dark, windy, rainy, Tuesday!
For me? Thankful that I get to take rainy days off as well as days my boss is sick. That certainly won't happen if I get another job. But, I will get holidays and vacation days off, something I don't get now. I think it's still better being self-employed. Got to go to the post office, since they were closed yesterday. Got to go to the credit union, since they were closed yesterday. Got to get gas for the car. Glad the laundry and shopping is done!
It's a great day to read. I got to read 60 pages of my Just Walk Across the Room book by Bill Hybels and finish it last night. I'll be sharing that tomorrow.
Blessings on this dark, windy, rainy, Tuesday!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Great Service
What a great service!!!! Seriously. Greg wasn't able to go on the men's retreat because he came down with a virus last week, but we had 6 of the 8 or so in church and each one gave their testimony of their weekend. Each man had a different story of what their highlight and experience of the weekend was. Each one saw God do something different in them. All of them made us laugh like crazy. Some brought tears to my eyes.
This dove-tailed great with Greg's sermon on fear, anxiety and worry. He read Chicken Lilttle. We had the clip of the Newsboys Houston We Are Go with the lead singer reciting Isaiah scripture on not fearing. You can see the video below. The scripture is at point 6:08. We prayed for each other around our tables. It was awesome!
Being part of a small church has advantages and disadvantages, but one thing is for sure. When the schedule or clock is not the priority in a service, you never know where the Holy Spirit will lead. We will stop and pray for each other for as long as we need to. We will sing extra songs or choruses, we will have all the testimonies, not just a sampling of a few. Even if we had 30 guys go repelling, we would have not had a sermon and had all testimonies for a couple of weeks. Yes, it was that powerful. God used the repelling retreat to shape the men as much as He used their testimonies to feed the rest of us.
Blessings on this beautifully perfect Lord's day.
This dove-tailed great with Greg's sermon on fear, anxiety and worry. He read Chicken Lilttle. We had the clip of the Newsboys Houston We Are Go with the lead singer reciting Isaiah scripture on not fearing. You can see the video below. The scripture is at point 6:08. We prayed for each other around our tables. It was awesome!
Being part of a small church has advantages and disadvantages, but one thing is for sure. When the schedule or clock is not the priority in a service, you never know where the Holy Spirit will lead. We will stop and pray for each other for as long as we need to. We will sing extra songs or choruses, we will have all the testimonies, not just a sampling of a few. Even if we had 30 guys go repelling, we would have not had a sermon and had all testimonies for a couple of weeks. Yes, it was that powerful. God used the repelling retreat to shape the men as much as He used their testimonies to feed the rest of us.
Blessings on this beautifully perfect Lord's day.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Great Joy
I had a time of great joy yesterday, a couple of times actually. First, during my quiet time, I pulled out my Life Journal from last year. I started reading my entries dated from April to July. It was fascinating seeing the journey I made from trials and faith and hope to where we are today with our church plant. Being my first journal, I never had this experience before. Each entry was like a mini devotional. I thought of the two ladies who I meet with regularly and how each of them could benefit from some of the entries.
Then I met with one of the ladies. We had a great time of sharing and encouraging each other. I love our times together.
Last night I read the journal entries to Greg. I saw his wheels spinning on how to incorporate some of the entries into services or classes. He was excited to hear the fighting words I used, when others think of me as reserved.
Today I get to meet with my other lady. I look forward to this meeting each week. Pouring into each other, listening, and encouraging. I can see how the Holy Spirit is using us in each other's lives to teach and build each other up, often without our knowledge. Discipleship is so fun!
I encourage you today to find someone to pour into or who can pour into you. God didn't make us to be lone rangers, but to do life together. That's the best part!
Have a blessed, sunny, cool day.
Then I met with one of the ladies. We had a great time of sharing and encouraging each other. I love our times together.
Last night I read the journal entries to Greg. I saw his wheels spinning on how to incorporate some of the entries into services or classes. He was excited to hear the fighting words I used, when others think of me as reserved.
Today I get to meet with my other lady. I look forward to this meeting each week. Pouring into each other, listening, and encouraging. I can see how the Holy Spirit is using us in each other's lives to teach and build each other up, often without our knowledge. Discipleship is so fun!
I encourage you today to find someone to pour into or who can pour into you. God didn't make us to be lone rangers, but to do life together. That's the best part!
Have a blessed, sunny, cool day.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Men's Retreat
We have at least 10 men going on a men's retreat this weekend (Friday/Saturday). They will be going to the mountains to go repelling on a 90 foot mountain. Please pray for God to do incredible things in their hearts, for safety, and deepening relationships with each other.
If you would like to go, please contact jason@jasonhicks.com, josh@equipchurch.org, or greg@equipchurch.org. The cost is $50.00 and a licensed repelling instructor will be present.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Answered Prayer, Again!
