Book Review: Organic Community

Introduction
Organic Community by Joseph Myers is a critique of the way the church goes about creating community. In the book Joseph discusses nine organic patterns that will help bring about organic order in the church. Before exploring these patterns, a few terms must be defined to put us on the same page as the author. Joseph uses the term master plan to describe programs, plans, and methods churches use that try and manufacture and/or force community. Master plan is result-oriented and ignores the process that produces the results. This is sharply contrasted with organic order which stems from the natural, unplanned moments that make up our daily life. Organic order is about the journey and process of our lives. Another buzz word in the book is environmentalist. By this, Joseph is referring to a person(s) who follow the principles of organic order to create and shape environments (p. 34). Now that these three words; master plan, organic order, and environmentalist have been defined we can examine the heart of the book.

Below is a summary of the principles (chapters 2 -10) of organic order.

1. Organic order – This is the opening chapter that defines the terms and helps us see the place and the importance of organic order in the church. One key thought, as it relates to organic order, is the motivation behind our planning. Organic order asks, “What are we hoping for?” This question helps us focus on the substance of the journey instead of the destination. Substance is the key to organic order.

2. Patterns – When it comes to community among people, master plan uses prescriptive (e.g., “Do x and y will happen.”) while organic order uses descriptive. Descriptive looks at the uniqueness of an individual and customizes what will work best for them based on who they are. A good illustration the book gives to describe this is the raising of children. Each child is unique and requires different care from the parents. The parents use the methods that work best for each child. They do not re-use methods that no longer work just because it worked well with a previous child. Descriptive is about using environments to validate the patterns each individual uses naturally to connect with others.

3. Participation – Myers makes five observations (p. 55) related to participation in healthy, organic churches.
First, people participate as individuals, not as teams or groups.
Second, people participate in a decentralized, local way.
Third, people participate with the whole of their lives.
Fourth, people participate in a way that is congruous with the way they are asked.
Fifth, the aggregate of participation becomes “known” as the team or group acts, thinks, and makes decisions.
When it comes to participation Joseph believes people are asking, “Why me?” This question focuses on why they have been chosen for such a task. It focuses on what they, as individuals, can offer that is unique and special. This is contrasted with the popular, “What’s in it for me?” This question is about the selfishness of individuals. Joseph does not believe most people are selfish or self-serving.

4. Measurement – This principle pertains to how we measure success and growth. Master plan uses end results to measure (e.g., attendance, number of those participating, etc.). Organic order uses stories. Stories help us take into account the process and journey.

5. Growth – Master plan is about lump numbers (concerned that everyone be involved) while organic order is about piecemeal (this is growth that happens in small steps). Piecemeal growth may not be visible until later, but the sustainability of it is why it fits into organic order. Piecemeal does not deplete a church of its resources, it cares about the health of the whole and adds new resources as people slowly grow.

6. Power – Master plan power is seen as positional (top down approach). Organic order is about revolving power. Revolving power allows others to have say and control. Each person is seen as valuable and when they are in power it is seen as a role they take on, instead of their identity.

7. Coordination – Here organic order moves from cooperation to collaboration. Organic order allows room for collaboration when it comes to coordinating and planning. Collaboration is about participation. Collaboration allows individuals to participate with God in forming their future.

8. Partners – When it comes to our spiritual lives, organic order functions like a book editor. The editor looks at our lives and helps us say and communicate what is behind the errors and mistakes. Editors believe people are good and made in the image of God, not sinful and bad. Master plan uses an accountability partner, which Myers deems as hierarchal, abrasive, unhelpful, and harmful (p. 136). There is no perfection when it comes to our spiritual lives, so we need not use the term according to Myers.

9. Language – Organic order is a verb-based structure. Verbs best describe the organic community. It is about the process and action(s) taking place. Master plan uses nouns to describe certainty, identity, position, and stability (p. 152). Verbs are better according to Myers because they tell the story. They describe the action in the ongoing process of life. Myers describes God as, “a dance of three verbs.” (p. 152). The verb language is relational language; our God is relational to us in three Persons. Myers seems to be advocating

10. Resources – Organic order calls us to have a spirit of abundancy. This is a celebration of possibilities, known and unknown. Master plan gets bogged down on the, “How are we going to do that?” and, “How will we accomplish this?” Organic order celebrates the abundancy of possibilities amidst life.

