Category: Church

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Accountability and Focus

Some of you may have been part of an accountability group at some time in your life. I’ve been in men’s groups that began with the intent to be that. Interestingly, those groups broke up before the amount of trust necessary was built up. As my understanding of grace and the Gospel has changed over the years, my view of such groups has also changed.

I do believe it is vital for God’s people to spend time with one another to exhort and build up each other, and that we are called to make disciples. I think the focus of many accountability groups is on the wrong thing. Of course, that may be due to the fact that the focus of many churches is wrong. Accountability groups are usually formed in an attempt to help a group of folks stop doing any number of sinful behaviors. The idea is that if a member knows he will be asked if he did _____________________ during the time between meetings. That may cause enough fear to keep them from committing that sin. It also may drive them to lie and become more adept at hiding it. Focusing on sin can create an atmosphere of self-righteousness on the part of those who can control themselves, and failure and shame on the part of those who continue to stumble.

I believe that our focus in the church and in any group of Christ-followers should be on Jesus and what he has done for us. When Jesus cried, “It is finished!” I believe that he meant more than just the work of sacrificing himself for our sins. I believe that Jesus was saying that it all is finished, that there is nothing else for us to do. Once we are adopted as God’s children, we are in Christ. We are the Father’s beloved sons and daughters, and we have the Holy Spirit living in us. There is nothing we must or can do to earn God’s favor, it is already ours.

As we focus on God’s love for us and the fact that we are God’s children, our mindset becomes one of desiring to live like the sons and daughters of God that we are. Rather than focus on our sins and trying harder to do better, we remember that because Jesus has done it all, we can do what God wants us to do. When we do sin, it is because we have forgotten who we are. Look at the letters of Paul in the New Testament. He is constantly telling his readers to live like the people they really are, not like the ones they used to be.

We do need to exhort and encourage each other. We cannot live without it. Rather than trying to find out if a brother or sister has sinned in the past week, we need to remind each other that it is finished. Jesus has done it all and God has given us everything we need to live a godly life. As we give each other the Gospel, we remind each other to live out of our heritage because we are God’s children and we have his nature in us. We are a new creation.

Don’t focus on sin. Focus on Jesus.

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Out With the Old…

In two more days we will say goodbye to 2011. As this year winds down, many will be making resolutions to break old habits and patterns. Others will be cleaning out closets and getting rid of old clothes. The end of one year and the beginning of the next seems to be a good time to rid ourselves of some things that are old and adopt new habits, clothes, etc.

As I look at Scripture and ponder the state of the church today, I think it is time for those of us who call ourselves Christians, followers of Christ, whatever, to jettison the old and embrace the new. When I look at the organized church, I see an institution that is still bound in an Old Covenant way of thinking and doing things. Walk into almost any church building on a Sunday morning and you will see one person standing in front of the congregation and lecturing the people. That person is part of a particular class of trained professionals who are entrusted with the task of representing God to the people and teaching them. Think Old Testament priests. Those people have traveled to a particular building (temple) on a particular day (Sabbath) to hear from God through the preacher’s words. Many believe that the only way to gather in a way that glorifies God is on Sunday in a building that is set aside for that purpose. In many of those buildings the people can come to an altar in the front to sacrifice. Part of the gathering is the when the congregation gives their tithes to pay for the “work of God.” Most of the rationale behind the current system of tithing is based on Old Covenant passages that deal with the upkeep of the Temple and the priestly class.

The church has been trapped in Old Covenant ways for so long that what is done goes unquestioned by many. I believe the folks in congregations are good people who love Jesus and are sincere in their faith. I also believe the abundant life that Jesus said he has for us is far greater than what can be found in Old Covenant living. Jesus abolished the Old Covenant system. He established a New Covenant based on grace, a way of life where God is present within each of his children, and where those children can gather anywhere, anytime. In the New Covenant, all are given the responsibility and privilege of ministering to each other, of discipling each other, and teaching each other. In the New Covenant, Jesus’ followers live in a spirit of generosity, giving to the needs of others without being badgered or guilted into giving to support programs, buildings, or salaries. In the New Covenant, Jesus is the priority and learning him is the focus. In the New Covenant, forms and structures don’t really matter as long as the King is lifted up and we learn to follow him.

