A Contest: LAST Reminder
Last week, in a post called “A Contest: Examples of Serving“, I announced a contest where the winner will receive a copy of John Perkins’ book Beyond Charity: The Call to Christian Community Development. Please read that post for details. Remember to submit your story about serving others before January 19, 2009. This means that you only have ONE more week to submit your story. This will be the last reminder.
Modern Day Parable of the Subcontractors
A man decided to build a house. The builder drew up plans to his exact specifications, then he subcontracted various parts of the project to different craftsmen: a mason for the brickwork, a carpenter for the woodwork, a plumber, an electrician, a roofer, etc. He gave each of the subcontractors a set of plans and asked them to carry out their tasks according to his plans.
When the builder checked on the progress, he found that his house was behind schedule and was not being built to his specifications. In fact, part of the flooring, which should be wood, was made of brick. Some of the plumbing had been replaced with bricks. Even the electrical system and roof including brick, which was not part of his design.
The builder called the mason and asked the mason what happened. The mason explained that he was a master craftsman, much more skilled at his craft than the other subcontractors. When he saw that the carpenter was not as good at woodworking, the mason jumped in and did part of his job. When he saw that the plumber was not as good at plumbing, the mason jumped in and did part of his job. In fact, the mason said, he had to be involved in each part of the project of it would not have been done properly.
The builder promptly fired the mason, explaining: “I gave you the task of laying bricks. I did not ask you to do the carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, or roofing. Instead of following my plans, you decided to run things yourself. You are fired for breech of contract.”
Next, the builder called the other subcontractors and asked them what happened. Each subcontractor in turn explained that the mason was much better at laying bricks that they were at their tasks. When the mason decided to do their tasks as well, they stood back and allowed him to do all the work.
The builder promptly fired all the other subcontractors, explaining: “I gave each of you a specific task. I asked you to do the carpentry, or the plumbing, or the electrical work, or the roofing. Instead of following my plans, you decided to follow the mason’s plans. You are all fired for breech of contract.”
"I needed to talk to you"
While our family was still in Alabama, I got a phone call from S. She is one of the residents of the government assisted housing development where we’ve been spending time since last summer.
She was very upset, and asked if Margaret and I could come over to talk to her. I explained that we were out of town, and I asked if she wanted to wait, if she wanted me to find someone else for her to talk to (someone that she was acquainted with), or if she wanted to talk on the phone. She asked if we could talk on the phone.
Apparently, there had been some type of incident in which S. felt she was wrongly accused of something. Because of that accusation, she and her three children might have to move out of the housing development. This would be very difficult for her family because they can’t afford to live anywhere else.
Primarily, she said, “I just wanted to talk to you and Margaret. I needed to get this off of my chest, and I didn’t know anyone else that I could talk to about it.”
For the first time since we’ve known her, S. began talking about her faith. She talked about some of the struggles she’s had in life. She said that she didn’t understand why her life was going wrong while people who were violent or did drugs seemed to have a good life.
When we first met S., she seemed cold and distant. But, through the time we’ve spent with her, we’ve developed a relationship that seemed impossible at the beginning of last summer. Now, when she needed to talk to someone, she thought of us. How amazing!
Once again, God confirmed to me that my responsibility was to love people in his name, and allow him to give me opportunities to help people in their faith. It is not responsibility to force things on people, or to manipulate conversations and relationships in order to disciple people. I must let God lead them to himself.
So, we’ve loved S. and her family. We’ve helped them through various situations. We’ve served them in different ways. In every case, we’ve let them know that the reason that we love them is because God loves us and he loves them.
Please pray for S. and her family. Pray that this situation would be resolved, or that she would find another place to live. Also, please pray that whatever happens, she would allow God to reveal himself to her however he desires.
Finally, as Paul asked, please pray for me and my family, “that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ.”
stories: A New Series
This post introduces a new series called “Stories”. This series will present the stories of people who are seeking to serve God and serve others in their lives. This could include acts of service that would seem “mundane” and also service that would seem “out of the ordinary”.
What is my goal with this series? First, I believe that teaching happens primarily through example. Yes, words are important for teaching. But, I believe that teaching with words should reinforce what we’re teaching through the way we live – the way we walk.
