Churches working together?
Whodathunkit? I saw this article in the online version of the local newspaper. It is exciting to see churches from different traditional backgrounds working together to care for their community.
This article is about Mission Quake, a group of churches who are working together on various projects around the city. The article focuses on work to restore one woman’s home.
Here’s a great quote from the article:
The whole idea of Mission Quake is to realize that God is not Methodist, Catholic, Baptist or any of those denominations. He extends beyond that.
I plan to call this week to find out more about Mission Quake. Is there something like this in your area? Are you involved?
Saturday Church
We met with the church several times last Saturday. Several times? Yes, several times. Saturday? Yes, Saturday. And, in a couple of instances, we were meeting as the church going into the world, instead of meeting as the church separated from the world. (See my post “The church meets here“.)
Saturday morning, our family and some friends went to a low income neighborhood where one of our friends lives. (See “Opportunities to serve” and “God works through my wife too“.) Did someone lead singing? No. Did someone “preach a sermon”? No. But, when the church met, we dealt with people’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. We only introduced ourselves to some people, and spent alot of time with other people. We helped people understand Scripture, and we prayed with people. Some people reacted with tears, some with smiles, some with gratitude, some with indifference. We attempted to demonstrate God’s love regardless of the people’s reactions.
Saturday afternoon, our family and some friends went to the nursing home to visit with Mrs. Jenny. (See “I think we’ve been adopted” and “She said, ‘I’m very close’“.) Again, no one led us in songs, and no one preached a sermon. But we all loved on her and listened to her talk about her week. After a few minutes, everyone left except Margaret and me. We talked to her a little longer, giving her the opportunity to ask us questions about Christ and faith. For the most part, she did not want to ask questions that day. However, she spent several minutes telling us how God had been drawing her to himself. It was almost as if she were evangelizing us!
Saturday evening, some friends invited us and another family to their house for a pancake dinner. Each family brought a griddle, and cooked piles of pancakes, sausage, and bacon. After everyone ate their fill, we sat around and talked about what’s going on in our lives. It is amazing to see how God is at work, in different way in the lives of different people. Again, there was no organized singing or preaching. But, this was certainly an edifying time.
No singing… no preaching… and yet when we met together, we met as brothers and sisters in Christ, with a desire to build up one another toward maturity in Christ and with a desire to demonstrate the love of God toward each other and toward others. I came away from these Saturday meetings with a song in my heart and being taught by word and example how to better follow Jesus Christ – with a better understanding of the Scriptures and what it means to trust God – with a better understanding of what the Spirit of God is doing in my brothers and sisters and in the world around us.
“Whenever you come together… let everything be done for edification.” (1 Cor 14:26)
God works through my wife too
Last week, in a post called “Opportunities to serve“, I mentioned that our family has been spending time Saturday mornings in a government assisted housing neighborhood where one of our friends lives. There is one more story that I would like to tell concerning this.
When we first started going into this neighborhood, we would take bags of produce and speak to people – trying to get to know them. Some of the people were very receptive. Some people seemed more distant and less interested in getting to know us. We did not push ourselves on people.
A friend of mine told me to expect this kind of mixed response. Many groups do service projects in neighborhoods like this. Usually they drop off food or clothes, or do other projects, but they rarely spend time getting to know the people. So, the people in this neighborhood are accustomed to people coming in, doing their thing, then leaving.
Meanwhile, each week we would come into the neighborhood and try to get to know the people. In one family, the single mother seemed distant. She would thank us for the food, but would not talk to us beyond that. To be honest, after a few weeks, I was ready to give up on her.
Soon, we were spending more and more time talking with the people in the neighborhood. Also, some friends were coming with us. So, we were walking around in a large group but not touching more people. About three weeks ago, we decided to split up into smaller groups. Margaret would take some of our friends and some bags of produce to some of the neighbors, while I would go to others with more produce and other friends.
