Bursting the Christian bubble (synchroblog)
(This post is part of a synchroblog called “What Would Jesus Do… With the Church”. See this post or this post for details.)
Over the last few years, God has shown my family that we have been living in a Christian bubble. This is easy to do in seminary. In fact, until a year ago I worked at the seminary, went to school at the seminary, and lived in seminary housing. As we realized that we had very little interaction with those outside the church, we decided to make some changes.
Now, don’t misunderstand me, it is important for followers of Jesus Christ to get together in order to encourage one another toward maturity in Christ. These times are very special to my family, and we never want to stop these times of fellowship and teaching and community.
However, I do not think it is good for followers of Jesus to spend all of their time with other followers of Jesus. We are here to take part in God’s mission of reconciling the world to himself. We are God’s ambassadors. And, ambassadors are to go outside of their own country as a representative in a foreign land. We had been ambassadors that spent most of their time staying in their own country… and something had to change.
The first change – a major one – happened just over a year ago. We moved out of seminary housing and into a “real” house about six miles from the seminary. Because of this move, we started finding ourselves reaching outside of the Christian bubble. Since our neighborhood (like many neighborhoods) is a bedroom community, we rarely see our neighbors, which means that much of our time is still being spent with followers of Jesus Christ.
We started asking God how we could spend more time with people who were not part of his family. The first thing he taught us was to not be artificial. It would not help if we started spending time with people with whom we shared nothing in common. Therefore, we wanted to spend time with people with whom we shared the same interests.
The first opportunity presented itself when our son decided he wanted to play football. We registered him for a local team and decided to my wife and I would spend as much time as possible at football practices and games. Because of this, most of the boys on the team know us. The coaches know us. We have met many of the parents. We even had dinner after an away game with some of the boys and their parents. We also started taking one of the boys home after practice.
But, Jesus is directing us to continue moving in this direction. We see Jesus eating in the homes of people like Zacchaeus, the friends of Matthew, and even a Pharisee. In fact, Jesus hung out with those who were outside of the family of God so much that the religious people called him a drunk and a glutton. It is time for us to take the next step and invite some neighbors and acquaintances to our home to continue building relationships with them.
For too long, my family has learned how to build relationships with other brothers and sisters in Christ. We are now being called to build relationships with those who are not in the family of God. This has been a long process, and I do not believe we will completely learn this within the next month. However, I do believe that God will give us opportunities in the next month, because He has given us opportunities in the past.
I don’t know if this actually falls within the bounds of this synchroblog. This is not something new for myself or for my family. This is an area where God has been changing us for the past year or more. However, over the last couple of weeks, we have talked about how we need to move beyond where we are. We have been praying and continue to pray that God would provide more interaction with people outside of his family. We want to be his ambassadors, so we actually want to be among unbelievers. We want God to plead through us, as Paul said he would. We want Jesus to continue to burst our Christian bubble.
Over the next month, I will write about the opportunities that God gives us to build relationships with those who are not following the way of Christ – about the opportunities that God gives us to continue reaching and relating outside the Christian bubble.
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Other contributors to the WWJDWTC Synchroblog:
Glenn Hager
Erin
Gary Means
Alan Knox
The Refuge
Nate Peres
Sally Coleman
Barb
Rick Stillwell
Jeff Greathouse
Dan Allen
Barbara Legere
Jonathan Brink
Jason Ellis
Rainer
Cynthia
Leaders, Sermons, and Church
Here are a few links that I think my readers will find interesting:
Guy at “The M Blog” discusses how non-professionals lead “Weddings, funerals, baptisms, in house churches“. We do realize that these are not scriptural responsibilities of elders alone, right?
Eric at “Hammer and Nail” is asking Sermon Questions. So far he’s asked Question 1, Question 2, and Question 3. I think it is good to ask questions, especially when we don’t like the answers.
Drew at “A Beautiful Collision” has been “Experiencing Church“. I agree that this how the church should always react when people are in need.
What if they thought of the church?
Last week, I published a short post called “Missional Christians in 360 AD“, commenting on the how Emperor Julian recognized that Christians took care of the poor and needy, even the poor and needy who were not Christians. Last Sunday evening, as I met together with some brothers and sisters to pray and discuss service opportunities, I thought about Emperor Julian again.
One of the ladies who meets with us on Sunday morning lives in government housing in our town. When we first met her, a man was living with her because he needed medical attention. He had been in the hospital, and when he was released, no one would take care of him, so she took him in. As I’ve gotten to know here, I’ve found that she is one of the most giving and caring persons that I know – even in the very difficult situation in which she finds herself.