My critique
Before critiquing this work I would like to mention several points brought up in Organic Community that I found myself agreeing with. Here are several along with my reason for agreeing with them.
- Organic order trumps programming: I thought Joseph was onto something when he talked about the ways programming inhibits flexibility and uncertainty. I have witnessed, while working in ministry, the awkwardness programs sometimes bring. In a way, programs can make people feel like a pawn or token as Joseph called it. However, I believe programs can be a blessing too. Sometimes you need a program to bolster imagination and help with organization. When it comes to programming, I think it depends in how you view the program; a means to an end or an end in itself.
- Descriptive trumps prescriptive: Organic order is all about customizing and adapting our practices to better suit the individuals we minister to. Individuals are important and each person requires something slightly different to help them along their journey. The future of discipleship is in the ability to create customized opportunities that allow people to grow in their love for God and others.
- Story trumps bottom line: This book places a high emphasis on the individual person as well as their journey with God. It challenged me to see people and their story as important pieces in the larger picture of God’s work. The temptation in ministry is to rely on programs and numbers as marks of success. By doing this we fail to really love others. Every person has value to God and others. This book stressed that.

Now that I have identified several areas of agreement, here are several areas where I split hairs:
- Organic order vs. the Fall: There seems to be an underlying assumption running throughout this book that we can just follow what is natural and good will happen. Joseph assumes most people are not selfish creatures bent toward bad (p.62 & p.142). How do you reckon such belief with our fallen state and sinful nature so clearly proclaimed in Scripture?
- Edit-ability vs. Accountability: I thought Joseph was off base in assuming people are good and just in need of an editor to help them become better. Why did James command the Jewish people to “confess their sins to one another”? I believe there is a place for the type of accountability Joseph accused of being hierarchal, abrasive, unhelpful, and harmful. Just because we are uncomfortable does not mean growth and good cannot happen.
- Absolutes don’t work in our society. Was not sure of the full implications of what Joseph was trying to say in this section.
- The verbal Trinity: Agape is a noun that allows us to call God love and identify Him as three Persons. This is why John can write, “God is love”. This is who He is. If we did not have the noun agape (love) we could not have the verb agapao (loving). If we do not start with God being love (the noun) we have no idea of how to love (the verb) others. If He were a verb, it seems He would not be personal and therefore unable to relate to us. Besides, Joseph states that people, like verbs, are changing and becoming. Does that apply to God too since He is described as a verb? I found Joseph’s stance on the Trinity fuzzy, at best, and if you take what he writes and follow through with it, you could make the false statement that, “Love is God.” I may be rushing to judgment on this, but if we change language don’t we change God? The Scriptures are set that God is unchanging. That God is complete within Himself.

Conclusion

The single most important thing this book stresses is the importance of the person. I felt this was a book written to address the programming problem churches face. Churches have tremendous pressure to produce measurable results; to focus on performance instead of relationships. Programs can cause the church to overlook individuals and neglect their real needs (the main need being an authentic relationship with another person). Organic Community reminds us to look at individuals as precious and valuable.

iBread 1.3

“God’s Word is food for the mind.” - Cyril of Alexandria

The Meal
Take a moment and feast upon the following meals:
Exodus 20:12
Proverbs 6:20-23
Ephesians 6:1-3
Colossian 3:20

Try reading these passages very slowly and in several different translations (you can find these online).

Table Talk
- What type of behavior does God expect from children?
- What type of behavior does God expect from parents?
- What does it mean to honor your father and mother?
- How did Jesus bring honor to His Father?
- What do these passages teach us about the family?
- What do you find challenging about honoring your father or mother?
- What are some creative ways one could show his or her parents honor?
- What have you done in the past to bring honor to your parents?

iBread 1.2

“God’s Word is food for the mind.” - Cyril of Alexandria

The Meal
Take a moment and feast upon Luke 5:27-32. Try reading it several times and maybe even in a different translation. Try and memorize the story, not the actual verses, but the story being told. This is a very easy story to learn.

Table Talk
- What would have happened if Jesus shared meals with people just like Him?
- What would have happened if Jesus only socialized with people just like Himself?
- What does this story teach us about life amongst others?
- “The exclusion of the weak and insignificant, the seemingly useless people, from a Christians community may actually mean the exclusion of Christ.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, pg. 38.
- What does this statement say to you?
- What do you find challenging about this statement?
- How does this related to the story in Luke 5?
- How can this truth change the way you think, act, and live? Can it?

iBread 1.1

“God’s Word is food for the mind.” - Cyril of Alexandria

We are slowly coming to the end of a 7-week series on unity. Last night we feasted together on 1 John 1:7.