For example, consider what Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi:
What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9 ESV)
He also told Timothy:
You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings … (2 Timothy 3:10-11 ESV)
Notice that in each of these examples (and many, many more), Paul encouraged his readers to follow his teaching in word, but he also encouraged them to follow the example of his life. In fact, he often reminded his readers of his manner of life among them.
In the following passage especially Paul welds together the concepts of word and conduct:
For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:9-12 ESV)
So, first, sharing these stories is a method of teaching – a method that is sorely lacking in many churches today. We have replaced this holistic method of teaching and discipleship with a method that relies almost solely on words. In fact, many future leaders are taught not to get too close to the people they teach, making it impossible for them to teach with their conduct.
Second, sharing stories is a way of encouraging others toward love and good works. We see this especially in Hebrews 10:24 –
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works… (Hebrews 10:24 ESV)
This idea is present in many of the other passages above where Paul exhorts his readers to not only learn from his conduct, but to imitate his conduct.
So, these stories are given as a means of stirring us all up to love and good works – that is, provoking us to demonstrate the love of Christ through our good works. These are examples that we can follow in our own lives as God gives us the opportunity and the ability.
These “stories” will include my own stories and the stories of people that I know. Occasionally, I will share “stories” from other blogs or other sources. Similarly, I will share some of the stories that I’ve received and that I continue to receive through the contest that I’m running (see “A Contest: Examples of Serving“). So, if you haven’t done so yet, please email your stories to me – both for that contest and for my new series.
Hopefully, through this new series, we will teach one another and encourage one another to walk in a manner that is worthy of the gospel and worthy of our Master and Shepherd.
Keep it Simple Stupid
Almost everyone has heard of the K.I.S.S. principle: “Keep it simple, stupid”. Of course, we only apply it to those things that appear to us to be more complicated than they should be.
But, have you thought about how the K.I.S.S. principle can be applied to theology? Think about it. For the most part, when it comes to God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the church, etc. Scripture usually uses very simple analogies and examples. Sure, there are a few difficult and complex issues, but most of the “hard parts” deal with living out the simplicity, not with complex items.
For example, instead of defining God, Scripture simply speaks of him as creator, protector, provider, king, father, etc. And what about Jesus? He is savior, master, shepherd. The Holy Spirit is helper, teacher, guide. And the church? The church (a word which itself is a simple designator for an assembly of people) is family, followers, beloved, brothers and sisters.
But, instead of attempting the hard work of living according to this simple designators, we tend to analyze, classify, define, and make complex. Of course, if we spend all of our times making things complex, then we feel like we’re doing something important. If we right books and articles and even blog posts analyzing and classifying, then perhaps we don’t actually have to live it.
In fact, the earliest formulated creeds were quite simple: “I believe in God the father, the maker of heave and earth.” But, two thousand years later, we’re not satisfied with simple statements like this. We must define exactly what it means for God to be father and creator. And, if someone doesn’t agree with our analysis or definition – even if they agree with the simple statements of Scripture – then we label them as a heretic. (It’s a good thing we don’t burn or drown heretics today, or there would only be a few people still living.)
Think about the amazing complexities that Christians have attached to the simple concept of “salvation”. It is no longer enough to recognize that Jesus is savior – that he has rescued us from our own sinfulness and eternal punishment – now we have to agree on the hows, whys, whens, etc. If someone doesn’t agree with all of our complexities, then we question their salvation.
Why can we not “Keep it simple, stupid?” Perhaps, if we learned to keep it simple, we would learn just how difficult it is to live the new life of salvation. Of course, if we ever did this – if we ever actually tried to live the simple life – then we would have to learn to listen to the Spirit instead of relying on our own complex analyses and definitions.
A Contest: Second Reminder
Last week, in a post called “A Contest: Examples of Serving“, I announced a contest where the winner will receive a copy of John Perkins’ book Beyond Charity: The Call to Christian Community Development. Please read that post for details. Remember to submit your story about serving others before January 19, 2009. This means that you have two more weeks to submit your story!
I am Edward the Vampire
I started reading Twilight by Stephenie Meyer yesterday, and I’ll probably finish it today. I saw the movie a few weeks ago, and liked it. I heard that the books were very good, so I decided to try it for part of my vacation reading.
I’ve been very pleasantly surprised. Not only am I enjoying the story, I’m learning alot about the human condition that we call sin. What? I’m learning theology from a book about vampires? Yes. Was it written with this in mind? I don’t know.
