Church Renewal: Seeking an Accurate Description

Notes on our Studies and Discussions:

Our Bible Study in Ephesians 4 has led us to consider the four functional gifts to the Church. We have also used a comparative tool that distinguishes between Missional, Evangelical, and Institutional Churches. These are discussion notes, and have not been fully adopted or implemented by our church family at this time.

Ephesians 4 and the Four Functional Gifts: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, and Pastor/Teachers

My observations in this area do not relate to our church alone, but rather to American Evangelicalism in general. As a result, it will be all the harder for our local congregation to walk a different, more Biblical path.

A. To be Apostolic means that, as followers of the living Christ, we live changed lives, and we live to see lives changed, fully engaged in an expanding mission of boldly representing Jesus in word and deed.

If we are not Apostolic, then what are we? It seems that we have been embraced by a comfortable Christianity that enjoys relaxing in the arms of our culture. So long as the culture does not become too offensive in its amorality, and so long as Christians do not become too offensive in their faith, we get along just fine. This is clearly not the approach of the Apostles in the Book of Acts. We  have traded confronting the unbelieving world with Accommodation, which means "to make oneself at home with".

We must find what it means to be less at home in the world, and more at home with God.

B. To be Prophetic means that the Word of God is the dynamic and powerful instrument of the Spirit of God, being truthfully applied to both public and private issues of contemporary life

If we are not Prophetic, then what are we? It seems that we are Patterned, constrained by both recent tradition, and by recent trends. We are taught to read and interpret Scripture according to these patterns rather than according to the illuminating direction of the Spirit.

We must be more honest in our handling of the Word of God, and be ready to question areas where our lives and church do not fit easily with the words of Scripture. Our attention to Scripture must be accompanied by greater prayerfulness.

C. To be Evangelistic means to intently listen to the questions that unbelievers are asking, and then to honestly present visually and verbally an answer that clearly presents Jesus as "the Way, the Truth, and the Life." We need to understand that evangelism is not just an individual activity, but is also a congregational activity.

If we are not Evangelistic, then what are we? We seem to have an attitude of inferiority and a posture of defensiveness, so that if we are to share the Gospel with anyone, they must find a way to penetrate our walls behind which we hide with the Gospel. Instead of practicing Evangelism, we practice Evasion.

In Live to Tell, Kallenberg says that evangelism is not merely persuading someone to accept certain facts, but rather to invite him/her to enter into a new way of life with a new set of people using a unique language with allegiance to a new Lord. Evangelism then, is a process whereby people are invited to begin a journey of observing, discovering and knowing what Jesus and following Jesus is about. My criticism of Kallenberg is that he adopts the reversed “belonging precedes believing” approach of many experimental churches. Conversion, that “turning from” former saviors and gods, and “turning to” God-in-Christ, is essential for belonging to the Body of Christ. But he makes the point well our evangelism cannot be evasive.

D. To be Pastor/Teacher means to be involved in the care of souls and the equipping of believers to be involved in the cause of Christ as followers of Christ who are growing in their understanding and obedience.

If we are not Tending/Training, then what are we? Actually, this is the area where we do the best. And yet we often are more concerned with caring for people's feelings than caring for people's souls. And we tend to be satisfied to impart Biblical information rather than to train for service and engagement with the world. Pastor/Teacher is easily replaced by People-Pleaser/Therapist.

On Another Front, but related to church change:

Problem terms:

worship - usually referring to Sunday at 11, and sometimes specifically of the song time; and yet worship is to be a lifestyle. We should not use the word "worship" exclusively in relation to praise music or the 11 o'clock service.

service - referring to a gathering of people, but communicating the idea that some person(s) who are active will be "serving" those who are passive. I like the words "congregate", which has the idea of gathering a flock; and "assembly", which means to bring together for a common purpose.

church - usually referring to the building; but the church is the people, and God's house is not made of bricks. We should avoid using the word "church" in relation to the building. So even our sign at the corner of our property that includes the word "church" is somewhat misleading.

member – the New Testament uses the term “member” as those who have been placed into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. I would like to see us use a different term to denote “partnership” or “fellowship” in the local body of believers instead of the word “membership.” I think that using the Biblical term “member” in an additional way robs it of some of its Biblical force.

community - used both of the community of believers, and the surrounding town(s). We should take care in using the word "community" in two ways, and so probably not in relation to our church family. Of course, most every word has a dual meaning, such as "family" and "body".

