Live, Work, & Play

A Visit with David and Nicole

2011-10-31T19:58:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of visiting with David, Nicole and adorable Ruby Love Hannah in beautiful Bologna, Italy. For the past 3 years, DBC has been partnering with the Hannahs to bring the light of Christ and God's kingdom to the students of the University of Bologna.

Known among other things for its covered sidewalks, Bologna is a lively college town. The Hannahs have settled in and are making adjustments to life in a different culture.

To find the University of Bologna, you have to know where to look. There is no central campus like we are used to here in the States. The school itself is perhaps the oldest in the Western world having been started around 1088. David and I joked that to ever get on the cover of their alumni magazine would be a huge deal. You would be joining the ranks of Copernicus, Dante, and Guglielmo Marconi.

But, as impressive as their alumni reunions might be, there is a real spiritual need for a fresh experience of the kingdom of God on campus. The school boasts a registration of around 100,000 students. This huge mission field is currently being served by Campus Crusade staff and David and Nicole.

The picture above is where the law classes are held. God arranged for David to have the opportunity to assist in a class on Comparative Law, with David speaking about how cases would be handled according to US law. This has given him a unique opportunity to connect with students and professors.

Each week they engage students on campus, at coffee shops (about every 10 feet in the town), and at a fun event called Aperitivo (appetizers.) There students come to a local fun restaurant and enjoy food and conversation. The night I was there David's entire law class came out for the event.

Getting around Bologna requires creativity and a good scooter. David is confident as he sports Nicole's pink helmet. I thought for sure he'd make the new guy wear it. (He probably wouldn't want me posting this picture.)

One of the many landmarks in Bologna, these towers are old examples of "keeping up with the Jones'." Today we buy expensive cars and big houses. Then, people built towers.

This is a rented room used by "Nuova Vita", the local evangelical church where David, Nicole, Ruby and other missionaries in Bologna worship. The room is part of a local car wash, so that's convenient. But, more importantly, this church is a strong support network for David and Nicole. In Bologna a unique partnership among different ministries is working to build the kingdom of God. Missionaries are helping one another. The local church is involved. There was a real special spirit of cooperation in the air.

This unity is vital in growing the kingdom on hard ground. The soil in Italy is indeed hard. People are confused about why the Hannahs are there. The people are Catholic, after all. They know about Jesus. Why would they need missionaries? A small fraction of the people may ever actually attend Mass even once a year, but still, missionaries go to other countries, not Italy.

Evangelicals are treated like a cult, a strange sect in the country. David and Nicole have a hard time explaining to people in simple terms why they are there and how they are paid. It all sounds very strange to the locals.

So, the fact that the missionaries can work together like they do presents a united front in spreading the gospel. They are already on the fringe so why not work together?

Piazza Maggiore is at the heart of the city. People come here to hang out, shop, eat, enjoy entertainment, and tour the huge Basilica San Petronio.

The Hannahs are blessed to live in a wonderful apartment near the University. This is a shot looking out one of their windows toward downtown.

I didn't go to see the Hannah's dog, "Preacher," but no doubt he is a key player in their outreach strategy. Here, he and I discussed ideas for walking spots that would lead to spiritual conversations.

Pray for the Hannahs to continue to be encouraged, strengthened, and inspired by what they see God doing. This post is only a small part of the many stories I could tell.

Only having been in Bologna for 9 months, they are already seeing wonderful fruit. They are blessed to be a part of a fantastic network of experienced and new missionaries in the town. The Hannahs are people magnets. The students want to be around them. David is gifted at working a room and meeting new people. Nicole is great one-on-one and her hospitality will open up many conversations. Both of them realize their purpose is to know Christ through being missionaries, not to accomplish a set of goals or to leave behind a program. In knowing Christ more, they will make him known through their lives to the Bolognese.

God is really knitting together a wonderful ministry through them and the team in Bologna. I came away with a heart for the city as much as for what David and Nicole are there to do. There are great opportunities for DBC to engage and get involved in what God is doing in Bologna. I was extremely grateful and humbled by the Hannah's hospitality, not to mention the amazing apricot scones Nicole made. I lost count how many I ate.

For more information on the Hannah's and their ministry, visit www.revivalinitaly.net

A False Sense of Maturity

2011-09-30T18:02:00.000-07:00

'Knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. I Corinthians 8:2

There is a temptation that we face the longer we are Christians. We may come to think that our knowledge of the faith is somehow a measure of our maturity.

I face this big time as a pastor - a professional Christian as some have called me. You might face it too. We have seminary degrees, books, endless Bible studies under our belts. We can quote verses and answer tough doctrinal questions. We read the Bible and know how things "ought" to be.

And all for what? Greater knowledge? That's good. But, we must be careful for as Paul says, "knowledge puffs up."

Knowledge can make us appear bigger than we really are to others. We can crave knowledge more than transformation. Knowledge gives us a sense of control over our world. It sets us apart. It makes us think we're right and everyone wrong. We're just "telling it like it is." We're more "mature", more "evolved", more "enlightened." We may be more concerned about being right than being loving. We're building ourselves up rather than building up others. We often think people should understand like we do, not necessarily that they should love like we do.

But we know there is something beyond knowledge. We can be right in what we know and wrong in how we live. There is knowing...then there is knowing as you ought to know.

To be sure, knowledge and love need each other. Knowledge without love can lead to tyranny. But, love without knowledge is juvenile.

Loving is our real struggle, isn't it? Knowledge is not our problem these days. We have access to greater knowledge than any generation in history. Yet, we struggle to love. The Church has access to more books and Bible studies than ever, yet we are not known as Christ said we would be by "our love for one another."

Perhaps our knowledge is puffing us up. And all this puffing up really benefits no one. Not even the person being puffed up, really. They are puffed up, inflated, full of hot air if you will, concerned often with their "rights' more than their responsibilities.

We may be right, but let's be sure we're not also wrong. We may claim our rights, but let's not forget our responsibilities. We may be well educated, well trained, able to discern God's will and explain the Bible, but let's not forget our challenge to build up others around us.

What would change in the church if we sought to grow in knowledge but never forgot our higher calling to build each other up along the way? What would happen if we were as concerned about BEING Christian as we were about learning more about Christianity?

There is knowing. Then there is knowing as you ought to know.

Before You Become the Me You Want to Be

2011-09-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

Before we can become the "me" we want to be we have to admit the "me" that we are.

We don't talk too much about self knowledge in Christian circles. We would rather look at God and talk about the Bible than deal with ourselves perhaps. But, true transformation of the self means that we are at least aware of the self that is being transformed.

Some might say that we are meant to lose our selves in Christ, that we are to die to self and be caught up in our knowledge of God. This is true. But, the same Paul who said that "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" also said "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do." Paul's deep awareness of Christ also brought deep awareness of self which made him even more grateful for Christ.

There are many that can talk about God but lack deep knowledge of their own self. They can quote verses but lack awareness of their own character. Others see what they refuse to see.

We can feel righteous in our knowledge of the Bible or boldness in our witness, yet be totally unaware of how unloving and rigid we are in our relationships. We can be faithful in our attendance to church activities yet never be willing to admit personal failures or faults. But, if we truly know the God we can talk so much about, surely we would also know more about ourselves.