That first week after we split into two groups, Margaret stopped by the house of the single mother who had seemed very distant. This is where things get very interesting. The woman who would not talk to me, started warming up to Margaret. She told Margaret about her family situation, her work situation, and her education situation. She told Margaret about some of the needs that her family has. She has asked Margaret to pray for her and her family.
We often thought this woman was a little rude, because she would talk on the phone when we stopped by her house. Yesterday, Margaret found out that she takes orders over the phone for her job! She wasn’t being rude; she was working!
Yesterday, Margaret also found out that her son needed a few school supplies – nothing major, just a few things. So, Margaret was able to help them out with those supplies.
It would have been so easy for me to give up on this family. Of course, that would have been very arrogant on my part. I would have given up because I wasn’t able to build a relationship with them. And, of course, that assumes that God couldn’t use others – like my wife – to reach out to them.
I thank God that he continues to teach me to rely on him – and not myself and my abilities – and that he continues to teach me about what a great wife I have!
She said, "I’m very close."
I saw Mrs. Jenny again last Saturday and last Monday (see “I think we’ve been adopted“). When I first met Mrs. Jenny, she told me, “I didn’t grow up with religion. I’m not an atheist, but I don’t know much about religion.” She’s told me that twice.
Monday, I took an early lunch and went to the nursing home where Mrs. Jenny lives and where some of my friends have “story time”. During “Story time”, they read a couple of chapters of the Bible, sing hymns that the residents request, and spend time touching and talking to each resident that comes to “story time”. When my friend reads Scripture, he often asks his boys and others to read certain parts. His oldest son read the parts where God speaks. Another son read Cain’s lines. A girl who was with them read for Eve. Me? He asked me to be the serpent… is he trying to say something?
After reading and singing, I went over to where Mrs. Jenny was sitting in her wheelchair. She had a bag in her lap, and I asked her about the bag. She showed me a painting she had made in her art class for our friends who do “story time”. She had painted a cross. This is where the conversation started:
Mrs. Jenny: (pointing to the cross) “I’m very close.”
Me: “Are you?”
Mrs. Jenny: “Yes.”
Me: “Would you like to talk about it sometime?”
Mrs. Jenny: “Yes. I have some questions. I can’t read well yet so I can’t read the Bible for myself.” (She’s having cataract surgery in a few days.)
Me: “Let’s plan to talk about it the next time I come to visit.”
Mrs. Jenny: “I would like that very much.” (Then she told me how precious my wife is. I agreed.)
So, God willing, my family will visit Mrs. Jenny again today. God has been working in her life. She has heard Scripture read. She has heard many hymns sung. She has seen and been the recipient of the love of Christ through many of his children. I think that God is drawing her to himself. I look forward to what God continues to do through her, and how he continues to teach me and mature me through her.
Opportunities to Serve
Recently, on Sunday mornings, we have been asking people to share how God is using them to serve people – both other believers and also unbelievers. We do this for several reasons, two of which include 1) giving people examples of service to follow and 2) giving people opportunities to serve. Yesterday, it was my family’s turn to share how God has been using us to serve. I haven’t shared all of this on my blog before, so I thought I would share what we have been doing on Saturday mornings.
First, I want to explain a few things that led up to this. Several months ago, we took part in a ministry to children one Saturday morning. Several people from different churches gather together at a community center in a government housing project to play with the children, feed them lunch, and share a Bible story. The people there were building relationships with the children, but they were not finding it as easy to build relationships with their parents.
Second, a friend of ours noticed that many groups bring left over food – old food from grocery stores and old cakes and cookies – to some of the poorer sections of our town. After talking with one of the residents, my friend found out that these groups rarely interact with the people; they simply left the food. And, unfortunately, the food was rarely healthy.
Taking these two events into account, we decided that we wanted to serve in a way that we could provide healthy food for people, and in a way that we could begin to build relationships with both adults and children. So, on Saturday mornings, we stop by a local farmers market and buy some fresh fruit and vegetables. We don’t spend alot of money. As a matter of fact, our family has set aside $25 per week. This allows us to buy enough produce for 5 small bags. When other people join us, if they decide to buy some produce as well, we put more in the bags and/or we prepare more bags. We usually buy beans, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, peaches, grapes, apples, oranges, or plums. Occasionally, a friend of ours has baked fresh bread for us to take as well.