Baptist - used to identify our history in this town, and to associate with a particular tradition, with both its strengths and weaknesses. It has a negative heritage of both Arminianism and legalism. 

Silly, or Significant?

There are many details of life that may be important personally, but are not of eternal or ultimate importance. The arrangement of furniture in your living room may be important to you. But aside from some "discussions" between a husband and the wife who wants to re-arrange, it's not worth talking about. Hebrews 9:1-5 mentions that furniture of the Tent of Meeting. It had importance for the Old Covenant community, and there are lessons that are related to these things, especially since God was in charge of the design. But the furniture arrangement has limited significance today, and we are in danger if we read too much into it.

A common trait of religious types is to wax eloquent and creative when it comes to the minute details of such things. We attach great significance to the smallest details in ways that result in mere curiosities. These things are easily remembered, and often repeated. And these curiosities may be of interest to others in our sub-culture. But I am afraid that to others - it is just strange.

For instance, I think of the ring ceremony at weddings. The pastor often says something about the gold and its purity, and the continuous circle and its relation to an enduring relationship. I've heard these things from others, and I've repeated them, because, after all,  you're supposed to say something. And you would like to say something profound. But on further reflection, these things may not be profound at all. Might it not be more likely that the wedding ring is gold because cheaper metals make your finger turn green, and it may be round because a square "ring" wouldn't be called a "ring," and because it wouldn't fit your round finger?

When we talk about silly things as though they are significant, then we are in danger of leading people to think that , when we finally mention something significant, we are still rather silly people talking about silly things.

Melchizedek - A Wonderful Combination of Qualities

Melchizedek, this shadowy figure from the Old Testament (Genesis 14; Psalm 110), and enlarged for our understanding in the New Testament (Hebrews 7), points to a wonderful combination of qualities found in Christ. From the shadow of Melchizedek we move to the substance of Christ.

First of all, he is both King of Righteousness (the meaning of the Hebrew compound melech and zedek) and King of Peace (shalom, or, salem), perhaps related to Jerusalem centuries before it became Israel's capital. But how is it that righteousness and peace meet? The demands of righteousness seem to result, not in peace, but in justice and wrath against all offenders. These words from Psalm 85 beautifully express how this combination of qualities will meet and agree in Christ:

“Lovingkindness and truth have met together; 

Righteousness and peace have kissed 

each other. Truth springs from the earth, 

And righteousness looks down 

from heaven.”

(Psalms 85:10–11 NAS95)

Second, we find that Melchizedek is both King and Priest. This is unlike Aaron from the tribe of Levi, who was a priest but never a king. And this is unlike David from the tribe of Judah, who was a king but never a priest. But now, pointing ahead to Christ, we find one who as priest can come to our aid in our deepest problems, and as a king fulfill our best dreams. 

Finally, we find one whose feet treads the dust of earth even though his first and foremost relationship is with "the Most High God." Yes, Jesus embraced man's humanity. But he is not just like me. He is the second Person of the Godhead. He is both God and Man. I may at times prefer someone who is at my level, but what I need is someone who is not enslaved by my same situation. Jesus, though a friend of sinners, is the eternal Son of God.

When Christ Encounters the Soul

Let any Christian think of going out into the world with the ultimate loneliness of his spirit for ever vanquished because Christ is with him; of facing life in the assurance that henceforth not for a moment does he walk unaided and alone!

Think of the inner peace it would mean - its effect on frayed nerves and harassed brain and daunted spirit. We are apt in these days to be besieged by life's unbearable enigmas and battered by its frightening responsibilities. We feel like Peter when he climbed down out of the boat to go to Jesus, and found himself caught in the swirl of the angry waves. We tell ourselves it is absurd that we should even attempt to be Christ's witnesses in a world like this and with a nature like our own: for "who is sufficient for these things?" And then, across our hectic fever falls the voice of calm: "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end"; and we know that, whatever happens, He is quite certain to be there. This is the way to peace, and to the consciousness of adequate resources. For it is no weak Christ with whom we have to do, but a Christ of power - stronger than the stress of life, stronger than the tyrant sins that seeks to smash us, stronger in the end than death itself.