David Benner in his excellent little book titled "The Gift of Being Yourself"says, "Deep knowing of God and deep knowing of self always develop interactively. The result is the authentic transformation of the self that is at the core of Christian spirituality."

Benner asks "What have you learned about yourself as a result of your experience with God? And what do you know about God as a result of a genuine encounter with your self?"

"While many of us have followed Jesus [for a while], too often we have not allowed the initial introduction to deepen into a deep, intimate knowing. Though we glifbly talk about a personal relationship with God, many of us know God less well than we know our casual acquaintances. Too easily we have settled for knowing about God."

Benner then goes on to suggest ways of knowing both God and self more deeply, to invite God's Spirit to "search me and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts." And, in knowing God we know ourselves and can become the people we "want to" be - or were made to be. After all, it is God who gives us the "want to" anyway...

Note: Benner takes a very psychological approach to Christian spirituality. Some Christians may not be comfortable with this. He does use many Biblical examples. But, reserve judgement on particulars and don't miss the power of the overall message of the book to know God more deeply and in turn to know yourself more honestly.

How to Plant a Church...Hilarious

2011-08-18T18:16:00.001-07:00

As we consider how we will plant churches, let's be sure we avoid this guy's advice...

Rethinking Christian Teaching

2011-08-08T13:18:00.000-07:00

There are an abundance of Christian teachers, but a decreasing influence on society. There are plenty of people speaking, but who is doing?

I have taught the Bible for years. Teaching is a vital ministry. But for a while now I've had this nagging sense that the way we think of teaching in the church and how we practice it is really broken.

Usually when we think of teaching it involves a monologue or at least a controlled discussion. One person leads while others sit in rows or a circles. A pastor speaks from a stage while the audience sits passively receiving the words. A small group gathers in front of the TV to watch a DVD.

Here are some problems I see with the traditional approach to Christian teaching...

We go to mediators of the written word instead of directly to the word ourselves. Maybe its because the Bible can seem complex and difficult to understand. But, the long term effect of constantly relying on teachers to tell us what the text means is that we doubt our own capability to understand it.

The danger here from a teacher's perspective is that we as teachers begin to believe our own interpretations. We value our "series" and "insights" that we bring to the groups we teach. We look for approval from those we teach. Teaching feeds our ego. We define ourselves as "TEACHER."

But, what if Christian teaching was different? What if instead of one person, the expert, telling us what the text means, we went directly to the text ourselves? What if all Christians were able to teach, at least on some level, and not just rely on a few (often the same few) teachers?

Teaching is not reproducible. Every church lacks enough teachers. We're always looking for new teachers from babies to students to the elderly. Or, we rely on the same teachers for the same classes year after year while their class members sit and soak for decades without ever becoming "teachers" themselves.
But, what if there are actually many more teachers than we realize? Perhaps we have this unreproducible problem because what we've defined as Christian teaching (in front of a group) is only appealing to a few people.

Teaching usually means passing along information.   We may get all sorts of background, context, the meaning of the Greek and Hebrew, a long list of points to remember, applications to make, and then wonder what it all means. This makes Christianity seem more of an intellectual pursuit rather than incarnational one.

But, what if teaching was less about passing along information (though info is valuable) and more about teaching a way of life?   What if teaching is about equipping and not just educating?

We have the wrong measures for good teaching.   We look for charistmatic presenters of information. We'll give someone a chance to teach a group and then consider "did they hold the group's attention," "did they make good points," did the group like them."

From a teacher's perspective, we don't have the right measures either. We just like to teach...whether or not the students are actually living out what we share each week is beside the point. Our role is to dispense information, our witty insights, or other data.

But, when do we consider the example of the teacher? Could they say "follow me as I follow Christ?" Perhaps we should ask if the group trusts the teacher rather than if they like them. When does the teacher consider whether or not the students are actually living out what is taught? After all, the goal of teaching is to "present everyone mature in Christ!"

As someone who has taught a lot in front of small and large groups, who has taught individuals and crowds, I am concerned that we have misunderstood the true nature of teaching.

What we usually know as Christian teaching would have seemed quite unusual in new testament times. Fortunately, we can look into Scripture and see what it has to say...

Christ is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. Colossians 1: 28

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Colossians 3: 16

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Hebrews 5:12

Don't misunderstand. There are times for large and small group teaching, for monologue and guided discussion. And when those occur, it's best to hear from someone who is good at communicating and who has the right goal. But, this is not the only way the faith is taught.

I was challenged on this topic in July during a visit with Ed Waken who leads a house church network in Phoenix Arizona. Each Sunday night the network gathers for worship, fellowship and to hear from the Lord. This particular week, Ed had a teaching prepared but never got to it because the Lord wanted the group to confess sins, pray, worship, and encourage one another. The Lord had His own agenda.

As someone from a traditional church where teaching is expected whenever Christians gather for church, I was left with many questions. But, what I saw was not a lack of teaching, but instead a different approach to teaching and a different value placed on what we've always relied upon as teaching.

The person up front teaching a passive audience is not highly valued in a network like the one I saw in Phoenix. Instead, teaching might occur as an elder talks to a young person about an important choice in their life. It might occur in a house church where a Scripture comes to mind to encourage a brother or sister to keep pressing on in their walk. This is "Christ dwelling in you richly as you teach and admonish one another."

Teaching like this does not create celebrities. It is not glamorous. It might never get published on a DVD. It is more organic, more relational, more genuine. Scripture is not so much something we come to in order to study and dissect. But, it is weaved into conversations where the Spirit brings to mind verses to connect with what someone needs in the moment.

The fact is that most Christians listen to more teaching than they ever intend to obey. We are educated beyond our obedience. We have an abundance of teachers but increasingly lack significant influence on our society. Why is this?

We have an image of teachers as those who stand up front. But, what we need are teachers who can teach us how to follow Jesus. We need teachers who teach from their own life experiences, who are practicioners, who leverage their gift to equip others for the work of ministry. And those who have become dependent on teachers should begin to teach others.

I saw this in Phoenix. I saw a gifted teacher in Ed Waken yield his right to teach for what the Spirit was doing in the body, trusting that whatever word he had been given would apply at some other gathering in the future. It takes humility for a gifted teacher to yield this way. In so doing, he teaches by example and not just words.

And that's the kind of teaching we need.

Check out Ed's blog at http://www.edwaken.blogspot.com/

All Good People Go To Heaven

2011-06-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

A common question people ask Christians is this..."Why would a good God send people to an eternal hell?"

It seems cruel. An eternity of suffering just because you didn't believe in Jesus while on earth? That seems a bit over the top. So, how do you respond?

Jesus taught us to answer a question with a question, especially if that question is designed to make you look silly, narrow minded, or hypocritical. Jesus also responded with questions when the questioner wasn't sincerely looking for information, but rather trying to trick him.

So, rather than engage in debate about God's goodness, you might simply ask, "It seems cruel doesn't it. So, who do you think gets into heaven?"

"Good people," they might respond.

"Well, how good do you have to be," you reply.

"Well, I'm not as bad as a lot of other people. I don't think I deserve eternal punishment."

"Well, then answer me this, why would a good God force people to be with Him for eternity when they rejected Him all their life? That seems cruel to me. I wouldn't force anyone to be my friend against their will.

