ECIPLESHIP for Passionate Christ-Followers

My sister is contemplating life and death these days. I visited her on Tuesday in the hospital — she has a highly resistant infection in her digestive system that the docs can’t seem to treat. They’ve told her this could kill her. Yikes!

So when I visited with her on Tuesday, we had some wonderful conversation. She has always been independent, a rebel, stubborn, and determined. These can be great traits or problem ones, depending on how they are used. My sister has never been a church-going person, so we talked for a little while about her relationship with the Lord.

Here’s the deal…she loves church as long as it’s not church-as-normal. In fact, not long ago, she attended Joel Osteen’s church in Huston, Texas and absolutely loved it! Believe me, it’s a far cry from what we grew up with in Woodstock, Minnesota…and I have a few thoughts of my own about Joel’s ministry (that are not pertinent to this discussion). She told me about the amazing music, the wonderful atmosphere, the realism she experienced, and a message that connected with her life. So here’s the deal — I have a spiritually hungry sister who rarely goes to church because the church doesn’t offer what connects with her.

Here’s the status of the church:

• We get so enmeshed in our own world of Christian community that we are quite out of touch with the world we’re called to reach.
• We tend to poo-poo atmosphere, presentation, current music, communication styles that actually communicate, and all the other stuff that we Christians pompously proclaim we don’t need.
• We’re too spiritual to need those kinds of things.

Well — it’s not about us! We have a bigger mission. These things that the world connects with is what the church needs to pursue, not for us, but for them.

Research has revealed that one of the main reasons people do not consider Christ is because the church is out of touch.

SO–let’s get in touch and let others really see how amazing Jesus really is!

Perry Noble is a fellow blogger and church leader that I admire. I’m passing along his thoughts from yesterday because they are so good. You can find his site in “Blogroll” in the side panel, or go to www.PerryNoble.com.

Three Arguments That Sound Spiritual But Are Actually Stupid August 3, 2010

#1 – “The Church Is Not A Business But Rather A Hospital For Sinners.”

Uh…ok, the problem with this argument is…a hospital IS a business…and if it is not ran properly then it will have to close its doors, thus losing its effectiveness in helping those it has been called to reach.

Like it or not in church world today leadership matters.  God made sure we knew that leadership IS a spiritual gift and the reason it has been given was to help the church be more and more effective.

I personally believe the church should be the best ran organization on the planet because God has gifted and called leaders to lead AND filled them with HIS Holy Spirit so that they can do so.

#2 – “Too Many Churches Are Just Chasing Cool and Relevant.”

Uh…so what’s the opposite, chasing uncool, boring, predictable and meaningless?

Sure, churches can go off the deep end and worship creativity rather than the Creator.  But to say that a church should not embrace creativity and inovation and leverage them for the use of the Gospel is insane.

Church should not be a place where people come and see what life was like on this planet during the 1960’s and 70’s…but rather a place where people encounter Jesus Christ and the preaching of HIS Word in an environment in which they understand.  (One does NOT have to be sacrificed for the other!)

We are created in God’s image and called to be like Him…which means that we ARE creative beings.  Somehow I believe that the church is supposed to be reaching kids WAY better than Disney…they have a mouse…we have the MESSIAH who gave His life and rose from the dead.  Our message is SO much greater and should be told in the most effective way possible.

#3 – “Too Many Pastors Today Are Obsessed With Dressing Cool And Shopping At Buckle.”

This one always cracks me up because, well, I happen to like shopping at Buckle (they actually have jeans that fit me!)  I am not so sure about the dressing cool part…but I really do like their clothes.

Honestly, I was not aware that surrendering to ministry meant that I also had to surrender to the pleated/cuffed khaki, sweater vest, comb over club!  (We could really go back and forth all day on this.)

Bottom line…there is a WAR going on for the battle of the souls of men and women…and fighting over clothing styles should not be a fight we dive into!  Dress how you like to dress…and if others want to obsess about it you should feel sorry for them and not fight with them.

I constantly think about what the church is here for. Here is a top five list:

1) To honor God by bringing Him great pleasure. Children honor their parents most when they bring joy into their lives. Whether that is through obedience, relationship together, partnering in a cause, laughter, or feeling a parent’s pain as if it were their own. The oneness experienced in relationship brings great honor to one in authority in that relationship.

