Scripture… As We Live It #180
This is the 180th passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas stayed in that region waiting until God told them exactly where to go and what to do. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding because, as our leader, Paul told us that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:6-10 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
What are you eating?
If you’ve been reading my blog over the last three months, then you probably known that the doctor told me that I needed to change my eating and exercise habits or I would be headed toward a very unhealthy lifestyle. Actually, my lifestyle was already unhealthy, but it would become even more unhealthy. So, I changed what and how I was eating, and I began exercising – walking and then running eventually.
At the beginning of this week, I reached a milestone. I had lost 30 lbs since I went to the doctor almost exactly 3 months before. I posted a notice about this on Facebook, and several people asked me what I diet was doing to lose weight. I’m not really on a particular diet, but I thought I would share what I’m eating in case it would be helpful to others.
To begin with, I eat throughout the day. As Margaret says, I’m always eating. I typically begin about 9:00 a.m. with a bowl of high fiber, low sugar cereal – generally one made by Kashi. (I eat one serving size or less. I don’t eat an entire bowl full, which is typically 2-3 servings.) Then, throughout the day, every 1 1/2 – 2 hours, I’m either eating lunch, dinner, a piece of fruit, or a handful of almonds (again, check the serving size). I’ve found that eating throughout the day like this helps me eat smaller servings without every feeling hungry.
I’ve already mentioned serving size twice. So, let me focus on that here. We realized early on when we were changing our eating habits that we were eating too much meat. Mainly, we ate too much meat because of the size of the servings we were eating. So, we reduced our serving size of everything except fruits and vegetables. One serving of meat is about 3 ounces for red meat and poultry or 4 ounces for fish. Also, I rarely eat more than 1 serving of red meat per week. Often, I only eat meat (chicken, turkey, or fish) at dinner. Occasionally, I’ll have an even smaller serving of meat at lunch, but that’s rare.
When it comes to fruit, I try to eat four servings per day. Also, we try to eat different pieces of fruit each day. To be honest, this is getting to be the most difficult change, not because I don’t like to eat fruit – in fact, I love it! But, fruit is expensive, and it is much more difficult to find different types of fruit now that it’s getting closer to winter.
I try to eat 6-8 servings of vegetables each day. We’ve stopped counting legumes (beans and peas) and corn as vegetables. Green leafy vegetables are best, so we eat alot of salads made with mixed greens and spinach (with less than 1 Tbsp of oil/vinegar or an olive oil based dressing). Please we eat other green leafy vegetables as much as possible.
We don’t eat anything fried. Nothing. If we use oil, we use olive oil or canola oil. I don’t eat as much bread, rice, pasta, corn, potatoes, or other starches as I once did… and I LOVE bread.
Finally, we don’t count calories. I can’t tell you how many calories that I eat in a day.
Oh, and I almost forgot – Water! Water, water, water. We drink water all the time. No sodas; no sweet tea; no fruit juice. (I do drink 1-2 cups of coffee during the week when I’m at work though.)
So, how is this change in eating habits working? Well, like I said, I’ve lost 30 lbs in about 3 months. Margaret has lost alot of weight also even though she’s mainly walking and not running as much as I am. Also, we both have more energy, and we feel better overall.
(By the way, as the image attached to this post shows, we do “cheat” occasionally, although I don’t really consider it cheating.)
So, that’s what and how I’m eating.
Replay: I will build my charitable organization
Three years ago, I wrote a post called “I will build my charitable organization.” The post was a response to another very good post that I had read.
I wrote this post to encourage people to think about what Jesus meant when he said, “I will build my church.” Did he have in mind the things that we think about when we think about “church”? Some would say, “Yes,” but many would say, “No.”
So, what did Jesus mean? What do we mean today?