Quick synopsis: Bella moves from Arizona to Washington when her mother gets remarried. She falls in love with a boy named Edward. She soon discovers that Edward and his family are vampires. But, his family – unlike other vampires – have chosen not to hunt humans, although they continue to have the strong desire for human blood.
Edward also falls in love with Bella. And, for a vampire, this is a dangerous attraction. He now wants her blood more than anything else. In fact, whenever he is with her, he has to constantly maintain control or he would kill her.
Here is an important passage:
[Edward:] “Ask me anything.”
I [Bella] sifted through my questions for the most vital. “Why do you do it?” I said. “I still don’t understand how you can work so hard to resist what you … are. Please don’t misunderstand, of course I’m glad that you do. I just don’t see why you would bother in the first place.”
He hesitated before answering. “That’s a good question, and you are not the first one to ask it. The other – the majority of our kind who are quite content with our lot – they, too, wonder at how we live. But you see, just because we’ve been … dealt a certain hand … it doesn’t mean that we can’t choose to rise above – to conquer that boundaries of a destiny that none of us wanted. To try to retain whatever essential humanity we can.”
Does this remind of you anything? We have been dealt a certain hand as well – as sinners. And, we have also been called to rise above the boundaries of a destiny that none of us wanted. We’ve been called to “put off the old man”… to “put on Christ”… to “not sin”… to “live holy”… in other words, to live as if we are different than we were made to be. [Obviously, the analogy is different because we are also indwelled by the Holy Spirit. We “rise above” by the grace of God. Yet, there is still a denial and some responsibility required on our part.]
In the book, Edward, the vampire, recognizes that if he gives in to his natural desires, he will hurt other people. Often, as followers of Jesus Christ, we often forget that when we give in to our natural desires to sin, we also hurt other people. We are forgive by God, but there are still consequences, both to ourselves and to others.
Some have decided to live apart from the world in an attempt to remove the desires. This doesn’t work, and its contrary to the will of God as he’s revealed in Scripture. Instead, like Edward, we are live in constant recognition of our natural tendencies. We are to live in control of our selves – a control that is the product of our yielding to the Spirit living in our lives.
In reality, I am Edward the vampire, with the constant threat of hurting myself and others when I give in to my natural desires. But, also in reality, I am indwelled by the Spirit in order to rise above my natural tendencies and to live life as a new creature in Christ.
Guaranteed church building program
Last December, I wrote a post called “Guaranteed church building program“. Its not what you think. It is not a exegesis of the Book of Nehemiah. But, read it. Give it a try. The church will be built up… perhaps not in the way that you want, though.
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Guaranteed church building program
I have been part of many church building programs. I’ve heard the book of Nehemiah preached as an example of a successful church building program. However, there is a church building program that I have rarely heard mentioned, and yet, this church building program is guaranteed! That’s right, this program is guaranteed to build the church without going into debt one penny.
I like to call this program “God’s Guaranteed Church Building Program”:
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV)/blockquote>Did you catch that last phrase? By following this simple procedure, the church is guaranteed to “build itself up”! Isn’t that awesome! Isn’t that amazing! But, what is this procedure?
1. Put Christ in his proper position as the head of the church.
2. Allow, encourage, and expect all believers to serve one another.
3. Do not allow a single person or a small group of people (including leaders) to do everything.
4. Help each person to work properly among their brothers and sisters.That’s it – four easy steps to guaranteed church growth.
Yes, I know what you may be thinking: This is not the kind of church building program that I had in mind. I understand your problem. However, it does seem that this is the kind of church building program that God has in mind. Perhaps its time to change your mind.
Perhaps there are others among you – leaders especially – who may be thinking something like this: But, those other members of the church could never do what I do; they just don’t have the experience, the talent, the training, or the education. My suggestion: You’re doing the wrong things. According to this guaranteed church building program, the church will grow only when ALL parts of the church are doing their part, not when you are doing everything the best you can.
Then, there is another question that rises about this church building program: But, if I let other people do the work, they may not do it correctly. Again, you are absolutely correct. People are going to fail. That’s why God has provided mature brothers and sisters like yourself to help them learn from their mistakes and to grow toward maturity in Christ. Perhaps you can do everything better than others – that’s good. But, according to God, that’s not best. God’s solution is for everyone to work together.