2) To love God by loving those that He loves. When I love someone, but another person I love doesn’t love that person, I’m conflicted. There is a lack of depth in that relationship because of the inconsistency in who we love together. God values everyone, but especially mentions the weak, sick, hurting, homeless, hungry, imprisoned, orphans, widows, and forgotten. In other words, the people we so easily overlook are the ones that God implores us to passionately pursue.

3) To obey God by helping others become whole–hearted followers of Jesus Christ. This command to engage in the Great Cause of making disciples was Jesus’ last statement before leaving us these 2000 years. Pretty important. Yet, the church tends to do everything BUT this. Making disciples, as Jesus stated it, is not primarily meant to grow people “deep”, although this is very important too. He did say, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”. But what Jesus really meant when He told us to make disciples is that we are to lead others to a relationship with God. A disciple, according to scripture, is someone who has embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for five seconds or fifty years. Jesus was telling us be radically evangelistic. We don’t get this in our churches very well.

4) To be the Body of Jesus in the flesh down here. We have all been designed differently and gifted perfectly. When each of us find our God-designed nitch, and then function primarily in that realm, we will blow the world away by what God does in and through us. We are each to be Jesus in our world, but also display the beauty and power of the Body of Jesus together.

5) To encourage one another. Life down here stinks much of the time! We live in a broken world. God tells us to be one another’s best cheerleaders! There is no spiritual gift of criticism, no calling to be judgmental of others. This is all too rampant in the church way too often. Instead, we need to all know that we have entire church who is cheering us on to become everything we can possible be in Christ. Just think of what would happen if we lived like this day after day, week after week, year after year. Watch out world! We’ll blow your mind…and touch your heart.

Let’s be the Church!

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed” Ecclesiastes 4:9.

We were in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota. My son, Shane, was thirteen years old as we trekked into the great wilderness of lakes, streams, and rugged trails. After being plagued by more mosquitoes than I’ve ever seen, wood ticks by the thousands, and a fertile black-fly hatching, we decided to get out a day early. Along with my brother and his twin boys, we mustered our resolve and decided to travel two days worth of territory in one day. The last leg was the most difficult of all. The portage was 1.5 miles…over a continental divide! I can’t even describe to you how painful this was. With a canoe on my shoulders and pain in every muscle of my body, we began the last great leg of our day’s bold excursion. And what fun! My brother, Glen, was carrying his canoe right in front of me when he suddenly went into a spasm of uncontrolled coughing. His canoe went down as he doubled over to get out whatever went down there. As my brother soon described, “a prehistoric creature the size of a hummingbird flew right down my throat!” I laughed so hard I cried. I also needed to suspend my hike for a few minutes. I made sure he was OK before we set out again to conquer the trail. Of course, the stories of suffering are almost endless. What pleasure we had in traveling together.

That’s what the wise words of Ecclesiastes means when it states the “two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.” It may be laughing together when we would normally cry, or giving some practical help when the other needs it most, or encouraging when resolve is waning, or carrying a piece of their pain when nothing else can be done. The equation in this verse is a little like this: 1 + 1 = 3.

The equation doesn’t really make logical sense, but it is true in the realm of relationships. There is a richness and pleasure in sharing experiences together, good and bad, that enhance the quality of life to a much greater degree. We tap into a completely different dimension of life when it is shared with others.

When my wife Susan and I lived in central Minnesota, we served a country church where the compensation was small and the benefits lean. We loved these people, but often served with little encouragement and a steady dose of critique. That’s why it meant so much to us when one day a couple from the congregation came to our house and said, “You need a suit. We want to take you to town and you can pick out any suit you want…on us!” We were blown away. I will never forget that day because we suddenly had someone who was on the mountain with us.” Even though they didn’t say it outright, Susan and I both knew it was their way of saying, “We love you guys and we’ll do anything to help you succeed.” They are very special friends to this day because of the partnership in ministry we develop with them years ago. There is certainly pleasure in sharing life together.