Personally, I plan on living my life as an individual under the New Covenant. I will search through the closets of my thinking and acting and bring out those Old Covenant things that need to go. I wonder if Goodwill will take them.

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Runners and Soldiers

Scripture portrays life as a follower of Jesus as running a race. In 1 Corinthians 9:24, Galatians 2:2, Galatians 5:7, and Hebrews 12:1, we are told to run a good race with discipline and perseverance. Alan Knox has a post on his blog titled, “It’s a long, hard road, but we’re running together,” in which he writes about a group he is a part of that runs trails together. In this post, Alan tells how each member of the group watches out for each other member as they navigate the hazards of running trails. There are roots and rocks that can trip an unsuspecting runner, and the results can be painful or catastrophic. Since trail running can be so dangerous when done alone, running in a group is a necessity. Alan writes of a runner in their group who had knee problems and at one point needed to walk. The entire group walked with her rather than leave her behind.

We are also given the picture in the Bible of being a soldier. Philippians 2:25, 2 Timothy 2:3 & 4, and Philemon 1:2 speak of being a soldier and Romans 13:12 and Ephesians 6:10-13 exhort us to put on our armor. A characteristic of a good army is that they do not leave any of their number behind. Men will risk their own lives to rescue a fallen comrade and bring him back to their lines. When soldiers go to war, they have to know that the person fighting alongside them will give up their lives for them if need be. On the flip side of this, the Church has been called the only army that shoots its own wounded. This should never be.

In our fellowships, we need to remember that God brings people into our lives for a reason. They are there for us to serve them and be a blessing to them, or for us to be served and blessed by them. We are in this race, this war together. We are all at different stages in our spiritual journey. All of us are wounded, some more than others. Some can run a long time at a sprint, while others tire easily and have to walk a lot. Sometimes those who can run faster and longer must adjust their pace to stay with the walkers. Sometimes we may be called on to sacrifice ourselves in order to rescue a fallen brother or sister. Jesus said that the greatest love we could have is the love that causes us to lay down our lives.

We must walk this walk, run this race, fight this war together. If we don’t we give our enemy a foothold to steal, kill, and destroy, and we fail to show the world what God’s love is truly like. God help us to live in love for each other.

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What’s in a Name?

The Southern Baptist Convention is thinking about changing the name of the denomination. I don’t believe they have come up with a new name yet. I do have a suggestion, but I doubt they’ll take it. There are some who don’t want the name to change. One leader of a church in California said that if the convention dropped the word “southern” it would water down their theology. He also advocated keeping “Baptist.” I can understand wanting to keep “Baptist.” I used to be one. I didn’t realize that there was some sort of a southern theology. I wonder what that entails.

Names are important. Parents put a great deal of thought into picking meaningful names for their children (although I wonder what some of them were thinking). A name can open or close doors in certain situations. Names carry the weight of a family’s history and can be very encouraging and challenging. Names can also be an albatross around the neck. A name can cause shame and can drag a person down.
Names also distinguish and separate. That can be a good thing, but it also can be a problem. When a group of Christians put a particular label on themselves, they automatically put distance between themselves and other Christians. Most of the time that distance is never bridged. That is a problem. Jesus prayed that his followers would be one. I believe there are currently something like four hundred denominations in the United States. Somehow I don’t think that’s what Jesus had in mind. Over the years, those who claim to be followers of Jesus have separated themselves into increasingly restrictive groups, many times over insignificant points of dogma.
The early Church had no problem knowing what to call themselves. They were known because of who they followed, not the creed or doctrines they adhered to. At one point they began to be know as Christians, because they were acting like Christ. Unfortunately, even that term has become something other than what it should be. Most of the time the early Christians called themselves disciples, followers of the Way, believers, the church that meets _____________.
What do we call ourselves? I prefer follower of Jesus, because that describes me better than any denominational label. Besides, I don’t think Panerist is a denomination is it? Anyway, how about we simply live our lives as subjects of the King and show his love in such a way that the world has to talk about that love, even if they don’t know what to call us. Maybe we can be like Christ enough that the term “Christian” becomes a good thing again.
Ready for my suggestion? Drop the denominational labels and let our actions speak.
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Good News From the Church Front

I know I tend to be a bit critical of the American church and what I see as a turning away from what Jesus intended. It’s not all bad, though. I would be the first to admit that God can use anyone, even churches that I could never be a part of. Here is a good example of followers of Jesus in churches, one traditional and one more contemporary, doing what our Savior commanded us to do.