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“I will build my charitable organization”
Bill at “The Thin Edge” has written a very good post called “So Which 501(c)3 do you Attend?” The article is fairly short:
A sprawling campus is being developed on a hundred acres at the edge of a large suburban area, near the front entrance of a popular housing development with prices “starting in the low $300,000” bracket according to a sign erected by the property development company. Everyone’s wondering about this beautifully landscaped campus with its winding driveway, small lake, and ultra-modern structure of concrete and glass toward the rear of the property: is it a medical clinic? a health club? an exclusive restaurant? an advertising agency? an animal hospital? a bank? Whoever it was, they obviously had deep pockets and seemed to be sparing no expense to impress their upscale neighbors next door.
Finally, a sign appeared that read, “Coming Soon! Mountain View Church. Offering fresh perspectives on the timeless principles of Jesus Christ!” A church? They must have spent a small fortune on their logo-really cool-portraying mountains, a rushing mountain stream, and a cross. In small print at the bottom, it gave a little more information: “Mountain View Church, Inc. is a 501(c)3 corporation and a member of the Green Valley Baptist Association and the Southern Baptist Convention.” Looking up their founding documents online (through the state department’s searchable database), one will discover, sure enough, they are a bona fide company with officers, trustees, and articles of incorporation.
So is this really a “church” or just another corporation with a cool logo and trendy name? How are we supposed to know the difference? Are we trying to cross-pollinate a living organism with an organizational chart and marketing plan? Is that even desirable? When Jesus declared, “I will build My church,” is this what He had in mind? Or did we misinterpret the statement as “We will build His 501(c)3 ministry organization?”
Bill brings out some good points, but I’d like to use his post to ask a few other questions.
When we decided that we would have multiple elders (pastors) and that we would not choose one of those to be a “senior pastor” or “head elder”, several people asked, “So, who will I say is my pastor?”
When we decided to meet in a rented space on Sunday and in homes during the week, some people asked, “So, where will I say my church is?”
When we decided that we would not focus on programs but on relationships, some people asked, “But how will I serve or how will I be discipled?”
When we decided that individuals will be responsible for giving to those in need instead of giving to the church so that the church could do everything, some people asked, “So, will we still get a tax deduction?”
These are all very important questions, and I’m not trying to belittle anyone who has asked those questions. However, I would like to suggest that the questions indicate that we’re not thinking biblically about the church. Instead, we’re thinking organizationally and programmatically about the church.
Jesus is building his church – which is, his assembly of people – a group of people. When we begin to think of the church as more than or different than a group of Jesus followers, then we are thinking less and less about the church as described by Scripture.
It may be pragmatic and efficient and logical to have a human leader, and a set of programs, and a specific meeting place, and tax-deductible status. But, these things do not define the church. We could argue the benefits or the detriments of having these things, but they would be outside the scope of defining what (or WHO) the church is.
Jesus said that he would build his church… not his charitable organization. We would do well to remember that Jesus cares about his church, not our organizations and programs.
The attractive gospel of Christ’s love in action
Dave Black is back home in the farmlands of southern Virginia after spending a few days at the seminary here in North Carolina. And, since he’s back home, he’s blogging. And, since he’s blogging, he’s challenging me (and others) to follow Jesus Christ “in word and deed” (to quote Paul, James, and John).
This time, Dave is talking about his New Testament class’s discussion of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Specifically, he wrote about the “descent-ascent” (down is up) motif found in Philippians 2:5-11 (and Philippians 2:1-4?).
This is what he said (on Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 5:50 p.m.):
I obviously don’t have all the answers, but I am blown away by the patterns we find in this passage. When Jesus poured Himself out He founded a radical new community. He didn’t set up a new program but modeled a new way of living that showed us what the kingdom looks like. If you look at the early church you cannot help but be struck by the impact made by the Holy Spirit as He transformed the apostles and their followers into other-centered servants. Little wonder their churches had such an impact. Their mutual interaction showed Christian love in action, and there is nothing more attractive for the Gospel than that. Each year I have the privilege of traveling to countries where the church is truly salt in the midst of a disintegrating society, not (as in the U.S.) a pious subculture of conformity. Everything — every single thing! — we do should reflect Christ’s self-abnegating spirit.
In a nutshell, reading Philippians is downright dangerous. It can easily get you into trouble. You will no longer be able to depersonalize the poor or needy of this world or shift your responsibility for global evangelization onto someone else’s shoulders. Your lives will begin to shout the Gospel. And, as Phil. 2:5-11 shows, it’s definitely a story worth telling.