Consider five things that will enable you to have an awesome Sunday as you worship together with the Body of Christ…

1) Go to church to give rather than to get. Worship is, after all, completely about giving God what he deserves — our allegiance (all over again), our adoration, praise, love, prayers, affection, obedience. Don’t try to get what you want. That has nothing to do with worship.

2) Go to church to encourage others. Scripture tells us to “spur one another on to love and good deeds, and even more as you see the day drawing near”. So go ahead, make somebody’s day! Everyone needs a word of encouragement. Make it a goal to do that for someone today.

3) Go to church to die. Romans tells us that we must “die daily” and “present ourselves as a living sacrifice” (the’re always dead). Don’t go and resist what God wants to do in you and through you. Die to your expectations, demands, agendas, and suppositions. It is in dying that we find life…again and again.

4) Go to church to make a joyful noise. Psalms tells us to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord”. That’s a great admonition for those of us who may be musically challenged or don’t know the songs so well. However, like fans at a football game, let God (and the home team) know that you’re all in. You’ll bring a smile to God’s face.

5) Go to church to be filled with the Holy Spirit. A unique and powerful thing happens when the Body gathers together in Unity. Like the early Christians in Acts chapter 4, they experienced God’s power unleashed in their lives when they truly stood united. They wept together, encouraged one another, pleaded for God’s help as one body, and were filled with the Holy Spirit. As a result they “spoke the word of God with boldness” to a world that was desperately lost and needing a Savior.

Do these five things and, ta-dah! You’re going to have an amazing Sunday!

This morning I read about Uzziah, King of Judah. It says in 2Chronicles 26:5 that “Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who taught him to fear God. And as long as the king sought guidance from the Lord, God gave him success.” And much success he had, by the way. He was king for 52 years — most of that consisted of honoring God and leading well.

Things changed toward the end of his life, however. In verse 16 we read, “But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar.” His sin subjected Him to God’s discipline. He was stricken with leprosy right on the spot and lived outside of the city for the rest of his life.

Here are a few random thoughts related to Uzziah:

• A godly priest was a critical part of his holy living. We will never succeed without godly people pouring themselves into us.
• Fearing God was central to his holiness. God was not overly friendly to Uzziah. He was, however, powerful, strong, righteous, and just. Tremendous respect for the nature of God enabled Uzziah to live rightly for most of his life
• Uzziah was successful as long as he “sought guidance” from the Lord. He was dependent, therefore, humble in this sobering task of leading a nation.
• Success and power planted the seeds of pride and independence leading to his downfall. Evidently, Uzziah forgot how dependent he needed to be upon God. He presumed that he was invincible to failure, even in his relations with a holy God.
• No matter how much good you have done, sin is still sin. God will deal with it.
• Uzziah failed to finish well due to the pride that infiltrated his soul. He forgot to seek the Lord, humble himself daily, and depend on God’s wisdom rather than his own.

So – fear God, humbly seek His guidance today, and persevere in God’s ways to the very end.

2 Timothy 2:3, 8-10:

Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. …8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned. 10 For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.

A soldier suffers for a bigger cause. And suffering is part of the equation when you’re a soldier.

My son, Erik, is a member of the Army National Guard. He recently attended an advanced man-to-man combat training program where he earned a Marshall Arts degree. I have come to admire him so much for his willingness to suffer simply because he’s a soldier. In this week of advanced training, he tells of being pulverized by guys nearly a hundred pounds more than him. Out of twenty six soldiers, only twenty graduated. The others came home with broken body parts and torn tendons. The assaults were brutal, but with determination to persevere, he finished the course. Why? Because he’s a soldier and soldiers do this stuff.

Scripture tells us to “suffer as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Be tough! Be strong! Persevere! This is what soldiers do…and they do it for a higher purpose. They always need to be ready for battle so that their side wins.

By the way, soldiers never fight alone. They train together, fight together, and suffer together.

The Apostle Paul, who penned the above Bible passage, then tells us how he has applied this to his life. Do you see it? “I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned. For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.”

This Christ warrior is so gripped with his purpose in life that suffering makes sense! Most of us don’t have such a good handle on this aspect of life. We often live for ourselves and our personal pursuits rather than for the purposes of God. His transcendent purposes are more compelling and life-giving than anything we can ever manufacture.