I praise God for his people who are willing to show love to others, no matter what we may disagree on.
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Better Sundays?

The other day, I saw a church sign sign that read, “Come see us. Our Sundays are better than Dairy Queen.” I thought, “Well maybe, but can you get the same thing the other six days of the week?” Dairy Queen is open seven days a week, so you can go at almost any time and get something good. I know a little about this particular congregation, while there may be other times throughout the week when the folks get together, the emphasis is on the Sunday morning event.

This is true in most churches today. The week is spent preparing for what goes on during the Sunday morning service. Sermon prep takes up a great deal of the pastor’s time, and the worship leaders focus on what they will be doing and rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Other parts of the service are planned so that the audience will have a good (insert church name) experience. So, if all you are looking for is a good Sunday, then you probably can find one in any number of church services.
However, if you are looking for community, for a group of fellow followers of Christ who will walk with you on your journey, who will love and accept you and treat you as family, you are probably looking for more than a once a week experience. Even if the early church could have gone to Dairy Queen, I doubt they would have advertised themselves as having “better Sundays.” They lived life together. While they probably did not all come together at the same time every day, groups of believers did meet in each others homes from day to day. They shared meals together, they encouraged and edified one another. When there was need, they sacrificed to meet that need.
What the early church did, they did because they were devoted to Jesus first, then to each other. Because of that devotion, they wanted to spend time with each other, to know each other, and to bless each other. That couldn’t have happened if they had only gathered as a large group on Sundays. Just as knowing God involves spending time with him, so knowing his children involves a commitment of time and effort. I don’t believe that can happen if we only gather one day a week. Of course, I don’t believe most Sunday services help believers serve one another, but that’s a topic for another day.
One day a week is just not enough.
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Doing Great Things For God

When I was growing up, I heard a lot about doing great things for God. In Bible college we were regaled with stories of those alumni who had gone on to be senior pastors in large churches, or youth pastors with large followings, or presidents of Bible colleges. These individuals were held up as the standard. As a teacher and coach in Christian schools, I told my students to dream of doing great things. I dreamed of winning state championships, of having former students and players go on to be leaders. I even dreamed of becoming a college coach and having a huge impact for Christ with my players, all while winning a lot of games.

Fast forward a few years. I now work as a paraprofessional in a middle school and an assistant basketball coach at a local high school. Over the years I have sent out a whole lot of resumes, added to my educational credentials, and done everything else I could to do something great. Nothing panned out. There have been many times when I felt as if I had missed my chance to do great things, to make an impact for God’s Kingdom. I would look at others who did what was considered great, and wonder why it wasn’t me. I felt let down, by God and by myself. I tried to soothe things by being “humble.” You know, the whole “I’m just one of those folks that just tries to serve God any way I can” schtick. I would venture to say that there are a whole lot of Christians who have felt the same way.
Over the past couple of years, through Scripture and the encouragement of my family and close friends, I have come to change my definition of greatness. John Wooden used to tell his teams at UCLA that true greatness consisted of doing the best you can all the time (I know that’s a rough paraphrase, but you get the idea). I believe that is also true in our walk with God. The Father does not expect us to “do great things,” especially as the world defines greatness. He simply asks us to be faithful to the task he has given us. The funny thing is, that actually is doing great things. As followers of the King, and citizens of his Kingdom, we are involved in what C.S. Lewis called an invasion. We are representatives of a King who is in exile, and we are called to bring his Kingdom to bear in a world that is controlled by our enemy. That makes everything we do as followers of Christ significant. We are part of a great story, the story of the restoration of Creation. Jesus said that even giving a cup of cold water in his name was a great thing. Wow. That really changes a lot of things.
Don’t let anyone sell you short. Don’t buy the lie that you are insignificant, and the things you do don’t matter. You are a child of the Creator of the universe, and God’s Spirit lives in you. Your heart has been, and is being transformed. The Father has given you gifts and talents that he wants you to use to bless others. Even if the “only” thing you can do is love others as Jesus has loved you (and that’s really pretty doggone huge when you think about it), you are playing a role in the greatest story ever. You are doing great things.
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In the book, In the Name of Jesus, Henri Nouwen wrote of the temptations faced by leaders in the church, and by the church as a whole. Those temptations are relevance, popularity, and leading.