We then take these bags of produce to the neighborhood where one of our friends lives. This is very important. Since the people know her, and since she often introduces us, we’ve found that we can get to know people better. We offer the bags of produce to her neighbors with no strings attached. We tell them that we have some fresh fruits and vegetables, and ask if they would like a bag. We don’t announce ourselves as part of any church or group, we are simply Alan, Margaret, Jeremy, and Miranda wanting to serve our friend’s neighbors.
We have only been doing this for a couple of months, and already we have begun to build relationships with many of the adults in the neighborhood. Often they invite us into their homes where we sit and talk for a few minutes. Once we get to know them, we talk about spiritual issues. For those who are believers, we try to help one another grow in maturity in Christ, and we pray for one another.
We have talked about addiction, sickness, loneliness, work situations, education, reading and understanding Scripture, surgery, children and child care, death, friendship, and church. In other words, the people are already opening up to us as they see that we are not trying to get anything out of them. Instead, we come by because we care about them.
As a side benefit, we have also started building a relationship with the lady who runs the farmers market stand. She asked us why we buy so much produce, and we’ve explained what we’re doing. There is always the possibility that we could get a better price or a better selection at another stand, but now I feel like I would be neglecting another opportunity that God has given me.
We’ve been able to touch about eight or ten houses in this neighborhood. This is probably only about one third of the houses. However, God does not call us to do everything. Instead, he calls us to use what he’s given us. Right now, this is what he’s given us. It would be very easy to start organizing and become more efficient and forget the reason that we’re there. I never want to lose the one on one contact with the people.
I am not sharing this with you to brag about what we’re doing. Instead, I’m sharing this in order to encourage those who may not know how to serve others. Perhaps you don’t know how to reach out to “the least” in your community. If you live near Wake Forest, NC, send me an email and I’ll be glad to help you get started.
I am also sharing this for those who are serving but who may sometimes feel that they are the only ones who care. Be encouraged! There are others who are serving alongside of you. God is at work in many, many ways in our communities.
Finally, I’m sharing this for the many seminary students who read my blog. Attending seminary is not a ministry. If you are not serving people, then you may need to check your priorities. You do not demonstrate God’s love by reading books and writing papers. It may be time for you to start getting your hands dirty.
How is God using you to serve people?
Sailing against the prevailing winds
On Saturday, July 26 at 2:44 pm, Dave Black posted a picture of the start of the final chapter of the book that he’s been writing. I couldn’t help but sneak a peak…
It’s time to summarize and conclude. Are you in a mainstream congregation? In an emergent church? In a home meeting? It doesn’t really matter. The paramount question to ask is this: Are you willing to wash the feet of others? Are you willing to use your gifts to enrich the Body of Christ? Are you willing to forgo pyramids of power? Are you willing to surrender what is rightfully “yours”? In the end, it doesn’t matter what denomination or church we belong to. What matters is that we faithfully pursue the downward path of Jesus regardless of the religious structures around us. What matters is that we work from the bottom up. “Don’t be arrogant,” writes Paul, “but be friendly to humble people” (Rom. 12:16). “Excel in showing respect for one another” (Rom. 12:10). And we are to do this whether or not we agree with our brother and sister in every area.
One of the most important aspects of walking with Jesus is learning this lesson of serving different parts of the Body in times of special need, even if that means sailing against the prevailing winds.
That is all that I can read from his photo. I realize that this book will still go through an editing process, but this passage alone speaks volumes to me. This passage may not make it into the book in this form, but God is already using this words to affect me.
If the church can learn this simple lesson of humility and service, it will change the world as we know it. I don’t mean the kind of “humility and service” that causes us to stand up in front of a room of people and tell them what we know. I’m talking about the kind of “humility and service” that causes us to roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty by washing dirty feet.