The Meal
Take a moment and read 1 John 1:7. Read it several times and use different translations of the Bible (you can select different translations by clicking the second box). Try and memorize it. This is a very easy verse to download to your brain.

Table Talk
- What is the big idea of this verse?
- What is John trying to get across?
- Who do we have fellowship with when we “walk in the light?”
- What is a key word to this verse?
- What does that word mean? (Don’t be afraid to use a dictionary or look up the word in Greek and get Strong's number here, which will allow you to look the original word up in a Greek dictionary.)
- What, if anything, do you find challenging about this verse?
- Can this truth change the way you live? How?

Passing down our faith

Hey, sorry to not post last week. I had the flu and was literally in bed for 4 days! I've decided to get the flu shot next time around. Below is a sermon I preached this last fall on mentoring.

Passing down our faith through mentoring

Text: 2 Timothy 2:2

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” (NIV)

One of the ways I see our church’s mission/vision statement coming to life and being fulfilled is through one-on-one mentoring (adult/teen mentoring). What I mean by mentoring is simply an adult coming alongside a teenager to help them walk in the light (1 John 1:7). Meeting with them once a week over coffee/coke to talk and listen to them. It is sharing and offering advice/wisdom to them in order to help them along in their salvation journey. It is getting involved in the life of someone else to make their life better.

The Scriptures, from the Old Testament to New Testament, is chock full of mentoring relationships. Moses was mentored by his father-in-law Jethro (Exodus 18). He taught him how to shepherd and give counsel to the one million Israelites he led out of Egypt. Moses also mentored a young man by the name of Joshua (Deuteronomy 31 & 21), who succeeded him in leading the Israelites into the Promise Land. Naomi mentored a young lady named Ruth who played a big role in the Davidic dynasty. Elijah mentored Elisha. Isaiah the prophet had younger disciples he mentored (Isaiah 50). In the New Testament, Jesus, called from the group of disciples following Him twelve to be with Him. They shared life with Him by being with Him (Luke 6:12-13). This is mentoring. Even within the twelve disciples, He had three He was very close with (Peter, James, John). Jesus was involved in mentoring.

The best example of mentoring I see in God’s Word is that between the apostle Paul and a young teenage boy by the name of Timothy. Thanks to Paul’s writings we have a plethora of information on how their mentoring relationship began and worked itself out. Timothy came from a pretty diverse background. His mother was Jewish and his father a Greek. He came to know Christ around the time Paul took his first missionary trip to what is now modern day Turkey. Timothy was a third generation Christian. 2 Timothy 1:5 reads,

I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Timothy’s faith impressed Paul so much that Paul asked the young teenager to join him on his second missionary journey (Acts 16). Timothy wasn’t perfect. He was timid, shy, and one who was easily discouraged. But, he found comfort and encouragement in Paul. Paul saw in Timothy what he had trouble seeing in himself. Paul liked Timothy because he was sensitive to the needs of others, loyal in friendship, deeply loved people and had a genuine faith. Paul spent ten years pouring his life out into Timothy and in his last letter to Timothy (2 Timothy), Paul asks him to do the same, to mentor someone else in the faith. Verse 2 reads,

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

Entrust to reliable men. What is he entrusting? The faith he has in Jesus. How is he to do it? Through a mentoring relationship. Why is he to do it? Part of the reason Paul asked Timothy to do this was because he was on death row in a Roman prison when he wrote this letter. Shortly after sending this letter out, Paul was beheaded and with the Lord. 2 Timothy was the last letter ever written by Paul. It was to encourage Timothy to pass on the faith/to mentor someone.

Mentoring, as discussed before, is simply an adult coming alongside a teenager to help them walk in the light. It’s getting involved in someone else’s life. How do you do it? You make yourself available. You intentionally seek out the person you are mentoring and try and meet with him/her once a week over coffee/coke to talk with them about their life and their struggles. Believe it or not, somebody at one point or another has mentored all of us. When we started that new job we had to have someone teach us how to do it correctly. When we took up that new hobby we had to turn to someone more experienced to mentor us in how to soup up a car, fish, collect antiques, put together a scrapbook page, cook, and make a quilt. Even with parenting we have had to look to others for help. I can’t help but wonder, if all these other aspects of our lives require mentoring, why not our walk with the Lord? Why do we try and go at things alone? Walking alone is what our enemy, the Devil, wants us to do. It’s why so many Christians suffer defeat.