A few weeks ago, another unit opened up in the government housing facility. They allowed the man to move out of her apartment, into the open apartment. However, he had nothing for his apartment – no furniture, no kitchen utensils, no dishes, etc. Nothing. Our friend asked her brothers and sisters in Christ for help. They responded by providing everything he needed plus more.
As we were discussing possible ministry opportunities last Sunday evening, I thought about this lady and her friend. What would happen if other people in the government housing facility heard about the generosity of the church? What would happen if they began to think about the church when they were in need? What would happen if they asked our friend if we would be willing to help them as well?
This may sound like a never-ending cycle of giving and giving and giving… perhaps to some people who would take advantage of our generosity.
But, would it not be amazing for people to begin turning to the church again when they were in need? I hope the church would be willing to trust God to provide for those needs.
Focus…
In Hebrews 12, the author of the book calls for us to “run with endurance” by looking to (“keeping our eyes focused on”) Jesus, the one who starts us in the faith and the one who matures us in the faith:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. (Hebrews 12:1-3 ESV)
What happens when those who are indwelled by the Spirit also lives their lives (“run with endurance”) by focusing on Jesus?
Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have… (Hebrews 13:1-5 ESV)
How we treat others – with our time, energy, resources, etc. – will demonstrate whether or not we are keeping our eyes focused on Jesus. Where are you focused?
Missional Christians in 360 AD
Most people are familiar with Emperor Constantine, the Roman Emperor who legitimized Christianity and called the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. However, not as many people are familiar with one of his successors: Julian the Apostate. Flavius Claudius Iulianus was born around 331 AD to the half-brother of Emperor Constantine I. He died on June 26, 363 AD during a battle.
Julian is known as “the Apostate” because he rejected Christianity and attempted to return the Roman Empire to the worship of the pagan gods – which he called “the Hellenic faith”. We only know Julian’s writing “Against the Galileans” because parts were preserved in Cyril of Alexandria’s rebuttal.
What did Julian say about the Christians in the 360’s? Well, we can learn much about those Christians (“Galileans”) by observing Julian’s rebuke of the pagan priests and practitioners:
Why do we not observe that it is their [the Christians’] benevolence to strangers, their care for the graves of the dead, and the pretended holiness of their lives that have done most to increase atheism [unbelief of the pagan gods]?… For it is disgraceful that, when no Jew ever has to beg, and the impious Galileans [Christians] support not only their own poor but ours as well, all men see that our people lack aid from us. Teach those of the Hellenic faith to contribute to public service of this sort.
Have we come full circle? It seems that the church is willing to allow the state [pagans] to care for the poor – even poor Christians.
Interestingly, this pagan emperor recognized that it was the lifestyle of the followers of Jesus that was attracting people away from paganism – and, primarily that lifestyle was a lifestyle of service and concern and care for others. I wonder if that same kind of lifestyle would have the same effect today.
A Good Day…
Today has been a really good day so far.
This morning, I was able to help a friend of a friend move into an apartment. I had never met this man before, but he is going through a divorce. Coincidentally (providentially), his new apartment is located across a parking lot – that is, only about 100 feet – from the apartment of a good friend of mine. I hope to be able to drop in on this new acquaintance sometime. Divorce is difficult. I could tell that he was struggling through this, and I’m hoping that God will choose to use me to show his love to this man and his family.
This afternoon, my son played football again. Even though his team lost, he played very well, and he continues to enjoy playing. Also, since we have been hanging around practice and I have been volunteer to help on the sideline, I’ve been able to get to know several of the players. We now have the opportunity to take one boy home after every practice. Again, I hope God will choose to use us to impact the lives of some of these boys and their families.
This evening, we had dinner with some friends who came to watch my son’s football game. We had a great time sharing a meal and the fellowship associated with that (I will publish a blog post in the next couple of days about sharing meals and fellowship). The husband has spent a lot of time with our son, especially helping and encouraging him with football. The wife has spent a lot of time with our daughter, especially helping her learn sign language. We appreciate how God has used them to impact our family, and we hope that God will choose to continue to use us to impact their lives.
All in all, it has been a good day.
The Testimony of Truth in Action
This week, in our Linguistics seminar, we were given the assignment of outlining 3 John and determining the theme or peak of the letter. In other words, what was John attempting to communicate to Gaius.