This lesson is simple, but very profound and completely impossible in human nature. And, we love to do things in our human nature. We even mimic social research that tells us how people like to do things in their human nature. Its time to “sail against the prevailing winds” and catch a new wind – the wind of the Spirit, who blows where he desires, not where we desire.
Jesus touched lepers, and the demon possessed, and women with fevers, and dead bodies, and the lame and blind and the deaf, and prostitutes, and heretics (Samaritans), and Gentiles, and tax collectors, and sinners. He got his hands dirty, and the religious people of his day noticed and did not like it. They accused him of every sin given by God and a few they made up on their own. And, Jesus ignored the religious professionals – except to point out that they had replaced God with a god of their own making – and he continued to touch those in need.
The religious professionals attempted to sway the crowds – telling the people that Jesus was dangerous. But, all the people could see was that Jesus loved them, and he showed that by touching them, hugging them, going to them, caring for them, providing for them. As he was doing so, he told them that God loved them so much that he came to them. He told the people about the kingdom of God – and that the kingdom was near to them. The people refused to listen to the religious leaders because they saw that Jesus cared.
Next, the religious leaders decided to kill Jesus. They insinuated that they would also kill anyone who sided with Jesus. The people gave in – even Jesus’ closest friends. But what did Jesus do? He continued to touch as many as he could, including a soldier who came to arrest him. He continued to care for as many as he could, including the thief beside him who was casting insults at him previously. He continued to love them, even his “followers” who had run away, calling on John to take care of his mother.
After Jesus crucifixion and resurrection, he “re-instated” Peter by asking Peter to care for Jesus’ flock the way that Jesus did. Peter asked about John, and Jesus said, “What does that matter to you? You follow me.”
Jesus is still calling us to follow him. It doesn’t matter what your neighbor does, or what your friend does, or what your pastor does, or what your teacher does, or what your parent does. You follow Jesus. And, Jesus is continue to lead us to touch, and care, and love, and serve. Jesus is continue to lead us to wash dirty feet. Are you willing to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty?
Disciples are not recognized by the claims to following Jesus. Disciples are recognized by actually following Jesus. It is time to “sail against the prevailing winds” and follow Jesus.
Beyond Charity – Our Gospel
As I mentioned in my posts called “Beyond Charity – Introduction” and “Beyond Charity – Our Vision“, I’m reading John Perkins’ book Beyond Charity: The Call to Christian Community Development. Part Two of the book is called “Our Gospel”, and it is divided into eight chapters: “The Living Gospel”, “The Burden of Proof”, “Filling the Leadership Vacuum”, “Evangelism”, “Wholesome Care”, “Providing Services”, “Economic Development”, and “Pursuing Justice”. I cannot discuss all of these chapters, so I’m going to focus on Chapter 4 (The Living Gospel), then hit some of the high points in the remaining chapters which flow from Perkins’ understanding of the gospel.
Chapter 4 – The Living Gospel – is probably my favorite chapter in Perkins’ book. The gospel, as Perkins describes it, is not a gospel of mental ascent, nor is it a gospel of works. The gospel flows from God’s love and transforms us into agents of God’s love.
As I understood more of God’s love for me, and the extremity of the sacrifice he made for me, I began to be transformed, little by little. I was overpowered by God’s love that morning, and I wanted to share it with those whom I was coming in contact with. As as the love of God worked in my life, it was changing me so that God could use my life to demonstrate his love for others – and he is still at work in me today… So God calls us to be transformed by his love in order to make us instruments of his love to the whole world.
If you miss this very important point when reading this book, you may think that Perkins is pushing a “social gospel” without a spiritual foundation. Perkins’ gospel is social, but it begins with the spiritual – the love of God that transforms individuals. When God transforms a person – that is, God CHANGES a person – that person begins to demonstrate their new character – a character that starts with love.