I keep being struck by the image of those early Christians, changed by the Holy Spirit and demonstrating the love of Christ in action to their family, friends, neighbors, strangers, foreigners, even their enemies. This “love in action” is what first attracted people to the gospel. This “love in action” was a demonstration that what these people were saying was true.
Our lives should be a demonstration that the gospel (we say) we believe in is, in fact, true.
Christians giving to other Christians in response to some service
This is the fifth post in my series on Christians and giving from the perspective of Scripture. (See the introduction post here.) I’ve already stated that giving directly to those in need is the most prevalent method of giving by Christians in the New Testament (either by example or instruction). There are also a few examples of Christians giving indirectly to people who are in need. Similarly, there are a few examples in Scripture of Christians giving to those who are traveling from place to place to proclaim the gospel or strengthen churches.
Finally, there are a couple of examples of Christians being encouraged to give in response to the service of some other Christians who are not traveling but are in the same city as themselves. The first example from Galatians is more broad in its context, so I’ll start with it:
One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. (Galatians 6:6 ESV)
The other passage teaches something similar in response to the service of elders:
Let the elders who rule [lead] well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. (1 Timothy 5:17 ESV)
Similarly, Peter indicates that elders should not serve others only because they receive support, which indicates that some type of gift was often given to elders:
[S]hepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain [or, “not for monetary gain”], but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:2-3 ESV)
In each of these instances, someone is sharing or giving something to another believer in response to some service. I think the order is important here: the service is performed (probably continually performed), then the gift is given. I think it’s also evident that the gift is not expected or promised, but is given freely and in gratitude. It’s also important that this type of giving is not limited to elders, but should be offered to any who consistently and continually serve someone or some group.
What would you add to this discussion of Christians giving to other Christians in response to some service?
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Giving and the Church in Scripture Series:
1) Introduction
2) Christians giving directly to others because of need
3) Christians giving indirectly to others because of need
4) Christians giving to other Christians who are traveling from place to place
5) Christians giving to other Christians in response to some service
Formal Education and Spiritual Maturity
Yesterday, Christopher at “A New Testament Student” published a very good post called “Education.” His post was a response and continuation of a post that I wrote three years ago called “Maturity and Education.”
Christopher is writing about a topic that is very important to me for several reasons. In his post, he says (among other things):
The idea of education in the Church is one that has often perplexed me. The apostles were fishermen, tax collectors, and were even called “uneducated men” (Acts 4:13). They were men filled with the Holy Spirit, walking in faith and trust in God. On the other hand, they did spend three years under Jesus teaching prior to his crucifixion and also received teaching during Christ’s short stay on earth after His resurrection. As with most ideas in our faith, it comes down to the heart.
How you approach Christian education makes all the difference. If you go into seminary or bible school with the intent to gain a degree just so you can pursue a career in ministry and keep that mentality throughout your studies, you will gain quite a bit of knowledge. However, that knowledge may not result in exponential growth in spiritual maturity. If you enter into seminary with the intent to seek the heart of God, the self discipline, amount of study, and time needed to complete any degree in Christian higher education will undoubtedly result in greater maturity upon graduation.
Because of my original post, I’m often accused of being against formal education. I don’t understand this accusation, especially since I currently have three degrees (one bachelors and two masters), and I’m working on a PhD. In fact, I would love to one day teach in a formal education environment. I am not opposed to formal education.
However, formal education is not the same thing as spiritual maturity. In fact, at times, formal education can be a detriment to spiritual maturity, especially if the studies hinder the student’s life in community with other believers and in serving others. (In the seminary context, I’ve heard some students state that going to school is their service for that time period. This is a dangerous attitude in relation to a person’s spiritual maturity.)
In relation to leaders among the church (that is, whose example do we follow?), we should consider spiritual maturity first. Some can be highly educated (even in the subjects of Bible, Christian theology, missions, ministry, etc.) and still be very immature when it comes to living a life that demonstrates the gospel of Jesus Christ. Having a formal education does not indicate that that person’s example should be followed.