Several months ago, I talked about this short letter in my posts called “Sending with hospitality“, “We will talk face to face“, and “Imitate Good“.
This is how I outlined the letter in this week’s seminar (this is not my translation):
Salutation (vs. 1)
The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.Opening Testimony of Truth in Action (vs. 2-4)
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.Gaius’ Testimony of Truth in Action (vs. 5-8)
Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.Diotrephes’ Lack of Testimony of Truth in Action (vs. 9-10)
I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.Having a Testimony of Truth in Action (vs. 11)
Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.Demetrius’ Testimony of Truth in Action (vs. 12)
Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.Travel Plans (vs. 13-14)
I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.Final Greetings (vs. 15)
Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, every one of them. (3 John ESV)
Notice the repetition of the words for testify, truth, and action words (walk, practice, imitate, efforts, fellow workers). In fact, in the body of this letter (vs. 2-12), we find the ideas of testifying to the truth through our actions in every paragraph except one: the paragraph about Diotrephes. While Gaius and Demetrius have a testimony, Diotrephes is not said to have one. While Gaius are walking in the truth, this is not said of Diotrephes.
Furthermore, it is interesting that Diotrephes is known for his words (speaking wicked nonsense) and his desire to control things (puts himself first), and his lack of concern for others (refuses… stops… and puts them out).
It seems that this short letter was written to encourage Gaius (and any others who read it) to bear witness to the truth of their faith by the way they live their lives, especially in the way that they deal with and relate to other people. The specific “good” action mentioned in this letter is supporting brothers and sisters in Christ as they travel through the local area. The corresponding “bad” action is refusing to help those same brothers and sisters in Christ (see “Sending with hospitality“).
I have been encouraged and challenged by the way many of my brothers and sisters have opened their homes to others who are travelling through or visiting this area. Our family is learning and maturing in this area. We are learning what it means to “send with hospitality”.
But, what about other areas of our lives. Are we living a testimony by demonstrating truth in action? Or, do our words and our actions contradict the love that we are supposed to show to our brothers and sisters? Do we ridicule people for showing mercy and justice to others? Do we rebuke brothers and sisters for their kindness? Do we talk about love, but never have time to show it?
Do we find ourselves resembling Diotrephes? Or are we growing in grace and finding that we resemble Gaius and Demetrius more and more by living a testimony of truth in action?
Deacons
After finishing an extended series on elders, a friend pointed out that I have not written much about deacons. While this will not be an extended study, I do want to write about a few observations concerning deacons in Scripture.
First, “deacon” is a transliteration of the Greek word διάκονος (diakonos), which means “servant”. The English word “minister” is sometimes used to translate διάκονος (diakonos). However, as John Hammett points out in Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches, the word minister “in contemporary English use connotes more of an ecclesiastical office, whereas diakonos in New Testament use is more a general word for ‘servant.'” Therefore, as we are attempting to understand the English word “deacon”, we should start with the idea of serving.
Second, very few biblical passages discuss “deacons”. In fact, the ESV only translates διάκονος (diakonos) as “deacons” in two passages: Philippians 1:1 and 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Unfortunately, these passages do not tell us how “deacons” are supposed to function among a group of believers, or how the function of “deacons” are different from the function of other believers.
Third, Acts 6 is sometimes used to describe both the origin and the function of “deacons”. Hammett offers these arguments in favor of reading Acts 6 as the origination of “deacons”:
Though some object that Luke nowhere applies the term diakonos to the men chosen to coordinate the distribution of food to widows, there are several good reasons for the traditional view. First, the related noun diakonia and a form of the verb diakoneÅ are found in Acts 6:1-2. Second, the qualifications and activities of the men selected in Acts 6 seem commensurate with the more detailed information in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Third, if Acts 6 is not linked to the origin of deacons, we have an office with no precedent in Jewish society, with no origin in Scripture, and yet an office that was widely and readily accepted by New Testament churches.
I have discussed this passage previously in a post called “Seven Chosen to Serve“, but in summary, Hammett’s three points are not compelling to me. First, as Hammett points out, it is true that “the related noun diakonia and a form of the verb diakoneÅ are found in Acts 6:1-2″. However, he does not state that these forms are not only used in relation to the daily distribution to the widows, but also in relation to the work of the apostles. Second, “the qualifications and activities” of the men in Acts 6 is “commensurate” with the description of deacons in 1 Timothy 3:8-13, but they are also commensurate with the description of elders in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. In other words, these are very general descriptions, not specific to deacons. Third, this same argument could be made about “apostles”: we have not precedent in Jewish society, nor do we have descriptions in Scripture of how apostles are chosen after the original twelve. This is an argument to defend our current practices, not to determine scriptural prescriptions or descriptions. This passage tells us very little about the function of “deacons”. It is just as possible that this passage tells us about the function of “elders”.