Social action is not a means to earn salvation, nor is it a means to bring about the kingdom of God on earth. Instead, social action is the (super)natural outcropping of a life that has been transformed by God’s love. Just has James could not imagine a life of faith without works – that faith is dead, James says – Perkins cannot imagine a gospel that does not result in active care and concern for other people – demonstrated in social action.
It seems that for Perkins there are two motivations for social action: 1) a desire to see others reconciled to God, and 2) a desire to demonstrate the love of God. Therefore, social action is valid and necessary even toward those who reject the gospel. God’s love is unconditional; Jesus even loved the rich, young ruler who turned away from him. In the same manner, our active love for others should not stop if they reject the gospel.
The next seven chapters in Perkins’ book flow from his understanding of the gospel. For example, he says that the “burden of proof” lies with followers of Jesus to demonstrate that our love – the love that flows from God through us – is authentic by connecting our words and deeds. Furthermore, as we love others, we trust them with leadership, not thinking of ourselves as better. Similarly, our evangelism will “take place inside the community of faith” and “is most effective when it calls people into a relationship with a holy God and into a fellowship of believers”. In case some may misunderstand his purpose, Perkins clearly states, “Christian community development cannot happen without the work of evangelism”. Furthermore, Perkins gives practical suggestions and examples for creating an environment of hope through dignity, power, education, employment, health, security, recreation and beauty. Finally, Perkins exhorts Christians to use their energy and resources to pursue justice for the poor, the needy, the fatherless, the widows, and the foreigners.
I think that Perkins has described a very biblical gospel – the Good News that Jesus Christ reconciles people to God and then gives them the ministry of reconciliation. This gospel expects a faith that works.
The church meets here…
I recently had a coversation with a brother that was very thought-provoking. Many churches have “Wednesday night services”. What would happen if those churches actually served their communities on Wednesday nights? Our conversation reminded me of a blog post that I wrote just over a year ago called “The church meets here“. I’m copying it here to remind myself and my readers of what the church meeting could look like, if it actually involved service and wasn’t just called a “service”.
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I live six miles from my work place. As I drive to work, I pass at least seven church buildings. Each building has a sign out front announcing the name of the church that meets in the building. (To be literal, the signs actually name the building, but I’m assuming that the people who erected the signs actually meant to name the group of believers that meet in the buildings.) On Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings, temporary signs pop up around the downtown area announcing several other churches that meet in downtown businesses. Each of these signs is intended to announce the meeting place for a church.
I’ve been wondering lately what would happen if we started finding signs saying “The church meets here” in more diverse locations. For example, we know from the New Testament that many times the church met in homes. What would happen if someone put a sign in their front yard that said, “The church meets here”? Or, even better, Acts 2 says the church met from house to house. What if that sign followed the believers from one house to another as they met together in different locations?
Taking it one step further, we know that God intends for his children to love and serve others. What if the church met in the most dilapidated house in the community? No, not the most dilapidated house owned by a member of the church, but the most dilapidated house in the community. What would happen if the church met in that run-down house and renovated it as they met together? After remodelling that house, the church could begin meeting in another house in need of repairs.
Some of you may be thinking, how would anyone know where the church was meeting? Isn’t it interesting that the church in the first century was able to meet from house to house, but, in the the twenty-first century – with twenty-first century communication – we don’t think we could meet in different locations. (I have a theory… I wonder if the desire to have one meeting location has less to do with whether or not other believers know where the church is meeting. Instead, we want others to know where the church is meeting so that they will come to the meeting, and we can call ourselves evangelistic, without ever communicating the gospel to anyone. It’s just a theory.)
Similarly, some may be wondering how the church can meet without a stage, sound system, microphone, instruments, pulpit, etc. Well, I think it might just work anyway. While it is good to use modern innovations (such as communication), it is not good to be dependent on those innovations. Which of these are necessary for the church to meet?
Also, some may wonder about teaching and preaching. I think that if the church meets together in a run-down house, and over the course of several weeks the church renovates that house, there will be plenty of teaching and preaching. In fact, I think there will be plenty of friends and neighbors who come to see who these fools are who would give up their time and money to help someone that cannot pay them back. Oh, it might not happen after the first or second meeting. But, what about going into the second year, after the church has renovated fifteen or twenty homes around the community. I wonder if the church wouldn’t find a much more receptive and interested audience for their preaching and teaching.