Here's what I believe...all good people go to heaven, but the problem is that that none of us are good enough. All of us have fallen short of who God made us to be. We've all missed the mark, even people we think are good. I know I have fallen short, even of my own standards. But, in Christ, we can be made good enough to enter heaven. On our own, none of us are good enough. But God offers us the gift of grace and forgiveness in Christ. So, we don't trust in our efforts to be good. We trust Christ and the life that he offers. Otherwise we are left to comparing ourselves with others, trying really hard to be good, or just assuming we're good enough and not really trying at all."

In this discussion you have moved the point of debate from the goodness of God to the goodness of the person talking. Many questions we might be asked are simply abstractions and distractions. Now, instead of questioning the goodness of God, the person is faced with the reality they know already, they are not good enough and need forgiveness.

Sure, the conversation might not go that cleanly or simply. And we know there are many other questions we live with or might be asked to stump us. "What about those who have never heard?" "What about those who did good but weren't Christians, like Ghandi?" "Why would God create humans when he knew they would rebel and end up in hell?" "How could a good God permit so much suffering and evil?"

Perhaps the best way to answer these questions are with more questions. We need not question God's goodness. That gets us nowhere. Questioning our own, though, leads us to the cross and gratitude.

When Someone Says All Religions Are The Same...

2011-06-23T18:54:00.000-07:00

The Holy Spirit wants Jesus to be known so if you ask Him to arrange spiritual conversations, you shouldn't be suprised when He sets one up. Maybe you've been attending some of the recent apologetics teaching at church and thinking to yourself, "I'm not having these spiritual conversatins where people doubt God, question the Bible or believe all religions are the same."

Well, if that's true, then consider asking God to set one up. Believe me, He will.

The other night I ended up in a conversation with a friend who believes all religions are the same. How would you respond if someone said that to you? Would you agree? Would you disagree?

Here's how the conversation went...I drove down to meet the family at the pool in our complex and as I got out of the car I said to myself, "Lord, if you want me to have a spiritual conversation then you've got to set it up."

I was expecting to talk to our neighbors who were joining us at the pool. But, instead I ran into Rashad, a Muslim friend who usually just talks to me about professional basketball. I sat down next to him and we began chatting about swimming, since we were at the pool. He mentioned that his son has taken lessons at my church and said that he really liked everything my church does.

Rashad then asked me what I do for a living. I told him I was a pastor and he was surprised. (I'm not always sure how to take such "surprise" when I tell people I'm a pastor!) This led to a lengthy conversation about spiritual things.

Rashad talked about how he believes all religions are basically the same and teach good things. He talked about how the moral teaching is good for his kids and leaves him very encouraged. As I listened, I prayed and wondered how best to respond. It's one thing to address the question of all religions being the same in a theoretical, academic discussion, But, sitting down next to a friend who believes in this and lives by it, I knew that nothing theoretical would connect. So, I just said what I was thinking and waited to see where he would take the conversation next.

"That's interesting coming from a Muslim. I would not expect that attitude," I said. "All the religions actually teach very different things about who God is, our purpose for life and what happens after this life," I said. "Well, I admit it's strange. But, where I grew up the Muslim Imams would attend Hindu festivals and the Hindu Priests would attend the Muslim festivals. It's a wonderful thing. When it comes down to the big issues, I just ignore the differences because they teach so many other good things. But, then I was born Muslim like you were born Christian."

"Actually, no one is born a Christian, " I said. "We believe everyone is responsible for making a decision to follow Christ."

"Really?" Rashad asked. "That's interesting." I then explained how Christians believe it is important to know God personally through Jesus. I shared my own experience of leaving home as a young adult and wrestling with my faith, asking questions, considering alternatives, and then deciding to make my faith in Jesus my own. Rashad looked very curious, saying "So, you had a time of searching."

He then asked about the different denominations. I pointed out that all the various denominations believe some central things about Jesus, that He was the Son of God, that He lived a perfect life and that we can be forgiven and know God through Him. I shared that all religions really are the same in many ways but that's because we humans have a deep desire to know who God is and why we are here. So, we set up ways to try and please God. "But, Jesus did not come to create a religion," I said. "He came so that we may know God."

"Yes, Jesus was a good man and did many good things, that's why people followed Him. But, He never asked people to follow Him," Rashad said.

"Actually, He did ask people to follow Him, many times," I replied.

"Really?"

"Yes, He asked people to follow, some did, some left when He said things they didn't like, but many did follow." Then the Spirit urged me to share the gospel. So, I talked to Rashad about how religion tries to help us get to God, often by encouraging us to do good things. But, all our good acts don't get rid of the mistakes that we've made. We have to deal with the wrong that we've done. We can't just try to use measuring scales hoping our good works outweigh our bad.

"So, it's not about how religions are the same, but it's about how Jesus is unique. He offers a way for us to be forgiven and to know God personally."

"That's interesting," Rashad said. "I will have to come and visit your church sometime soon," Rashad said.

"We'd love to have you and your family anytime."

And so our conversation that night took a break but hopefully will resume soon. My friend Rashad is a smart, loving dad and I'm glad to know him. Our talk was a good reminder of the fact that if we want to share Christ, the Spirit will arrange opportunities to do so. He might not every time we pray, but asking him to do so is essential to seeing Him open the door.

Certainly the argument he raised is one that we will hear more and more - that "all religions are the same." I have found it helpful to listen and keep talking about Jesus. Those who believe all religions are the same often have either little knowledge of the religions or have chosen to ignore what makes those religions unique. Either way, they've created something convenient that often calls for little committment. The next generation will then say that "no religion is needed."

If you're not having spiritual conversations, ask the Spirit to arrange them, then place yourself among those whom He wants to know Him. Then, be prepared, because if you ask, you will receive.

The Meaning of Apologetics

2011-06-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

We just started an apologetics series at DBC and so I thought it might be helpful to define what this word means. The word "apologetics" is new to many of us. It sounds like we are making an "apology" for something.

The word itself appears in some form 8 times in the Greek New Testament and has a helpful meaning for us today.

The word "apologetics" refers to an explanation of what you believe. It is the study of the reasons for what you believe. It comes from the Greek word "apologia" that we can see in 1 Peter 3:15...

"But in your hearts set aside Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer (apologia) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect"

Consider this...in a Greek courtroom, the Prosecutor would present their case then the Defendant would offer their explanation or "apologia" of events.

We see a demonstration of apologetics when Paul presents his case before Agrippa in Acts 26. "Then Paul made a defense (apelogeito), stretching out his hands..."

From there, some of the Christian apologists from the first 300 years of church history include Origen (Against Celsus), Justin Martyr, Claudius Apollinaris, and Tertullian. Each one dealt with issues in their own time that sometimes resemble challenges to our faith today. There is indeed nothing new under the sun.

Take for example this quote from Origen's "Against Celsus" written in about 248 AD,

"For as amongst such persons are frequently to be found wicked men, who, taking advantage of the ignorance of those who are easily deceived, lead them away wherever they will, so also, he (Celsus) says, is the case among Christians. And Celsus asserts that certain persons who do not wish either to give or receive a reason for their belief, keep repeating, “Do not examine, but believe!” and, “Your faith will save you!" And he alleges that such also say, “The wisdom of this life is bad, but that foolishness is a good thing!”