There you have it: God’s guaranteed church building program. And, the best thing about this program is that you do not have to buy a book or attend a conference. You simply trust God to work through the people that he has brought together. You allow him to use you and others to teach, lead by example, and encourage others to work together. And God says that when we do this, the church will build itself up in love. Guaranteed.
Jesus is the reason…
If you believe that this is the most holy day of the year, then I have a request of you. Please remember that Jesus is the reason for you to live every day – he’s not simply a slogan to tack on to your life on Christmas Day. Celebrate this day as unto the Lord. Also, remember your brothers and sisters who choose to view all days as equally holy. They also celebrate all days as unto the Lord.
If you believe that Christmas Day should not be celebrated as the most holy day of the year, then I have a request of you. Please remember that Jesus is the reason for you to live every day – including today. You do not have an excuse to be unkind or ungenerous simply because you do not choose to celebrate Christmas Day. Celebrate this day, as all days, unto the Lord. Also, remember your brothers and sisters who choose to view this day as special. They also celebrate this day as unto the Lord.
Even the hearts and minds of unbelievers are turned toward God and spiritual things during this time. Look for opportunities to speak of God’s grace and truth to those who need to hear.
Live today for the glory of God. Love him and love those around you. Serve the people that God brings across your path. Serve them before they can serve you. Accept those who are different. Be patient with those who are less mature. Follow those who are more mature. Walk in Spirit. When you come together with your brothers and sisters in Christ, seek to build them up, to stir up love and good works within them, and to mature them in Christ Jesus.
Have a Merry Christmas!
Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered
The title of this blog post comes from James C. Wilhoit’s latest book: Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered: Growing in Christ through Community. I picked this book up a few months ago, but I’ve only recently been able to start reading it. While I haven’t read much, I am excited about it so far – primarily because this is not a book that teaches a works based sanctification. Instead, he says that spiritual formation (transformation) occurs primarily as God works through a community of believers.
In his introduction, Wilhoit says:
While patterns of formation emerge, there does not exist anything approaching a “technology of spirtual formation.” Formation remains a messy and imprecise business, where character, wisdom, and faith play a far greater role than theories and techniques. Ironically, one value of engagement in deliberate formation is that it drives us to prayer because it reminds us, more than popular how-to books do, that true formation comes from grace and by grace, channeled through our humble efforts. (17)
Here are a few more quote to whet your appetite:
So many initiatives aimed at spiritual formation seem to have lost their bearings and have settled for secondary goals. We’ve learned a new terminology while maintaining the old lack of healthy spirituality. Sadly, many of these spiritual formation programs seem like third-rate manufacturers that crank out mediocre products and never seem to catch on that their manufacturing processes are finely tuned to consistently produce shoddy goods. Yet one must conclude that the program is perfectly designed to bring the disappointing results that it constantly gets. (33)
Spiritual formation does not take place primarily in small groups and Sunday school classes; instead, it mostly takes place in the well-lived and everyday events of our lives. (38)
[W]e must pattern our lives after Jesus and recognize that our perception of his example and our faithfulness in following it will be limited… Imitating Jesus’ practices of spiritual growth will include the classical spiritual disciplines but must take us far beyond them as well… True imitation respects the tension between the reality that the Holy Spirit ultimately brings about our imitation through conforming us to Christ’s likeness and the reality that we must work hard and carefully at imitating Christ by adopting his lifestyle and patterns of life… I do not intend to soften the language of command, but rather to recognize that Jesus is inviting us to a certain way of living. He is not content to simply order us to do such and such; he wants “us” far more than our action. (43-44)
I have identified four spiritual commitments, designated as the four pillars of formation; these serve as the framework for cultivating the practice of Jesus’ great invitations [to love God and love others]. They are receiving, remembering, responding, and relating… The receiving dimension highlights our need to focus on Jesus and be open to his grace for spiritual formation. Christian spirituality’s concern that we learn from Christ and receive God’s enabling grace separates it from the cultural assumption that any spirituality will do as long as we follow it sincerely. Remembering describes the process of learning to remember, deep in our heart, who we are and, more importantly, whose we are. The next dimension, responding, reminds us that the enterprise of formational changes of character and action do not exist for our own private ends but to enable us to serve others and the world through love. Finally, relating affirms that spiritual formation takes place best in and through community. (50-51)
I’m enjoying this book tremendously so far. He has helped me think through and combine some concepts that have been circling around in my mind for a while.
What do you think of these quotes?