The first time I played paintball I was around the age of sixteen. I thought I knew it all and thought I could easily just walk onto a paintball field alone and win. As I was getting ready to start my very first game there was an older guy on our team who was trying to tell us all what to do. He wanted us to work together and use teamwork. I thought to myself, this guy doesn’t know that I watched Rambo III last night does he? I don’t need the team. I can do this alone. Five seconds later I was out, hit by a paintball, defeated by the enemy. The same thing happens to Christians who try and go at their salvation walk alone. We need each other. We need another person to help us out. More importantly to needing the help is the need to be concerned about each other. The only thing that is going to quicken our concern for each other is God’s love. We need God’s love.

The kind of love we are to love God with is a giving love. We are to give ourselves up, our desires up, and our wants up for His desires and wants. We are also to love others with this giving love. The truth of the matter is that if you have not received Jesus Christ you can’t do this. You can’t love somebody with a giving love. Giving love is a gift from God. If you don’t have it, you need to ask God for it and seek it. What are you giving to others? Not what are you giving to get something in return, but what are you giving away because you deeply love others.

Paul, in our text, asks Timothy to give his life to others through a mentoring relationship. Paul, being very thorough, goes on to give Timothy examples of what it takes to be a mentor. In 2 Timothy 2:3-6 he writes,

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

The first thing Paul mentions in regards to mentoring is that a mentor is to be like a soldier (v.3). Soldiers were devoted to their task and master. They were not to get distracted by petty things; they were to look at the larger picture.
… A mentor is to be devoted to the larger task of making disciples and following the Master Jesus Christ.

Paul then compares a mentor to an athlete (v.5) in training and self-discipline. Back then, just as now, athletic events had certain rules one had to follow. A rigid training schedule, that took a lot of self-discipline, helped athletes follow the rules.
… A mentor needs training and self-discipline.

And lastly he compares mentoring to a farmer (v.6) waiting and persevering until a crop arrives.
… Mentoring is one of those things where we may not yield a bumper crop, in fact we may never yield a crop, but that doesn’t mean we are to give up or walk away. Devotion (soldier), discipline (athlete), and perseverance (farmer) characterize a mentor.

There was a guy by the name of Andy Lee. Andy, who was a bit of a wild child and redneck, had walked away from the Lord the latter part of his teenage years. By the grace of God he made a re-commitment to Jesus in his late twenties. Shortly after making his re-commitment he began hanging out with a wild teenage boy by the name of Timothy. He met with him weekly, he hung out with him, he took him fishing, he took him swimming, to the driving range, he took him rides in his jeep CJ with 46 inch mud tires, he shared meals with him, and showed this young teenage boy how to live Christ in daily life. That mentoring relationship led this young and immature teenager to start really following Christ and accept a call into ministry.

Andy Lee made a huge difference in my life. Although we met and talked about all kinds of stuff, I don’t really remember what we talked about, but I remember Andy spending time with me and living out his faith in Jesus in front of me. Through our mentoring relationship I came to see genuine faith. I came to see that being a Christian isn’t about following rules and a bunch of do’s and don’ts. It’s about following and walking with Christ (1 John 1:7). It’s about interacting with God and others, and finding real life (John 10:10). That discovery for me came about through a mentoring relationship.

o Are you ready to entrust your faith to someone else?
o Are you ready to involve yourself in someone’s life?
o Are you ready to mentor?

The students here at Bluffton Nazarene have been asked if having a mentor would be helpful to them and if they would participate in a mentoring program if our church had one. Three out of four teens in our church said they would like to be mentored and would benefit from being mentored. They filled out a survey and here is how they answered the question, “Would it be helpful to you spiritually to have an adult (other than your parents or other relatives) meet weekly with you to encourage you in the faith?” Here’s how some of them responded:
- “Yes, because it would help my relationship with God grow.”
- “Yes. I never get one on one time with anyone, so it would be very helpful.”
- “Yes, it would be encouraging and helpful to me.”
- “I don’t open up in Sunday school and youth group, but one on one mentoring would help me with that.”
- “It would help me in my faith.”

How are we going to respond to our students asking for us to get involved in their lives? Will you become a mentor?

If this interests you click here to learn more about signing up to become a mentor.

Attention guys!!!

Hopefully none of you men out there have forgotten about today.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday kicks off the Christian season known as Lent. During Lent Christians (Roman Catholic and Protestant) fast or give up something for 40 days (up until Palm Sunday).