In other words, even nearly 1,700 years ago it was alleged that Christians held on to belief without reason. Today we are criticized for knowing what to say but not always knowing why we say it. We are taught the answers, but not how to think. And as such, we are easily led astray just as Celsus alleged way back when.

So as followers of Jesus, loving God with our minds, we must commit ourselves to articulating the faith. We should challenge ourselves to understand, read, and think deeply about what we believe and its implications. We should be able to explain our hope in gentleness and respect. That's where "apologetics" comes in.

When we hear the word "apologetics" today we associate that with "apology" which has come to mean "to express regret, to say you're sorry, etc." But, we are not apologizing for anything. We are in fact presenting our case for what we believe, giving an explanation. And articulating your faith is something every follower of Jesus should be able to do.

Bringing It All Together

2011-05-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

"Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live." I Cor. 8:6

We've talked about "Life's a Puzzle." We've used metaphors like TV Dinners to creatively illustrate how we tend to break life up into segments.

We could also talk about how we try to be like Cats, with 9 lives. We have our spiritual life, our work life, our family life, our married life, our prayer life, our love life, our past life, even our secret lives.

But, we are not meant to treat life like a TV Dinner or 9 lives. We aren't meant to keep life segmented this way. It seems to work, but in the end it just gets messy. In reality, a segmented life is a weak one.

An integrated life is a strong life. The word "integrity" actually refers to strength. For example, a Captain may talk about the integrity of a ship's hull.

The Titanic was thought to be unsinkable because of the segmented design of its hull. Eight different compartments formed the hull. It was designed so that if water began to leak into one section the other ones would shut off, protecting the boat from sinking. One crewmember was quoted as saying, "God himself could not sink this ship."

Well, God didn't have to. All it took was a big piece of ice.

Sometimes our lives resemble the Titanic. We think by segmenting our lives into different compartments that we can protect ourselves and manage life easier. We may even think we're too big to sink. But, in the end, all we are is more vulnerable.
We fool ourselves into thinking that we can segment life without much effect. One area won't impact another. I can do this over here and it won't affect that over there. Meanwhile a leak in one compartment begins to spill over into another.

There are also other effects of of an unintegrated life, such as:

No unifying meaning to life
Boredom and burnout
Loss of perspective
Increasing stress as trying to manage all your roles
No sense of how faith in Christ makes a real difference beyond the spiritual
We seek relief, peace and security primarily
Shallow prayers
Moral schizophrenia - separation between what we say we believe and what we do
Loss of self amidst the demands of the day
Lack of serious concern over sin
Inability to maintain boundaries between the different 'lives'
False sense of control - "I can manage" - when we're not really managing at all.
Feeling like you're lord of your own life

So what then is the answer? How can we live a strong integrated life where faith, work, family, and all our 'other lives' come together?

Unfortunately for us Christians, we've adopted our culture's approach to life by trying to break it up into segments. But, the reality is that for us there is a unifying theme.

It's a theme that goes back to the beginning of the Church. It's a theme that has proven countercultural and even controversial at times. It's a theme that's better than any advice you might get from Dr. Phil, any magazine, and unfortunately most preachers. I'll even give it to you for free...

JESUS IS LORD!

It's that simple, yet that complex. Jesus is Lord has been the rallying confession for disciples since the very beginning. It covers covers everything.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6: 4- 5

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, Ephesians 1:22

But, so what? How does 'Jesus is Lord' integrate our lives? Compare the above list with the impact of this confession...

Jesus is Lord and we are not - so the pressure is off to make life work!
We are His servants. God does not serve us.
He claims authority over everything.
He is Lord and Caesar (Presidents and Politicians) are not.
There are no boundaries for Jesus. It's all relevant to Him.
He does not share His throne with anyone.
We no longer seek relief, peace and security primarily, but to know God first.
Your work, play, and even what you eat has significance to God.
Everything is redefined according to His purposes, not our own.
There is no sacred/secular divide. It's all Holy if dedicated to God.
We live a stronger, more resilient life because we trust in our Lord and not in our circumstances.
You see all of life as connected, integrated, so that your private life impacts your public which impacts your spiritual which impacts your work, family, etc.
He is a loving Lord who has proven Himself worthy of our surrender.

Jesus is Lord is our unifying principle. He brings integrity to our lives. We may think we can avoid sinking by segmenting, but it doesn't usually turn out that way.

JESUS IS LORD!

We often don't see a large difference between the Christian and the non-Christian because both are living the same segmented lives. We're both weakened because of it. We've both pushed God to a corner. One may visit God in that corner once a week while the other doesn't. Both assume it's okay to do so.

We can choose to be like cats thinking we have 9 lives or treat our days like TV Dinners. Cats are easy prey and TV dinners are cheap. We can falsely assume that different compartments will keep life manageable and afloat. Personally, I prefer the integrity of the strong life brought together under Jesus as Lord.

Or else they might say of us like one crew member did of the Titanic's Captain,

"Overconfidence seems to have dulled the faculties usually so alert."

The Lazy Workaholic

2011-05-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

"Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." John 6:27

Lazy and workaholic don't seem to go together. After all, how could someone who works all the time be lazy?

We certainly value hard work and reward workaholism. Consider this quote from Donald Trump,

There are few things I hate more than laziness. I work very, very hard and I expect the people who work for me to do the same. If you want to succeed, you cannot relax...I never take vacations because I can't handle the time away from my work...A high percentage of people who do take vacations tend to check e-mail and voice mail and call in to the office when they leave. Those are the people I want working for me.

R. Paul Stevens and Alvin Ung point out in "Taking Your Soul to Work" that it is possible for us to work extremely hard, be addicted in fact to our work, and yet be lazy. "Lazy people aren't the only ones who are slothful.. Extremely busy people can also be slothful. Consider the symptoms of workaholics: they ignore family and loved ones; they ignore pain signals of their bodies; and they are self absorbed...And without the high adrenaline buzz of work, they feel useless, listless, guilty, and depressed. Such withdrawal symptoms are strangely familiar to someone who is chronically lazy."

Another author has pointed out that lazy people will not begin things, will not finish things, and will not face up to things. The morally lazy person prefers to "whittle away at lesser problems while refusing to attend to the most important work at hand."

The result is a restlessness in life. People like this are always unsatisifed and often feel helpless, according to Stevens and Ung. They go on to say "the slothful person actually has a huge desire to do what is righteous but simply refuses to spring into action to do what must be done."

The lazy choose to do minimal work while the workaholic often stresses themselves to do the unimportant work. This does not mean that you or I should be more involved in church activities. In fact, it might mean we get less involved so that we can focus on other important matters.

Stevens and Ung point out the following ways that slothfulness shows up in our lives, despite how hard we may appear to be working:

We drift from amusement to amusement, refusing to face the challenges of the moment.
We don't invest fully in our daily work but instead do more church activity. This affects our witness on the job.
We work for a salary but don't aim to really make a difference with what we do and who we work with.
We are addicted to our daily work and the affirmation, success, and accomplishment it can bring. Yet we neglect the important work of caring for our families, marriages, and our own souls.