Fourth, the translation of the Greek term διάκονος (diakonos) tells us much more about our ecclesiastical presuppositions than about the context of the term. For example, in 1 Timothy 3:8-13, the term is translated “deacon”. However, just a few sentences later, the same term is translated “servant”. Why? Because it is used to describe Timothy, and we have already decided that Timothy was not a “deacon”.
Fifth, we get much more information about “deacons” once we move beyond the New Testament into the writings of the Apostolic Fathers. However, we find different descriptions of the duties and functions of deacons. I think much of our modern practices and understandings of deacons comes from these writings as opposed to the New Testament. This does not make the practices wrong, but it does become problematic when we try to justify our practices from Scripture.
I wish I could say more about “deacons”, but anything further that we say could also be said about all followers of Jesus Christ. “Deacons” should serve… as should all believers. “Deacons” should “hold the mystery of faith with a clear conscience”… as should all believers.
Perhaps you would like to add something to this discussion about deacons. I would love to read about your understanding of deacons.
A Common Table
When Jesus invites us to dine with him, he invites us to a common table – that is, there is no hierarchy among those who dine at the Lord’s table. This was a difficult lesson for Jesus’ earliest followers, and I think it is a difficult lesson for us as well.
Most of us are familiar with the passages in the Gospels that deal with leadership and servanthood among followers of Christ, but as we begin this discussion, it would be good to remember Jesus’ words:
But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28 ESV; see also Mark 10:42-45; Luke 22:24-26)
Similarly, in other conversations with his followers, Jesus told them not to seek or accept places of honor. For example, he warned them against seeking places of honor in the manner of Jewish teachers:
And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” (Mark 12:38-40 ESV; see also Matthew 23:2-7; Luke 20:46-47)
This idea of seeking the places of honor at feasts leads us into another area of warning and instruction from Jesus. This instruction deals specifically with sharing meals:
Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:7-14 ESV)
Jesus’ lessons here are clear: When we are invited to a meal, we should humble ourselves and not act like the guest of honor – someone who is entitled to a banquet. When we serve a meal or host a feast, we are to invite those who cannot repay us. Jesus is teaching us about common meals – that is, a meal where all those invited are treated equally – a meal that no one deserves, yet all those invited are accepted. In Luke 7:36-47, Jesus even admonishes the host of a meal for setting himself above the level of his guests.
There is a common theme that runs through all of these passages: When God calls his children to his feast, he calls them as those who are undeserving, but who he invites in spite of their condition. Similarly, when God’s children are called by him to dine at his table, they are to respond in humility and servanthood, recognizing that they are accepted at the table of their Lord on account of his grace only.
Certainly, this has application for the Lord’s Supper. As we gather to remember and celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we gather around a common table with no hierarchy. Everyone who gathers around the table is a servant of the Master and of one another. No one is worthy. No one is deserving. No one has earned a place at the table.
But, the application of these passages reaches far beyond the scope of the Lord’s Supper. As we interact with one another and with the world around us, Jesus calls us to remember our common place in his kingdom and around his table – called to be servants, not kings; called to serve, not rule; called to support, not be seen; called to give, not receive; called to yield, not demand.
Around this common table – in common service to our Master – there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, neither black nor white nor yellow nor red nor brown, neither educated nor uneducated, neither clergy nor laity, neither rich nor poor… for we are all one in Christ.
We have been called to a common table. There is a seat at the head for the master of the feast. Then there are places on the floor for those who serve. There are no seats around the table for those who feel they deserve to be there. What place will you take?
Our little servant…
Margaret and I are very proud of our children. They often amaze us in their demonstration of service and concern for other people. Lately, Miranda has been very giving and serving. She has sent her own money to people she knows around the world in order to support their work in the gospel.
Yesterday, she had her hair cut for Locks of Love. She had been growing her hair for some time, then decided about five months ago to have it cut for Locks of Love in order to help children who lose their hair due to medical treatment. We’re so excited about how God is molding her heart to demonstrate his love for other people. I posted pictures of her before, during, and after her haircut on our family blog: “Miranda and Locks of Love“.