A traditional Ash Wednesday service involves a pastor/priest making the sign of the cross, “X” (Greek) or “T” (Hebrew), on a person’ forehead. Those receiving this sign are committing to fast or give up something for 40 days. The mark also reminds us of our mortality (we’re made from dirt!) and fallen condition. The ashes are humiliating. In the Old Testament, ashes were used as an act of repentance and sorrow for sin. A great example of this is found in Jonah. After preaching to Nineveh, the king responded by taking off his royal robes, covering himself in sackcloth and sitting down in dust (ashes) Jonah 3:6.

Fasting is a discipline that puts us under God’s grace in hopes that we draw closer to Him. During the fast, we meditate on Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. We deny our body something (e.g., sugar, pop, meat, all food) in order to associate with Christ and His sufferings. Jesus denied Himself and took up His cross to follow God. Should it be any different for us? Fasting forces us to rely on God for strength and nourishment. When we fast we feast on the Manna from Heaven. Fasting tells God we are not chained to the things of this world, but to Him.

I challenge you to fast something for Lent. It is time to get over the idea that Lent is somehow bad because it is associated with the Roman Catholic Church. So what! Catholics pray and read Scripture, so should we stop doing that too? Roman Catholics have been around for over a thousand years and it would be arrogant to assume our new Protestant churches are the only and true Body of Christ on earth. You're telling me there aren't Catholics who genuinely know Jesus as Lord and Savior? Lent is a sweet chance for Christians to bring Jesus and His life into their yearly calendars and make a relationship with Him a daily part of their lives.

So, what will you give up and fast for Lent? In the past our students have fasted internet, myspace, pop, specific foods, chocolate, candy. What will you do?

Here’s a link to a great sermon on Ash Wednesday for any of you interested in reading more.

Ash Wed sermon by Ben Witherington III

Laser tag...or something more?

Our youth group played laser tag last night. Despite the fact that this is a fun typical youth group-type event, it served another purpose for us; to kick off our new Wednesday night series on unity among Christians.

The different games we played forced many of our students to communicate and work together with other students different than them. They actually had to talk to and work with someone who cheers for a different sports team then them, likes punk rock instead of country, doesn't like pizza, and so on. There is something powerful that one experiences when people, with differences, work together for a common goal. The Bible calls it unity.

I was thinking about that and came to the conclusion that if we were all the same and agreed on everything all of the time we could not experience real authentic unity. Unity is experienced only when different people come together to collaborate out of love.

Your thoughts?

Something sheepy going on!

We talked last night in youth group about sheep and shepherds. Our discussion came from the John 10 passage about Jesus being the good shepherd and His sheep being the ones who listen to His voice. Here is how God actively shepherded His people (the Israelites) in the Old Testament.


God shepherded the Patriarchs of Genesis (Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph) to new lands and through hard times. Although Moses shepherded the Israelites from Egypt, into the wilderness, and then to the Promise Land, God was shepherding Israel throughout the entire process (Exodus 13:18). He was with them in the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21). He was with them when they rebelled, and He dwelt in their tabernacle tent on the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25). Even when Israel rebelled against God and ended up in captivity, He was still shepherding them through the voice of the Prophets. Throughout the entire Old Testament we see God’s presence, though sometimes subtle, and hear of God watching over Israel like a shepherd watching over sheep.



How has God shepherded you?

iBread 1.0

"God's Word is food for the mind." - Cyril of Alexandria

Looking at the “if/then” statements in John 8 can be exciting. There are a lot of great promises here to encourage us in our faith. Opposite that, it can be challenging if we haven’t yet made the decision to believe in Jesus. This is because we encounter Jesus for who He really is (God, “I AM”) and He tells us things about ourselves that reveal who we really are (e.g., from earth and will die in our sins if we don’t believe in who He says He is). These claims may make some of us squirm a little in discomfort. Jesus is good at doing that!

Here’s a breakdown of “if/then” statements from John 8. Look them up, chew on them for a while, wrestle with them, and then try and let these words replace your hunger for the things of this world.

The Meal
+ 8:12 – Jesus says, “I am the light of the world” and promises those who follow Him that they will never walk in darkness and have the light of life.

+ 8:24 – Jesus tells those who are not willing to believe in who He says He is that they will die in their sins.

+ 8:28 – When Jesus is lifted up (referring to the series of events leading up to His crucifixion and following it, such as the resurrection and ascension into heaven) we will know who He is.

+ 8:31-32 – If we hold to His teaching we are His disciples. On top of that, we know truth and this truth sets us free.

+ 8:51 – If we keep His word we will never see death (my fav!).

Table Talk

- Which of these statements do you find most challenging?
- Why is it so challenging?
- What would it take to change your view on it?