Why do we do this? Perhaps the rewards of work are more clearly defined. We do X and Y happens. We also get paid for what we do. Perhaps we feel less risk at work compared to the risk of tackling issues in our relationships or other areas of life where we might need help.

The fact of our lives here in Dunwoody is that we are busy. We rush around. We work long hours. What I've learned is that behind all our busyness is not necessarily having a lot to do. In reality, behind all our hurry is perhaps a subtle fear that we are in fact wasting our lives. The rushing and working seems to dull that fear because we think we are indeed accomplishing a lot.

But is what we are accomplishing important? It might seem urgent, but does it matter?

Jesus is our model. He had a lot to do, but even in his busyness he was compassionate. In a pressing crowd demanding his attention, he stopped to heal the blind and sick who couldn't reach him. He took time away to pray and be with his Father. He invested in a few to impact the many.

Are you working hard but neglecting the important work in life? Are you fully present at home and at work?

Making Jesus Your Boss

2011-05-10T11:53:00.000-07:00

"Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. ²³ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, ²⁴ since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23 - 24

How can you be an influence for Christ when you are not the one in charge, setting company policy or deciding what is permitted? What about when you work for a boss that brings out the worst in others, who is controlling, or just bad with people?

It sounds simple to talk about integrating faith and work when you're the business owner. You get to hire and fire. You get to decide much about the environment of the workplace.

But, when you're not the head honcho, what do you do? We've all had bad bosses. I've had several. They can be very difficult to work for and in fact, make us not want to even go to work.

Let's take this question to the extreme. If you're anything other than the boss, imagine what it would be like to be a slave where you had absolutely no power and authority. Imagine, too, that your pastor was telling you to serve your Master as you would your Lord.

That's exactly what Paul does in Colossians 3. He writes to slaves about how they are to work and what attitude they are to have on the job. Here's how the writers of "Your Work Matters to God" describe the situation of slaves at that time..

Like slaves in any society, these were captive, conquered peoples who were assigned the most menial tasks. The Romans had adopted a lifestyle of leisure for the elite, a freedom from mundane tasks. Slaves provided them with that freedom. So, Paul was addressing the lowest members of that culture. What did he tell them? THEY WERE WORKING FOR GOD, not merely for their Roman masters.

Just as the slaves were to serve Christ through their work, so are we today. We may be those people who feel like we have little power or authority where we work to make changes or influence the environment for Christ. We may work for a good boss, or a really bad one.

So, what do we do? Paul suggests simply switching your boss.

Instead of working for a person, work for Jesus. Consider your earthly boss to simply be a middle manager under the supreme boss we must all answer to.

As a follower of Jesus, you work for Him and not for an earthly Master. Jesus determines how you work. This means that you and I are called to an even higher work ethic than what most will ever consider on the job. After all, we can satisfy our earthly bosses but disappoint our heavenly one.

Most people will at best aim for what is expected by their boss. They will play to the test. Or they will pursue some personal agenda. But, we work for Jesus no matter who our earthly boss may be. After all, for a good boss many will work hard. But, for a bad one who will work?

Paul tells us to...

1. Work at a high level even when the boss is not looking. So, don't cut corners just because the boss is away. Don't kiss up to the boss or try to earn their favor by working harder when their eye is on you.

2. Work with sincerity and reverence for the Lord. What you do, you do for Him. It is His opinion of our work that really matters. Earthly bosses will come and go. It is possible to please them but disappoint our Lord.

3. Trust Jesus for your reward even though you hard work may not get recognized by your company.

Besides switching your boss, you have to decide if you can continue to work where you do. If you continue to choose going to work there, then you have made your choice. You then must control what you can - your attitude and actions. These two are impacted the most when you make the switch to Jesus as your boss.

To make this mental shift you have to see your work as something that Jesus wants done. Even the most menial tasks take on eternal meaning when done out of reverence for Christ. Our work is the way that God gets much of His work done. After all, our work tends His creation, provides for its needs, provides a means for generosity, and honors God.

Imagine what would happen in our workplaces if people placed this kind of significance on what they do. What would happen if we made Jesus our boss?

And, what kind of boss is Jesus? I can tell you he's better than any other boss you'll ever have.

So, switch your boss.

What's the Difference Between Your Vocation and Calling

2011-05-03T06:05:00.000-07:00

Our jobs don't often feel like callings. Perhaps we do what we do to earn a living. Or we do it because we enjoy it, most of the time. We might have even grown up knowing this is what we would do.

But, to say that fixing computers or owning a business is a calling, certainly it doesn't always seem that way. A calling sounds like something that God sends through a bright light or a burning bush. It's clear, defined, and big. Right? If not, what then is a calling? Is it different from our vocation?

Vocation is what you do. If you can get paid for it, that's even better. But, basically your vocation is the task, the assignment you've been given. You can be called to it. Or, you might need to discover just what the right vocation is for you altogether.

Vocations change. In fact, someone recently said that this new generation can expect to have around 20 different jobs in their lifetime.

Calling never changes. We are called to do what we have to do today. Our calling is to glorify God in all things and give thanks. (Colossians 3:17) Our calling is to work at whatever we do with all our heart, as if working for Jesus and not for human bosses. (Colossians 3:23)

Our calling stays the same no matter what vocation we may have. So, whether you are a pastor or a plumber, a teacher or a technician, you have the same calling. Perhaps that calling lines up with your natural gifts, passions and abilities. If so, that's wonderful and unique! If not, you still have the same calling as anyone else.

This means that even if you don't enjoy your job, you are still held responsible to live out your calling. There is no room to grumble or complain like others who don't know the joy of Jesus may do. This means that you see all (legal) work as reflecting our God who is a worker. You may need to find the vocation that is right for you, but it's even more important to know what your calling is in all vocations.

Imagine what would happen to the workplace if followers of Jesus were able to elevate their calling in their various vocations. Rather than being down and unmotivated like so many who struggle with their jobs, we would demonstrate a strange joy and contentment. We would be able to point others toward a higher motivation for work. We would demonstrate a quality of work beyond just what the boss or company requires. We would know that God is not waiting for us to find the right vocation so much as live out our calling, wherever we are. Our jobs will change, but our calling remains that same.

"There is truly no division between sacred and secular except what we have created...Holy people must...take up holy orders in farming, industry, law, education, banking, and journalism with the same zeal previously given to evangelism or to pastor and missionary work." Dallas Willard

It's Not (Just) About Your Faith

2011-04-10T19:11:00.000-07:00

Like my picture? Man that was a sweet suit.

Behind the gates of my apartment complex live people from all corners of the globe - India, Africa, Europe, Australia, China, Korea, and Mississippi. They come from all walks of life and have all kinds of beliefs - Hindu, Muslim, Atheist, Buddhist, New Age. (Still haven't figured out those Mississippians.)

I often imagine them all coming to Christ. I imagine disciples being made in each building and how this complex (and the world) might be changed. Maybe you do the same where you live, work or play.

What would it take for that to happen? How will I share my faith with them? How do you share your faith with those around you?

That's usually our starting point, isn't it. How will I share MY faith? It's what we think evangelism is, sharing OUR faith. It's what the books about evangelism supposedly teach us to do. But, what if MY faith is not the most important thing to share?