But, let’s not stop at dilapidated houses. What if the church met in prisons or hospitals? What if the church met in an area frequented by the homeless or prostitutes? What if the church met in a nursing home or retirement center? What if the church met in an orphanage? Now, I’m not talking about going to visit once per year. I’m talking about the church continually meeting in these locations. Wouldn’t it be easier to take care of those whom God wants the church to care for?
I wonder, if the church began to meet in places like this, would a sign even be necessary? Can you think of other interesting locations where the church could meet and serve people at the same time?
My people love to have it so
This week I was reading Jeremiah. In Chapter 5, the Lord speaks against his own people because 1) they do not relate correctly to him and 2) they do not take care of the poor and needy. Who is responsible for this rebellion in the sight of God?
An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes? (Jeremiah 5:30-31 ESV)
It appears that God holds the prophets, the priests, and the people themselves responsible for their rebellion.
Some may say that the church today rightly relates to God – although they would probably only say that about those who agree with them. But few would suggest that the church is taking caring of the poor and needy. Who will God hold responsible for this rebellion?
A weak church or a strong church?
I have read recently that those who hold to a more structured and organized understanding of the church have a “strong ecclesiology”, while those who hold to a less structured and organized understanding of the church have a “weak ecclesiology”. I am one of those who believe that the church is not defined by either structure or organization. I believe that less organization and structure is better. I also believe that organization and structure often hamper the church. Is this a “weak ecclesiology”?
In my ecclesiology, all believers are “ministers” – servants. All believers respond to God by serving others – both other believers and nonbelievers. Leaders (pastors/elders or deacons) are not more responsible that others. All believers teach, care for, and watch out for other believers. Leaders are not more responsible for teaching, shepherding, or overseeing. Believers do not serve because they hold a certain position, but because they are all gifted to serve.
In my ecclesiology, all believers are “missionaries” – sent out into the world. All believers respond to God by proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ in word and in deed. All believers live in a way that demonstrates the love of God to “the least” of society. All believers speak in a way that proclaims the truth of God, including his grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Leaders (missionaries or evangelists) are not more responsible for proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. Since all believers have been reconciled to God, all believers are ambassadors, representing God in his ministry of reconciliation.
In my ecclesiology, all believers speak and serve one another during the meeting of the church. All believers are gifted by the Holy Spirit; and, when the church comes together, he alone decides who speaks and who serves in a way that best edifies all believers present. Even those who aren’t prophets can prophesy when enabled by the Spirit. Even those who aren’t teachers can teach when enabled by the Spirit. Leaders (teachers or preachers) are not more responsible for speaking during the meeting of the church. Since all believers are gifted by the Spirit, and since love and edification – not training or education – are the requirements for speaking during the meeting of the church, all believers share that responsibility.
In my ecclesiology, all believers make disciples. All believers work to see one another grow in maturity in both the knowledge and unity of Jesus Christ, with him being our only measure and goal. All believers consider how best to stir up one another toward love and good deeds. Leaders are not more responsible for discipleship than other believers. All believers help one another bear their burdens, correct one another in gentleness, and exhort one another daily to grow in character and obedience toward Jesus Christ.
In the traditional “strong” ecclesiology, a few leaders in the church are responsible for serving, evangelizing, speaking, and discipling. In my “weak” ecclesiology, the entire church – every believer – responds to God’s amazing work in their lives by serving, evangelizing, speaking, and discipling.
What’s the difference? In the traditional “strong” ecclesiology, leaders are given and take responsibility for things for which they (alone) are not responsible. Other believers, in turn, allow or expect leaders to carry these added responsibilities. Then, when things are not “accomplished”, the leaders are found to be at fault. This may be a “strong” ecclesiology, but I believe it creates a weak church.