Gotta love outlet stores!

One of the great things about staying down here is the outlet stores. There are tons of them! Anything from Coleman to Nike, they have it. My personal fav is the Book Warehouse (kind of a pseudo-Christian bookstore with books 50-75% off regular price). They have a lot of clearance Christian books mixed in with secular books. I think they have more Christian books than anything. Sort of weird, but the good deals distract you from thinking about it too long. Needless to say I always take advantage of the low prices and find something worth buying. Thankfully, my wife loves reading too and enjoys spending time in the stores (there are 4 of them here!) with me. My daughter didn't seem to mind it either.

Relaxing

Down south things move a little slower and the air feels a little warmer (at least it's supposed to!).

Just a snapshot of what's going on our family vacation. We're staying at a cabin in the Smokey Mountains called "Amazing View".

Coming down to Pigeon Forge, TN has been a tradition our family has kept for about a dozen years. As the family has grown, so have the cabins. We used to get away with staying in a 2 bedroom. Then people got married and had children and now we need a 4 bedroom. The view is amazing and we're having a good time.

This is also the last time we'll get to spend some quality time with Shelly and Eric. They leave next Wed for Poznan, Poland. They have been called to be missionaries and this is their first assignment. They have to stay in the field for a year. as part of their training. We'll miss them. :-(

Why teach?

Hope you had a merry Christmas. I wish you all a happy New Year! Here's the conclusion to the making disciples series. Hope you enjoyed it.

5. Discipleship involves teaching God’s Word for the purpose of obedience out of love

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Deuteronomy 6:5

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.
Luke 10:27

The teaching of God’s Word was for the purpose of obedience which is to be motivated and driven by love for God. What good is sound doctrine if it is not acted out? God wanted His people (Hebrews in the Old Testament and Christians in the New Testament) to love Him with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength and love their neighbor as themselves. This guided everything Jesus did and taught. Loving God and others is at the center of what the Bible teaches. Everything hinges on this command. The principles Jesus used for making disciples focused on getting others to love God and neighbor. This love for God and neighbor led to obedience.

How do we implement this principle in our churches? A proper understanding of what the motivation behind our obedience to God should be is required. Here are several passages that could help with this.

§ Studying the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is a great starting point for understanding why God wants us to love Him with our hearts. This sermon of Jesus focuses on the heart (which is where action comes from).

§ Studying the Greek word for love (Agape) is another tool that can teach us about how God wants us to love Him. Tracing the use of this word through the Scriptures gives a great picture of how our love for God should look.

Another great way to implement this principle is by making sure our teaching in the church focuses on action and practical application. If we are just learning cognitively about God’s Word and not putting any of it into practice our faith is dead (James 2:17). The teachings and curriculums used in our churches might need to be evaluated for content and application. Do we offer ways to put into practice God’s Word? If not, we are not teaching in the way the Great Commission asks us to.

By studying Scripture to uncover principles rather than methodology we can successfully continue making disciples. The principles for disciple-making teach us there is no “cookie cutter” pattern for making disciples. God uses various ways to disciple us all. We must be careful not to make discipleship practices so dogmatic that we box ourselves in. Discipleship is not limited to the five principles I have highlighted from the Great Commission. Scripture offers many more principles to be found beyond what we have discovered in the Great Commission, but all contribute to its fulfillment.

Here He comes!

The final Sunday of Advent approaches. The Psalm for this coming Sunday reads:

1-2 God claims Earth and everything in it,
God claims World and all who live on it.
He built it on Ocean foundations,
laid it out on River girders.

3-4 Who can climb Mount God?
Who can scale the holy north-face?
Only the clean-handed,
only the pure-hearted;
Men who won't cheat,
women who won't seduce.

5-6 God is at their side;
with God's help they make it.
This, Jacob, is what happens
to God-seekers, God-questers.

7 Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
King-Glory is ready to enter.
8 Who is this King-Glory?
God, armed
and battle-ready.
9 Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
King-Glory is ready to enter.
10 Who is this King-Glory?
God-of-the-Angel-Armies:
he is King-Glory.
(The Message)

It’s a very appropriate Psalm for Christmas. The Psalm concludes (vv. 7-10) with Yahweh entering the Temple to be with His people. Christmas concludes with Yahweh entering a stable, taking on human flesh, to be with His people.

Merry Christmas!

Relationships and why they are so important (part 14)

The next principle for making disciples from the Great Commission is...