Everyone has faith. Every one of my neighbors believes something, and they put their trust in that belief. If it's about MY faith then would leave me to put my faith up against someone else's who might believe differently. It would mean MY beliefs versus theirs. So, if the starting point is not MY faith, then what is it?

Maybe it's about MY experience. I should tell people what Christ has done for me. No one can argue with that, so I've been told.

That's how we train people to do their testimonies. What was life like before Christ? How did you meet Christ? What has life like been since?

That's good. But, then, everyone has an experience. The Hindu has had an experience. The Buddhist has had an experience as well. And, no one will argue with your experience. In fact, more and more people might just not care at all what you've experienced.

This point was made real to me in my first seminary class on the Philosophy of Religion back in 1999. The professor said that our experience was not enough. Everyone had an experience. We needed to understand our faith in terms of an objective truth because that's what we were claiming after all - that Jesus is the TRUTH in reality, not just experience.

So, what then is the main point. If it's not sharing MY faith or MY experience, what then?

I'm coming to see that the most important thing is not about ME at all. It's not about you, your faith or your experience. It's about Christ.

Share Christ. Get people interested in Christ. Your faith and experience will be part of the conversation, but the point is Christ.

Perhaps we feel so intimidated about sharing OUR faith because we've made it about us. It's about Christ. Your faith means little compared to the object of your faith.

Or as Norm Geisler and David Geisler write in their excellent book, "Conversational Evangelism,"

"How can our nonbelieving friends determine what is true if all we do is share our personal experience of Christ? We need to include along with our testimonies some of the objective evidence that shows the uniqueness of Christ. The Apostle Paul said himself that "if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is useless and so is your faith" (I Cor. 15:14). So our faith can have validity only if it has an objective reference point."

Our faith is not about us, it's about Christ. Evangelism is about sharing the good news of Christ and His kingdom, not our stories. The object of our faith is what matters. The same is true of every one of my Hindu, Muslim, Atheist, Buddhist and New Age friends - even those from Mississippi. The object of their faith is what matters and is what needs to be brought under the light of Christ. It is under that Light that false gods are revealed for who they truly are.

I am concerned that so much of our practice and discussions center around us. Church is about us. Our worship is about us. Evangelism is about US sharing OUR stories. We've made it so personal that it matters not to other persons. They can't argue with our story because they just don't care to do so.

Christ is the point. Make it about him. Find ways to get people interested in learning more about Jesus. At this Easter season, ask someone if they've ever had a Christian explain to them what Easter is all about. If they say "yes," then ask them what was said and what they thought of it. If they say "no" then ask them if it would be okay for you to share what Easter means to Christians.

Let's put our eyes back on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. It's really all about Him anyway.

A Day in the Life of a Child in Mae Sot, Thailand

2011-02-08T05:48:00.000-08:00

This excellent video was shot for Compasio, a mission organization serving in Thailand. Kellie Kinard is a DBC member who serves with Compasio doing medical camps around Thailand. Sadly, the life that that video shows us is all too common for millions of at risk kids all over the world.

From Kellie,

“this is my area and he is one of the kids we know. this video was made for my group. we helped him get into school and he is doing very well now”

Unoh from Austin Flack on Vimeo.

Overcoming Obstacles to Mission, part 1

2011-02-02T12:32:00.000-08:00

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ Luke 7:34

What makes some believers in Jesus bear fruit while others never really engage in His mission? What makes some make radical sacrifices for our Lord while others simply warm the pews?

We all know we could serve more, share Christ more, do more for Jesus. So, why don’t we? Is it just a matter of choosing to do so? Or could it be we have bigger obstacles?

I heard a talk a while back by Deb Hirsch where she listed 7 main obstacles to mission. Perhaps the greatest obstacle is a distorted view of Jesus. Our view of Jesus greatly impacts what we think it means to follow him.

If your conception of God is radically false then the more devout you are the worse it will be for you. You are opening your soul to be molded by something else. You had much better be an atheist. William Temple

Even in his day, people got Jesus wrong. They wanted a Messiah to do things for them, perform miracles, and bring down the Roman government. They wanted a Jesus for themselves. When Jesus did not do what they wanted, they chose not to follow. Up until the last days, even his disciples were learning just who Jesus really was and what he really came to do.

Likewise, we make Jesus into our own image today. Our image of Jesus might be ‘meek and mild’ compared to the Jesus of the Gospels. We may think Jesus is concerned about what concerns us. We may act as if he is there to help our lives turn out well. Serving a Jesus in our own image simply means we are serving ourselves.

The Jesus of the Gospels was quite different. He broke the rules. He was often impolite. He hung out with the wrong people, even being called a friend of drunks and sinners. As Alan Hirsh and Michael Frost point out in their book “ReJesus: A Wild Messiah for a Missional Church,”

Too many people have become turned off to the church because the object of our faith seems bland and insipid. It reminds us of the quip made by the archbishop who is reported to have said, “Everywhere Jesus went there was a riot. Everyhwere I go they make me cups of tea.

When we make Jesus in our own image, meek and mild, not offensive, tame, and even boring, he not only becomes irrelevant to us but also the culture around us. But, when we recover what Mark Galli calls “Jesus Mean and Wild,” we ignite our faith and give people a radical alternative Master to follow.

Simply put, a bland, boring Jesus is not worth following nor is he compelling enough to tell others about. Fortunately, the Jesus of the New Testament is entirely different.

So, I suggest reading the gospels over and over to reconnect with the biblical Jesus. Personally, the journey into what it means to live missionally has given me a newfound loyalty to who Jesus really was and what it really means to follow him.

Here are three great books that also bring to life the wild and unpredictable Jesus of the Gospels:

The Challenge of Jesus, by NT Wright

Jesus Mean and Wild, by Mark Galli

ReJesus: A Wild Messiah for a Missional Church, by Alan Hirsch and Michael Frost

Jesus Manifesto, by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola

Meet your new Baha'is neighbors

2011-01-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

The spiritual landscape of Dunwoody is a changin'. We have a lot of churches for sure. We have a large Jewish population. But, we also have a Buddhist center on Tilly Mill Rd (started in 2007 in a former church building), a few thousand practicing Hindus living here, and now, a Bahai center.

The LSA of the Baha'is of Dunwoody sent us a letter about "World Religion Day" coming up January 16th where we are supposed to celebrate what all religions have in common. Bahai is like many new age and eastern religions that suggest differences are a distraction. Instead, we should celebrate what we have in common. It is what we share that will be our source of unity.

To learn more about this Local Spiritual Assembly and Bahai beliefs, click HERE

The spiritual landscape will continue to change as new people groups move to Dunwoody and as people explore other faiths. How will we respond?

Haiti 2010

2010-11-23T04:49:00.000-08:00

this tells the story of my recent visit to Haiti with Pastor Mack and Jeremy Holloman.

Haiti 2010

Beating the Bushes

2010-10-20T18:18:00.000-07:00

I spent half of today with missionaries serving refugees in Clarkston. It's a place where you can literally feel like you're in a different country.

Over a rather delicious goat meat and rice lunch at a local Ethiopian restaurant, one missionary shared his frustrations with church, and Christians in particular. He spoke of the great harvest, the immense amount of ministry that is available for the people of God in his community. He talked of how, over and over, when he shares his stories with believers, he gets people who show interest but never actually do anything. He was dejected as he talked about people signing up for information about his ministry only to never follow up or volunteer.