The first temptation is to be relevant, to be able to do things, to fix things, to take care of things. All of us, individually and corporately, are called to minister to others. It is easy to think that we have to “make a difference” in the lives of the people we serve, and to fall into the belief that that they need us to change them. This is a trap that I have fallen into more than a few times. Nouwen writes that the way to change this thinking is to spend time contemplating the love of the Father for us and learning to grow in our love for him. Instead of worrying about positions on issues of the day, or trying to figure out how best to solve the problems of other people, we “must be rooted in the permanent, intimate relationship with the incarnate Word, Jesus, and they need to find there the source of their words, advice, and guidance.”
The next temptation is to be popular. We all want to be thought well of, to accomplish things that will make folks look at us and applaud. If we were honest with ourselves we would have to admit that a great deal of what we do individually, and a great deal of what is done in the church, is to attract others to ourselves. The answer to this temptation is to remember that “We are not the healers, we are not the reconcilers , we are not the givers of life. We are sinful, broken, vulnerable people who need as much car as anyone we care for.” We all need to remain open and vulnerable to those we serve, keeping in mind that what they need is the love of God. We are simply to love God, and let him love others through us.
The third temptation is the temptation to be powerful. This is possibly the temptation that the church has succumbed to the most. The early church had no political, economic, or cultural power; and it turned the world upside down. Since then the church has bought into the philosophy that the way to change the world is through power. While the church has continued to do great things through the centuries, I wonder how much more good could have been accomplished for the Kingdom if Christians had remembered that our power is from the Spirit of God, and that our warfare is spiritual not physical. As someone who has been in a position of authority over my students and athletes over the years, that temptation has been hard for me to overcome. I still struggle with the tension between loving those I work with and exercising authority when needed.
None of us likes to be powerless. We have been taught to not be weak, or even be seen as week. I appreciate what Nouwen says about powerlessness: “Powerlessness and humility in the spiritual life do not refer to people who have no spine and who let everyone else make decisions for them. They refer to people who are so deeply in love with Jesus that they are ready to follow him wherever he guides them, always trusting that, with him, they will find life and find it abundantly.”
In my own journey, I am learning more and more to love Jesus, to trust him to guide me and give me that abundant life. May we all realize that we are not the ones that change the lives of others. We are simply the vessels that the Father chooses to flow through.
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Hypervigilance

In Gracias! A Latin American Journal, Henri Nouwen told a story of a nun who was visiting in a poor section of Lima, Peru. She had been warned to be very watchful of other people because they would “…grab your money, your purse, and your watch.” She was told to “…take your watch off and put it in your purse and hold your purse tight under your arm.”

The nun did exactly as she was instructed. While riding on a crowded bus, she had to keep a tight hold on the handle to keep her balance. As she was jostled, she noticed her watch on the arm of a young man next to her. As the story goes, she very aggressively took the watch away from the man, only to later find her watch still in her purse. She had stolen an identical watch from the young man on the bus! Her paranoia had caused her to rob an innocent person.
How much of the time are Christians like this nun. We’ve been told that we need to watch out for those ___________________ (just fill in the blank), because they will ________________. They are either a threat to Christianity, to our way of life, or whatever else you can think of. We go through our days afraid, afraid of being corrupted or hurt by others. We have done a good job through the years of holding our life tight and hiding things away to keep them from being “stolen.” In the end, we end up being the thieves.
When we hide the Source of our life away by separating ourselves, or by loudly proclaiming our opposition to the bogeyman of the day, we rob others of the message that there is a God who is a God of grace, who has become one of us so we can be like him, and who is redeeming this world and will put all things right. We rob them of the love that Jesus told us to show to all we come in contact with. We rob them of the opportunity to see people who have been transformed by God’s love and grace, people who are truly different. Like the nun, we steal from others, and then find out later that they really weren’t out to get us.
Jesus gave us the commission to go. We are called to be in this world. Jesus gave us the example when he ate and drank with sinners, so much so that the religious leaders called him a glutton and a drunk. Doesn’t exactly sound like one who was being careful to not associate with the wrong crowd, does it? One of the big differences I see between the church of the first century and the church of today is the church today seems to more known for what it is against, and the early church was know for their love for each other and for those around them.
May we hold our lives more loosely, and freely share the treasure that we have been given.