When you have been gripped with the higher purposes of God for your life, suffering begins to make sense. It’s not about you…not even in hardship.

I’m keeping it real simple today. My fifteen year-old son, Shane, just started his own blog. If you want to see something cool…and also see what Jesus means to a teenager, you better check out his new site today. Shane’s site is a whole lot nicer than mine. He outdid me again!

One of the most memorable statements I’ve heard in quite some time was in response to my question, “What do you have to lose if you give God your everything?” The answer? “My freedom.”

That may not seem so memorable unless you also realize that the guy I was talking with was on the other side of a glass wall and we were talking through a couple of handsets. During his few daily hours of  ”free time”, I came to check up on the inmate to give him some unconditional love and timeless wisdom.

The prisoner’s “freedom statement” highlights the bent of all of humanity — we want to rule our own lives. Even in prison we cling to the last vestiges of freedom we have…the freedom to own our own lives, think what we want to think, do what we want to do (even if it’s in our mind or imagination). We have a sin-induced aversion to letting God be Lord (absolute ruler) of our lives.

When my friend made the freedom statement, I thanked him for his honesty. And then I said, “How much freedom do you have?”

“Not much right now,” he responded.

I clarified, “And you will have even less if you don’t let God fix you. The devil’s intent is to kill, steal, and destroy you…and he’s winning right now.”

Yes — we are all slaves to something. The two big categories are that we are either slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness. Real freedom is found when we are no longer slaves to sin…when Christ has truly set us free. There is no freedom like that freedom. If Christ has set us free, we are free indeed!

Romans 6:16-18 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

Perseverance is succeeding because you’re determined to, not because you’re entitled to. Achievers don’t sit back and wait for success because they think the world ‘owes them’. No, if you’re wise you’ll ask God for direction, stand firm on the word He has given you, go forward and refuse to quit. You must adopt the attitude of the man who said, “We are determined to win. We’ll fight them until hell freezes over, and if we have to, we’ll fight them on ice.” Recalling the trials he’d faced, Paul said: “I started, and I’m going to finish. I’ve worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death’s door… And that’s not the half of it” (2 Corinthians 11:23-28 TM). The Word for Today, by Bob Gass, January 1, 2009 (www.thevine.co.nz)

One word describes Paul – relentless. He was relentless to persevere for something bigger than himself. To persevere, as I am addressing it here, is not just about surviving, but thriving for a greater good. Persevering does not simply mean we keep our heart beating, our thoughts sane, and our heads held high no matter what may come. To persevere means that when we get on the other side of an ordeal, we are better for it, that God’s plan has been accomplished, and that God’s glory has been revealed.

To persevere, we need more than outstanding determination and good information. We need others to help us along. Even though this notion is not popular among many today, it is absolutely true. Our American culture has reinforced the idea that individualism is better than community. We have adopted a dangerous ideology that has convinced us that life is better and easier when it is uncluttered from watchful eyes and caring accountability. We convince ourselves that we can handle life alone better than depending on others. Of course, when we’ve adopted this mentality, we don’t have to deal with our failures, shame, weaknesses, and sin so much. We can pretend that all is well even while our inner world is crumbling in solitude.

Don’t ever climb a mountain in that condition. Don’t ever climb a mountain alone. Never-the-less, those mountainous challenges are a fact of life. We will need to face them. The question is not if it is even possible to conquer them alone. Why try?

Base camp is an essential element in conquering any of the world’s most challenging peaks. Everest’s base camp, for example, stands at over 17,000 feet! This is where teams gather to get acclimated to the high altitude (they stay there for three weeks before ascending the peak), form relationships with their climbing partners, learn from their guides, and prepare mentally for the daunting challenges ahead. The value in togetherness is never overrated in mountain climbing. Only a fool would ever attempt to ascend a mountain alone. To do this means you are asking for trouble. Most wouldn’t even survive. Base camp is essential in conquering any of the world’s most challenging peaks.

Base camp is essential in conquering life’s most challenging peaks too. Don’t go it alone. There is a much better, safer, and wiser way to persevere through life’s hardships.