Yes, formal education has its place. But, we must never confuse formal education with spiritual maturity.
Christians giving to other Christians who are traveling from place to place
This is the fourth post in my series on Christians and giving from the perspective of Scripture. (See the introduction post here.) I’ve already stated that giving directly to those in need is the most prevalent method of giving by Christians in the New Testament (either by example or instruction). There are also a few examples of Christians giving indirectly to people who are in need.
Similarly, there are a few examples and exhortations in Scripture of Christians giving to those who are traveling from place to place. These traveling (or itinerant) believers may be apostles, or prophets, or evangelists, or perhaps gifted for some other type of service. The common fact for this type of giving is that the recipients are traveling away from home, and they do not intend to stay in one place.
Of course, Paul is the quintessential example of the itinerant servant in Scripture. It is not surprising, then, that there are many example of him receiving help from other believers. This passage from Philippians is a famous example:
I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. (Philippians 4:10-14 ESV)
Receiving support from others seems to be a right of itinerant believers. Paul discusses this right in 1 Corinthians 9. This is also the passage where Paul says that he refuses to exercise that right among the people where he is currently working. (Paul accepts money from believers in other locations, but there are no examples of instances in which he accepted support from believers in the location where he is currently serving.) This passage also indicates that there are others (besides Paul and Barnabas) who are traveling from place to place. (See 1 Corinthians 9:4-6.)
Similarly, there are exhortations and instructions in other letters in which believers are encouraged to support other Christians who are traveling through their area. Another famous itinerant support passage is found in 3 John:
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. 8Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. (3 John 5-8 ESV)
In fact, John later tells Gaius (the recipient of the letter) that he should not follow Diotrephes’ example, partly because Diotrephes refuses to help Christians who are traveling through their area and even attempts to stop others from helping itinerant servants.
Furthermore, the many instructions about practicing hospitality are primarily focused on helping traveling strangers. (For example, see Romans 12:13 and Hebrews 13:2.) There is even a special verb for “sending with hospitality” that is used in several passages. (For example, see Acts 15:3, 2 Corinthians 1:16, and Titus 3:13.)
Again, the important aspects of this kind of giving is that it was offered to people who were traveling from place to place. It seems that as long as the servants were traveling, believers would help them. When they settled down, there is less evidence that the support continued, at least at the same level.
What would you add to this discussion of Christians giving to those itinerant servants who are traveling from place to place?
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Giving and the Church in Scripture Series:
1) Introduction
2) Christians giving directly to others because of need
3) Christians giving indirectly to others because of need
4) Christians giving to other Christians who are traveling from place to place
5) Christians giving to other Christians in response to some service
We share in his sufferings, and he shares in ours
Josh at “Called to Rebuild” has written an excellent post called “In all our affliction He too is afflicted.” It’s a beautiful story and commentary on a father’s love for his child… both a human father and God our father.
He begins by telling us about a time he saw his son bang his head on a table. He describes how his son reached for the sore spot on his head, trying to decide whether or not to cry. Who can’t identify with this:
Immediately my heart leapt in his direction. It was all I could do to not cry myself. I quickly went over to him and rubbed his head, telling him to do the same whenever he bumped it like that and it would feel better. He smiled at me through his pain. It was such a heartwarming moment.
But, Josh doesn’t stop there. God used that incident to teach him a lesson about God himself:
Unexpectedly, I received a wonderful insight into the Lord in that same moment. It came like a flash as I felt my own heart’s reaction toward my son’s pain. I saw the heart of the Father towards humanity, so willing to rush out and embrace us in our pain.
Josh continues discussing this point from Scripture as well as from this experience.
But, think about that for a moment: As much as a human parent’s heart breaks over pain inflicted to a child, how much more does God’s heart break when one of his children are hurt?
I don’t know about you, but this is very comforting for me… even though my “afflictions” (the physical kind at least) are quite mild compared to the sufferings of many of my brothers and sisters around the world.