He then illustrated his experience of church from two perspectives. First, there is the American church which he compared to deer hunting. Churches take their place in some nice tree stand and just wait, expecting the deer to come to them. Then we shoot them.

But, in his African home country, they hunt differently. He said that back home a group of hunters go out to literally 'beat the bushes' in order to bring animals out into the open where other hunters can nab them.

Certainly people are not animals. Nor are we Christians 'hunting.' But, the analogy rang true, and even convicted me as a missions pastor.

We do church in a way that appeals to Christians. It appeals to insiders. And this isn't about seeker or non seeker church. It's about how we make disciples and what they end up actually doing.

Churches assume their place in a community and expect people to come to them. People might occasionally venture out, but really don't take the time to develop relationships or invest in people in the community who need God.

On the other hand, his example from Africa demonstrates that reaching others is a group thing. We Americans hunt on our own. There, hunting requires relationships and working together. It requires going out to where the animals are and 'beating the bushes.' There is no expectation that the animals will come to them.

My new missionary friend said that his desire was to do church with the people he was serving. He wants to do it where they are as frequently as he can - not just on Sundays. He dreams of disciples being made that will take Christ to others, not construct church and worship services that keep Christians involved. In fact, he said that a local Pastor he knows has told his rather large church recently that they all should start doing church in their neighborhoods, with their neighbors, and really only need to gather maybe monthly in the large gathering.

Sounds like a radical vision. Perhaps many of us would not know how to or even value doing church that way. It's too simple. Yet it lacks all the things we think we need. It might actually require more from us than just showing up or signing up. It might mean that we move into an area, like Clarkston or even some other part of town, with other believers to do mission.

It might mean that we 'beat the bushes' rather than hope people come to the great churches and programs that we've set up.

Three Kinds of Religion

2010-10-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

So my son had a birthday party last week and one little boy gave him two children's books. One is innocent enough...something by Dr. Seus. The other, though, is titled "The Secret World of Magic." Chapter titles include "magic children," "secret worlds," and "spells for changing people into other shapes."

The back of the book states: "[magic's] powers are not dead - they are only sleeping. If you learn the right chants, songs and spells - you can bring them back to life."

The gift of this book made me really think. I like my neighbor and his family a lot. We've become friends. He's a great dad and husband. But, what must my friend be thinking in giving this book to my son? Could it be that this book is a reflection of his own faith?

A book about magic - and not the choose a card, rabbit out of a hat kind - is a reminder to me about how we humans try to gain power over the spiritual world. We know there is more to life than meets the eye, so we devise schemes to control it.

Some might call this religion, of which there are three basic types.

1. Shame vs Honor: Religious cultures like Islam and Buddhism fit into this category. Sin is not so much about being guilty, as it is about bringing shame on yourself and your community. The goal is honor. God is just and demands an honorable life. Therefore, we must work our way to being honored by God and protecting the honor of our families.

2. Guilt vs. Reward: Christianity and Judaism fits into this camp. Our sin makes us guilty. Christians generally specialize in guilt and have the reputation of trying to spread that guilt to others. One must become good and guilty before they can receive a reward. But, in Christ, we have our reward. Our guilt is forgiven through the life, death and resurrection of Christ.

3. Fear vs. Power: Hinduism and other polytheistic religions might fit into this. There is great fear of the spiritual powers around us, of the many gods that rule this world. We must find ways to satisfy them, if not keep them at bay. So, we look for incantations, prayers, and rituals that give us power. (Some might argue that Christians use prayer as a technique to try to gain power over God and spiritual forces, and we, therefore believe and practice magic.)

My son's book doesn't scare me. My faith is not one of fear vs power. Do I believe in spiritual forces? Yes. Do I believe magic has power behind it? Yes. But, do I believe that Jesus is more powerful than all these and therefore has given me every reason NOT to fear? Absolutely.

Paul reminds us that Jesus "disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." Colossians 2:15

Christ is the fulfillment of all our approaches to God. In Christ, our shame has been covered and now we can stand honored before God. In Christ, our guilt has been removed so that we can experience the reward of knowing God. In Christ, the powers of demons, spirits and magic hve been overcome so that we need not fear but know the power of God.

Understanding the 3 basic types of religion will help you in loving your neighbor. And so when they give you something like a book on magic, you might not be shocked or scared, but rather see an opening to talk about the power of Jesus.

Which comes first?

2010-10-07T12:25:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who does church differently. He doesn't sit in a pew on Sundays. He doesn't hear a sermon or sing any songs. Instead, he is discipling another couple in his kitchen each Sunday morning. He calls it house church.

He tells me that his parents are concerned because he is not in a traditional church. He's done that in the past, but now he wants to start church among people outside the kingdom.

My friend made this revealing statement..."If I was doing this (house church) in any other country among those outside the kingdom, then I would be celebrated as a missionary. But, when I do it here, people are 'concerned.'"

So, how should 'church' be done? What would church look like if people lived like missionaries among those outside the kingdom? Might it look like my friend who is discipling another couple on Sunday mornings in his kitchen?

We must remember that how we do church (ecclesiology) is not primary. It flows from something else. We modern Christians are all the product of missionary movements.

To get things in the right order, we need to understand the following big words:

Our Christology (what we believe about Jesus and how he did things) informs our Missiology (what we believe Jesus wants us to do) which shapes our Ecclesiology (how we organize in order to accomplish the mission).

Alan Hirsch and Michael Frost in "The Shaping of Things to Come" make this point:

Our Christology informs our missiology, which in turn determines our ecclesiology. If we get this the wrong way around and allow our notions of the church to qualify our sense of purpose and mission, we can never be disciples of Jesus, and we will never be an authentic missional church. Churches that have got this basic formula wrong never really engage in mission and so lose touch with Jesus. These churches spend all their time discussing (or arguing) about the forms of worship, the church furniture, and the timing of services and programs, and fail to recognize that our ecclesiology flows more naturally out of our sense of mission. These churches become closed sets as a result, and their experience of Jesus at the center fades into a memory of the time when they were really doing something. It becomes a matter of history rather than an experience of mission now. It is important to recover the idea that the church connects with Jesus through mission, not through getting church meetings right!

Do we have a church centered view of Christianity or a Christ centered one?

My friend gets it. He has seen Jesus in fresh ways (Christology) and is compelled to reach those outside the kingdom (missiology) in a way that actually reaches them (ecclesiology.)

What are we willing to give up in order to follow Jesus out into the harvest?

Explosion of Joy

2010-09-29T06:05:00.000-07:00

We get our mandate. You can't be at DBC too long without sensing that you should be serving someone somewhere, be active in a Bible study, or contributing to another cause.

But, I suspect the reason we don't see more Christians living "missionally" isn't just about obedience - for we know the oughts often remain that way. The ought tos (like sharing our faith, reading, prayer, etc) are really fruits of something else.

Leslie Newbigin was one of the most influential mission thinkers of the 20th century. He was a missionary to India and prolific writer on missions. This quote reflects the real source of of missional living...