We've been seeing God answer prayer lately. Here's one story:
One of our members, Steve, has an Aunt Peggy, who was scheduled to have an angiogram on Friday. We had prayed at a prayer meeting the Tuesday before that Steve would be used in a special spiritual way in the situation to minister to her and/or her family and to be sensitive to their needs. During the angiogram, she got worse and they decided she needed a quadruple bypass operation immediately. That night, before surgery, 7 people came to her bedside and said, "You know, we don't know where you stand with God and we would feel a whole lot better with you going into this surgery knowing you had accepted Christ." About the 4th person got to see her accept Christ. She was overwhelmed God sent so many people to make sure she was right with Him before the surgery.
After the surgery Friday night, she didn't wake up. She didn't wake up Saturday. The doctors were saying that they didn't expect her to recover. Steve's late wife Ana had often been awakened by the Lord to pray for people during the night. On Sunday morning at 4:00 a.m., Steve was awakened to pray for Aunt Peggy. The burden on his heart was that she was lonely. He didn't understand since she hadn't woken up after surgery, but he prayed for her not to feel lonely for the next 2 hours, until the sun came up. During these 2 hours, Aunt Peggy woke up just long enough to write Steve a note telling him she felt very alone. Then she went back to sleep. The note was delivered to Steve from Aunt Peggy by her son Sunday morning. Steve called us Sunday morning to say he wouldn't be at church, that he was going to see Aunt Peggy instead, and asked for us to pray for her during the service.
At 9:30, when we finished worship, Greg prayed for 3 people in our church, one of which was Aunt Peggy. We found out later that day that Aunt Peggy woke up at 9:40, stayed awake, and by 10:00 they took her off oxygen and said she would be fine. She went home a few days later.
We also had a little girl's back healed after praying for her as well. God responds when we seek Him through prayer. I'm so glad we are a praying church.
If you have a prayer request, you can send it to me at sandy@equipchurch.org and I will make sure it is prayed for at our Tuesday night prayer meeting.
Blessings on this cool, breezy, Sunday night.
One of our members, Steve, has an Aunt Peggy, who was scheduled to have an angiogram on Friday. We had prayed at a prayer meeting the Tuesday before that Steve would be used in a special spiritual way in the situation to minister to her and/or her family and to be sensitive to their needs. During the angiogram, she got worse and they decided she needed a quadruple bypass operation immediately. That night, before surgery, 7 people came to her bedside and said, "You know, we don't know where you stand with God and we would feel a whole lot better with you going into this surgery knowing you had accepted Christ." About the 4th person got to see her accept Christ. She was overwhelmed God sent so many people to make sure she was right with Him before the surgery.
After the surgery Friday night, she didn't wake up. She didn't wake up Saturday. The doctors were saying that they didn't expect her to recover. Steve's late wife Ana had often been awakened by the Lord to pray for people during the night. On Sunday morning at 4:00 a.m., Steve was awakened to pray for Aunt Peggy. The burden on his heart was that she was lonely. He didn't understand since she hadn't woken up after surgery, but he prayed for her not to feel lonely for the next 2 hours, until the sun came up. During these 2 hours, Aunt Peggy woke up just long enough to write Steve a note telling him she felt very alone. Then she went back to sleep. The note was delivered to Steve from Aunt Peggy by her son Sunday morning. Steve called us Sunday morning to say he wouldn't be at church, that he was going to see Aunt Peggy instead, and asked for us to pray for her during the service.
At 9:30, when we finished worship, Greg prayed for 3 people in our church, one of which was Aunt Peggy. We found out later that day that Aunt Peggy woke up at 9:40, stayed awake, and by 10:00 they took her off oxygen and said she would be fine. She went home a few days later.
We also had a little girl's back healed after praying for her as well. God responds when we seek Him through prayer. I'm so glad we are a praying church.
If you have a prayer request, you can send it to me at sandy@equipchurch.org and I will make sure it is prayed for at our Tuesday night prayer meeting.
Blessings on this cool, breezy, Sunday night.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Beware
Apathy in the church is like cancer. It starts undetected, often grows slowly, and eventually kills.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Great Post
If I didn't have such a healthy Pastor, I'd want to go to this guy's church. Read Perry Noble's blog for today here.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
New Addition to Our Family
Introducing, Kristen's new car. It's a 1996 Honda Civic LX, power windows, power door locks, cruise control, AM/FM Cassette, A/C, 5 speed. It's beautiful. Congratulations Kristen! Good job saving your money all these years!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Intuition?
We are looking for a car for Kristen and intuition tells me Honda Accords and Civics in her price range have a reselling ring happening in the valley.
I went to check the mail across the street and 2 guys in their early 20's asked if my son wanted to sell his Honda Accord that was parked on the street. Then they said they were going to leave a note for my neighbor who's car is dusty from lack of use, to see if he wanted to sell. Their phone number was from the bay area.
Just calling the ads for cars for sale make me suspicious in so many ways. We may start looking at Toyotas, and at car lots. Not that reselling vehicles is illegal, but I think there's something not quite right about people making a living this way. Posing as car owners, but really being just dealers without a license.
Anyone know an honest person wanting to sell a reliable car? Let me know.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