Christians giving indirectly to others because of need
This is the third post in my series on Christians and giving from the perspective of Scripture. (See the introduction post here.) I’ve already stated that giving directly to those in need is the most prevalent method of giving by Christians in the New Testament (either by example or instruction).
However, there are a few examples in Scripture of Christians giving indirectly to others because of need. But there are some common aspects of this type of giving in Scripture that is often missing when Christians give today.
First, as with the first type of giving, there are two primary aspects to this type of giving as found in Scripture: 1) someone is giving to someone else through a third party (an intermediary), and 2) the item given is needed by the person receiving it.
Here are two examples of this type of giving:
There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (Acts 4:34-35 ESV)
Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11:27-30 ESV)
In both of these examples, there is a clear need, and the people give specifically to meet those needs. However, instead of giving directly to those in need, they give through someone else – the apostles in the account in Acts 4 and through Barnabas and Saul in the account in Acts 11.
There is another example of Christians giving indirectly to those who are in need in Paul’s letters. Several times Paul mentions that he and others are collecting money to help believers in Jerusalem who are facing another famine, and he encourages his readers to help out their brothers and sisters in Judea.
Here are a few examples where Paul mentions this collection:
Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. (1 Corinthians 16:1-4 ESV)
We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints – and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. (2 Corinthians 8:1-5 ESV)
So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:5-7 ESV)
(In fact, the entirety of 2 Corinthians 8-9 concerns this collection.)
Furthermore, according to Luke, Paul mentions this collection (and giving the money to believers in Jerusalem) when talking to the Roman governor Felix:
Now after several years I [Paul] came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings. (Acts 24:17 ESV)
Again, in these cases, the people were giving to those who were in need, although they were giving it through others – that is, other people were responsible for delivering the help to those who were actually in need. (However, in the case of Paul’s collection, Paul did invite people from each city to accompany him. So, that was actually a mixed case of both direct and indirect giving.)
Indirect giving is probably the most prevalent type of giving among Christians today – at least, among Christians in the Western world. However, in the examples from Scripture, even though the people were giving indirectly, they knew that the money was being used to support people in need. This is different than most of the giving done through churches and ministries today.
(It is interesting that many of the passages of Scripture that are applied to encourage Christians to give to churches and organizations today are found in the Scripture mentioned above.)
What would you add to this discussion of Christians giving indirectly to those who are in need through a third party?
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Giving and the Church in Scripture Series:
1) Introduction
2) Christians giving directly to others because of need
3) Christians giving indirectly to others because of need
4) Christians giving to other Christians who are traveling from place to place
5) Christians giving to other Christians in response to some service
Building up the body of Christ… together
I love Philippians 2:1-4 and Ephesians 4:11-16. Both passages are so rich and challenging when it comes to our life together as children of God. So, I was excited to see that Bobby at “Deconstructing Neverland” referred to both passages in his post “I’m a dreamer.”
In his post, Bobby is encouraging believers to gather together in a way that allows the whole church to work together to help one another grow in maturity in Jesus Christ. God has equipped and gifted all of his children for this work, and it will not take place if only one or two are serving everyone else.
Bobby shares these thoughts concerning a discussion he and another brother had about Philippians 2:1-4:
In two hours of discussion we couldn’t move past these verses. We were locked in to sharing all the riches that are ours in Christ and how those riches empower us to follow Paul’s exhortation to the church in Phillipi. For the first time ever when reading this passage I could see God’s purpose in building the church very clearly. That purpose is for all of the redeemed to be built up into Christ. So we are to have the same mind, same passion, and with the same goal to build others up into Christ. Can you imagine how buff Christ’s body would be if every member had this mind and goal? We cannot even begin to imagine the impact God’s kingdom would have if every believer everywhere was devoted to building others up in Christ.
He asks, “Can you imagine how buff Christ’s body would be?” Isn’t that an awesome questions?
The entire post is excellent, and you definitely don’t want to miss the last paragraph. He makes a great distinction between “tweaking” existing programs/activities and the type of gatherings that he’s talking about. You can read my comment there as well.
By the way, Bobby, you may be a dreamer… but you’re not the only one.