There has been a long tradition which sees the mission of the Church primarily as obedience to a command. It has been customary to speak of “the missionary mandate.” This way of putting the matter is certainly not without justification, and yet it seems to me that it misses the point. It tends to make mission a burden rather than a joy, to make it part of the law rather than part of the gospel. If one looks at the New Testament evidence one gets another impression. Mission begins with a kind of explosion of joy. The news that the rejected and crucified Jesus is alive is something that cannot possibly be suppressed. It must be told. Who could be silent about such a fact? The mission of the Church in the pages of the New Testament is more like the fallout from a vast explosion, a radioactive fallout which is not lethal but life-giving. One searches in vain through the letters of St. Paul to find any suggestion that he anywhere lays it on the conscience of his readers that they ought to be active in mission. For himself it is inconceivable that he should keep silent. “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16). But nowhere do we find him telling his readers that they have a duty to do so.

I like that image - fallout from a vast explosion. The life, ministry, death and resurrection of Christ are of such significance that there is no way we should be able to be silent. Mission is us expressing our joy in Christ.

This joy that motivates us comes from the joy that Christ had within himself. GK Chesterton, another influential writer, said the following about 100 years ago...

Joy, which was the small publicity of the pagan, is the gigantic secret of the Christian...The tremendous figure which fills the Gospels towers in this respect, as in every other, above all the thinkers who ever thought themselves tall. His pathos was natural, almost casual. The Stoics, ancient and modern, were proud of concealing their tears. He never concealed His tears; He showed them plainly on His open face at any daily sight, such as the far sight of His native city. Yet He concealed something. Solemn supermen and imperial diplomatists are proud of restraining their anger. He never restrained His anger. He flung furniture down the front steps of the Temple, and asked men how they expected to escape the damnation of Hell. Yet He restrained something. I say it with reverence; there was in that shattering personality a thread that must be called shyness. There was something that He hid from all men when He went up a mountain to pray. There was something that He covered constantly by abrupt silence or impetuous isolation. There was some one thing that was too great for God to show us when He walked upon our earth; and I have sometimes fancied that it was His mirth." G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

I've seen the joy of Christ firsthand in my friend Arthur, an 86 year old modern saint at DBC. He's a passionate evangelist who truly lives a life on mission. Every time he speaks to me he talks about ways more people can experience the JOY of seeing others come to Christ. He has said "it's about the joy of Christ." Through the years he has led hundreds to the Lord in Atlanta. The joy of Christ is all over his face. He knows it. He spreads it. It keeps him going.

Newbigin, Chesterton and my friend Arthur know something that many of us need to be reminded of - it's about the joy of Christ flowing through us, not just a mandate to be obeyed.

Does the joy of Christ motivate you to see others come to know him? Do you see that Christ himself had joy in making God known to us?

How to Live Missionally

2010-09-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got. If you want to see a harvest, you must sow seeds. If you want to live missionally, there are some things you must do.

Neil Cole offers some very helpful steps to live missionally from Luke 10 where Jesus sends out the 72 on a short term mission trip. Cole suggests the following to live on mission the way Jesus taught us in his book, Organic Church:

1. Practice of Prayer: Jesus taught us to beg the Lord of the Harvest to send out workers into His harvest field. The work is God's. But, we must start our part of the task by praying for God to move in the hearts of those around us.

Who are you praying for?
Are you praying for God to send out more workers?

2. Pockets of People: Jesus sent his followers in pairs to the lost sheep of Israel. The new testament church spread through the oikos - households - of groups of people.

Who has God called you to?
Who is around you in your every day life?

3. Power of Presence: The disciples were sent with the message that the kingdom of God is near. You must make time for people. You must befriend those outside the kingdom. I've read stats that suggest that within 6 months of becoming a Christian, new believers have already lost many if not all of their non Christian friends. You must create margin in your busy life just for people.

Who are you befriending?
How much time are you spending in relationship with those outside the kingdom?

4. Persons of Peace: The disciples were to seek persons of peace who were open to the message of the kingdom. When they found this person, they were to stay with them and teach them. This person of peace would then be the one to carry the message to others. According to Cole, persons of peace are receptive, are connected in the community, and have a reputation (whether good or bad.)

Who are the persons of peace around you, in the pocket of people that God has brought you to?
Who seems open to spiritual discussions?

5. People of Purpose: Once the message of the kingdom is received, then that person and/or group then takes on the mission of carrying it to others. We need not just think in terms of adding new believers into exisiting churches. God might want a new church to be born.

What do you see when you imagine those around you living out God's purpose to bring more into his kingdom?
What might a 'people of purpose' look like where you live, work or play?

So, to live missionally you have to do certain things. It's a lifestyle. Pray. Befriend a people group. Make time to develop relationships. Seek persons of peace. Help them live out God's purposes. And to Cole's list I would add...proclaim the power! The disciples were given a message. You and I must proclaim it, speak it, share it as well if we are ever to see harvest.

We reap not because we sow not. Meditate on Luke 10 as a way Jesus equipped his own disciples then and now to live missionally.

A Vision for Workplace Ministry

2010-09-16T12:35:00.000-07:00

We spend 40 - 50 hours a week on the job (and that's just paid work). We eat, meet and travel with our co-workers. All totaled, we will work around 100,000 hours in our lives compared to a fraction of that spent in church or "spiritual" things. So, does your work matter to God?

Lessons from across the pond about ministry in the workplace...

Closing the Sacred / Secular Divide

2010-09-14T10:03:00.000-07:00

How the Kingdom Grows

2010-09-10T20:14:00.000-07:00

It's a topic that really doesn't get much play in churches these days. Yet it was the main message of Jesus. The Kingdom of God and how it grows was central to the teachings of Christ.

As a pastor, I know the pressure to design a ministry that grows. And having had mediocre success at that, I'm now much more interested in learning how the Kingdom grows.

The ways Jesus taught that the Kingdom grows stand in stark contrast to how we tend to want to grow churches and even how the world understands growth.

It's vital that we understand this better. If Jesus spent so much time describing the kingdom, certainly so should we. Many Christians have a church-centered view of following Jesus. Everything revolves around church. Seeking to understand the Kingdom has helped me understand more about the reality behind church, what God is trying to do with her, and what we are meant to experience by being a part.

Here are just a few of the ways that Jesus reveals the kingdom grows:

It grows through people and their relationships.
It grows over time.
It starts small but ends up taking over.
It's seed has within itself the power to grow exponentially.
It grows like seed sown in the soil of the human heart.
It's seed is people.
It's seed is the Word of God.
It's growth can't be stopped.
It engages evil.
It's where God rules over all things.
It can't be seen but can be experienced.
It's countercultural and counterintuitive.
It's growth costs obedience and dying to self.
It's leadership is bottom up, not top down.
It's leadership is flat and based on service not power.
It's a kingdom of priests not with a priestly class.
It's a reality where the last are first and first are last, where the weak are strong and the strong are weak, where the powerful sit at the back and the outcast are privileged.
It will ultimately defeat all other kingdoms as the King and His Son gain victory through their people.

And, if the kingdom grows this way, what does this say about how the church grows?

The kingdom growth vision is far more compelling than the success of any one church. Grow the kingdom and the church will grow.

The kingdom of God is within and among God's people. Our goal is not to gather people into barns each week, or to grow our church. But it is to send out workers in the harvest of God's kingdom.