4. Discipleship involves a growing relationship with Jesus
The fact that we are baptized into the Father, Son, and Spirit teaches us the importance of relationships. Real belief in God draws us into a relationship with the three Persons of the trinity that boggles my mind. The picture of this relationship with God is compared to family, husband and wife, and friend. These earthly relationships all require growth and commitment to stay healthy. Should our relationship with God be any different?

Jesus’ relationship with those following Him as a disciple reveals several things. Jesus wanted His disciples to:

Follow Him – When Jesus called others to discipleship He called them to follow Him (Luke 9:23). Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. The priority of a disciple is to follow and seek after Jesus. He is God’s revelation of Himself to us. Every person follows and seeks after something. Whether it is selfish desires, material things, false gods, people, or relationships, people follow something. Jesus asks us to seek and follow after Him. We must be mindful in pointing out to others who we follow.

Learn from Him – Jesus asks us to take His yoke upon ourselves and learn from Him. Jesus was always teaching. He taught most about the kingdom of God. He taught in parables and through real life examples. He made the kingdom of God a concrete concept that could be grasped by all willing to listen. Jesus’ followers had to place themselves under His teachings. Learning requires a submissive attitude.

Obey Him – Jesus commands obedience out of love. He stated, “If you love me you will do what I command.” He was constantly asking for obedience from His followers. He made this one of the distinguishing marks of His disciples.

Love Him – Loving God drives us to obey Him. Romans 5:8 says God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We know how to love God and others because He first loved us.

Abide in Him – Abiding in Jesus means we walk with Him daily (1 John 1:7). Jesus reminds us in John 15:15 that if we abide in Him we will bear fruit, but apart from Him we can do nothing.

We cannot have a relationship with God until we repent and believe in His Son. The Scriptures make it clear that we are sinners who choose selfishly. The Jews defined a sinner as one who disregards or breaks the law. The law was what made them who they were; it gave them their identity as a nation. The law helped them understand how God expected them to live. God’s chosen people (the Jews) lived as God’s people by obedience to the law. However, the law through tradition and cold hearts, transpired into outward dos and don’ts. Because of this, the law became all about externals (e.g., what you do and don’t do), which caused a lot of people to fall into the classification of sinners. Thank goodness Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us. He showed up to set things right and give all sinners hope. What was their hope? That they could have a relationship with the God of the universe. Another glorious reason to celebrate Christmas.

A cup of cheer to you!

The deeds of Jesus

This coming Sunday will be the third Sunday of Advent. One of the Gospel readings for this Sunday comes to us from Matthew 11:1-10. Jesus’ cousin John has been thrown in prison. However, John is still able to hear about Jesus’ activities. John, curious about what is going on, sends his disciples to Jesus to ask him if He is the expected Messiah. N.T. Wright in his Matthew for Everyone commentary makes some interesting suggestions about why John would ask such a question.

Wright suggests:
- That John expected the Messiah to be like Elijah. More specifically, he expected Jesus to confront the powers of His day with shock and awe. If people didn’t believe or receive Him as king, they would be destroyed like the Baal worshippers in Elijah’s day when he called down fire from heaven.
- That Jesus would confront Herod and put an end to his kingship and rule. Then Jesus would take over as the true king with John close by His side.

Wright goes on to say that Jesus is one step ahead of John’s preconceived story line. John thinks Jesus should be ushering in judgment, but instead all he hears about is mercy.

What do you think?
­ Why was John so confused?
­ Did he have a right to be confused?
­ How might we, like John the Baptist, confuse the church’s mission?
­ Should Jesus’ ministry be reflected in how the church ministers?
­ How does this relate to what the church should be doing today?

Making Disciple (Part 13)

I attended the funeral of my great grandma yesterday. She was a wonderful grandma and I'm going to miss her. Christmas just won't be the same. She was a great example of how to love God and others with all your heart.

The next principle for making disciples from the Great Commission is...

3. Discipleship involves God’s people going to others

One of the first participles we encounter in the Great Commission is the verb “go”. Churches across the world have been charged by God to take His message to the world/others/sinners. How good is your church at going to the lost? There are many ways to implement this ministry in your local church. Here are several to spark your own ideas and get you thinking creatively.

§ Ministry to others – Talk to members of your church and see if they know of someone in the community who has needs that need met. For example, someone in your church may have an elderly friend in need of having their house repainted. Organize a team and go and do this. Don’t go at this half-hearted, buy the best materials and make sure the job is done properly. Work as if God is watching. Again, there are probably people just waiting to be asked to do some type of ministry like this. You may have a church full of gifted painters, carpenters, roofers, landscapers, welders, electricians, construction workers, or other types of workers willing to lend a hand to the needy. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

§ Blessing ministries – This is a chance for your church to do something good to others without expecting anything in return. A youth group could pass out water at a local park to those playing basketball. Cups of hot coffee could be handed out downtown during the winter season to those traveling by foot. The blessing ministry is limited to how much money your church or people want to spend. You could offer to buy $20.00 worth of groceries to several people outside of Wal-Mart or the local grocery store. You could secretly pay for someone’s meal at a restaurant. The blessing ministry is bound only to imagination and amount of money one or the church is willing to spend.

§ Servant ministries – This is a simple ministry that asks God’s sons and daughters to serve others. Shovel snow from your neighbor’s drive. Rake leaves in the fall. Another idea is to take a group from church to someone’s house to clean it. Just make sure you have adequate supplies and servants with the right attitudes for whatever you do.

§ Prayer ministries – This ministry might be somewhat aggressive and awkward, but if we believe in the power of prayer we have nothing to fear because we know God answers. This ministry asks members of the church to go and ask people in the community if they can pray for them. It would be a good idea for members to keep track of prayers and answers to them.
Again, I believe the ministry of going to others is of primary importance. This is a part of the discipleship process we cannot neglect. The fact of the matter is, people are not coming in droves to our churches. We must go to them. Whatever we can do as a church to bring Jesus to others, in hopes of making them disciples, should be done. This may lead to some uncomfortable changes and less time in our pretty stain-glassed buildings, but the results are worth it. God has a heart for the lost and they matter to Him. The parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and the prodigal son give us a glimpse into the Father’s heart. He deeply loves His creation. Every person is made in the image and likeness of God. Is this motivation enough for us to go to others?

Something to look forward to...

We now begin the second week of Advent. This week’s Old Testament scripture reading comes to us from Isaiah 11:1-10. Verses 2-5 offer a comforting picture of the coming Messiah who will take away the sins of the world. Isaiah describes Him as,

- One who lives in the Spirit (God’s Spirit resting upon Him)
- One who knows what to do in any given circumstance (wise)
- One who can show sympathy as well as empathy (understanding)
- One who can advise (counsel)
- One who can rule above all others (power)
- One who knows intimately and accurately what God the Father is like (knowledge and fear of God)
- One who looks at the heart (doesn’t judge or decide by appearance)
- One who is completely right in everything He does (righteous)
- One who sets wrongs right (justice)
- One who is committed to those He loves (faithful)

I don’t know about you, but I’m excited to celebrate the birth of such a wonderful Person!

Making Disciples (Part 12)

Another practical way the church can work together to make disciples is through the spiritual gifts. Why does God gift us? What is the purpose for the gifts? Paul’s teaching about spiritual gifts is within the context of the church. Paul implies the gifts were given to God’s people by the Spirit for the building up of the church (Ephesians 4:12). In other words, God’s people are equipped so they can in turn equip others. Through the diversity of people and their gifts God can fully disciple His people.

Spiritual gifts tests can make people aware of how God has gifted them. If used properly they can become a means to making disciples. Just beware they do not become an excuse for laziness (e.g., “I’m not gifted in the area of evangelism so I don’t have to do it.”). Spiritual gifts tests could be given as an entire church event. This would allow the body of Christ to recognize in each other the uniqueness and diversity of God’s gifts. It also teaches that spiritual gifts are best discovered within the community of saints. Following the test, it would be wise to find ways together to use each other’s gift. This is how they are most effective. How can people with different gifts work together? How can they compliment one another? You will find answers to these questions as God’s people synthesize their diversity through coming together to form the body of Christ.

Your thoughts?

First Sunday of Advent

This coming Sunday will be the first Sunday of advent. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to comment. This is a time for Christians around the world to celebrate together the coming of the Christ. The Old Testament lectionary reading for this Sunday comes from Isaiah 2:1-5. This portion of Scripture is a prophecy about Judah and Jerusalem.

In verse 5 Isaiah says,

“Come, O house of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the LORD.

In the Old Testament the word “walk” was commonly used to describe one’s life. It spoke of how one was living. Peppered throughout the Old Testament Israel is asked to walk with God; to make Him a part of their daily life. In 1 John 1:7 we are encouraged to walk in Christ,

If we walk in the light, as he is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus, his Son,
purifies us from all sin.

The invasion that happened two thousand years ago on planet Earth allows every person on the face of this green and blue planet the opportunity to walk with God. It truly is a time to celebrate and rejoice!