A Faith to Proclaim. James S. Stewart. Hodder & Stoughton, London. 1953

What Faithfulness Isn’t

Jesus is described as “faithful witness” in Revelation 1:5. In Hebrews 3:1, Jesus is called “Apostle” in Hebrews 3:1. I think these two references inform one another. It seems to me that apostles are those who are faithful witnesses, and faithful witnesses are those who are sent on a mission with a message (apostle).

In addition to a correlation of these terms, there is also a strong “faithful” theme in Hebrews 3. And I have been asking, “what does it mean to be faithful?” One way of answering this is to think about what practices do not constitute biblical faithfulness.

Saying the right things without doing the right things is not faithfulness. Our faith is not primarily made of impressions and appearances, nor is it primarily to consist of testimonies and sermons. Faithful living requires regular obedience.

Merely showing up is not faithfulness – we are to “walk in the Spirit,” not merely watch what others are doing in the Spirit. Faithfulness requires our personal  engagement.

Just doing the same things over and over, if they are not the right things, is not faithfulness – Every day brings new challenges which must be met today. Patterns of life must meet the challenges of today, and if they do not, then the patterns need to change.

Staying the same, and refusing to change or grow, is not faithfulness – if God has a plan for your growth, often through trial, then we should not expect that yesterday’s lessons learned will solve today’s tests. You and I must go to God again today to learn how to meet today’s tests.

Neglecting today’s opportunities is not faithfulness – God will give you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity today. To waste it is not faithfulness.

I'm sure many others will have many more ideas and phrases that will help us to see "what faithfulness isn't."

Necrosis

Romans 5:12 says that death spread to all men, and James 1:15 says that sin brings forth death. It is not morbid or negative to address our problem with death. It is on us, and in us, creeping death, a necrosis that works contrary to any principle of life that we presently enjoy and that we like to assume will go on for a good, long time.

Death signals the vanquishing of life. It readily fills the void where life used to be, and moreover, seeks to take over. It involves disintegration of what once used to be united in peace and harmony, and then turns foul as decay sets in. It is not hard to see how death is an apt description not only of biological deterioration, but also of mental, emotional, and relational distress and disintegration. Death shows itself in the breakdown between humans and God, between humans and humans, and between humans and their very own selves.

A most unattractive image presents itself to us. Here we are, redeemed and forgiven. And yet, we still fight the battle with sin and death. It is as though there are remnants of rotting flesh attached to our bodies and our lives, in our minds and on our tongues, stinking up the works and driving out any notion that there might be something good and positive going on. All these remnants of the old life left over from life lived in fellowship with the old, Adamic man are to be nailed to the Cross in the death of Christ. But somehow, we keep stealing back shreds of the sinful self, as though they were or could be beautiful or valuable.

There is a principle of life that must win out, produced by the Spirit as we cling to Christ and as we allow our sin to be firmly nailed to His Cross, released from our hands and our hearts, which now are ready to receive and treasure God's good grace and gifts.

Where Sin Abounded, Grace Did Much More Abound

The Church, and individual Christians, exist in a State of Grace. That is who we are. It is our (new) birthright. It is our frame of reference. The implications of this are huge. And yet, our response oft times seems invisible. It seems as though the Church and individual Christians, including me, fall out of a State of Grace. I don't mean that we lose our salvation. I mean that we forget our salvation; that we "neglect so great a salvation" (Hebrews 2:3).

There are two implications that have occurred to me. I'm sure there are many more. But in light of the Church's state of grace, we must be 1) gracious and 2) generous. As faith reflects itself in faithfulness, so grace will reflect itself in graciousness. And since grace is free, it must be generous.

What does a gracious and generous church look like? What does a gracious and generous Christian look like? And, perhaps more importantly, how have you seen a lack of graciousness and generosity displayed in my life and yours, in our church and yours? Because the act of responding in faith and graciousness necessarily involves repentance, a turning away from actions and patterns that are marked by bitterness, negativity, judgmentalism and selfishness.

Just as the concept of "the love of God" can be distorted by using it as a weapon against God's wrath or righteousness, so "gracious" might be twisted into meaning that we can make no judgments or distinctions, and "generous" means that we can never say "no." That is a problem. But let's let it be a later problem. Our present problem is that I and the church of which I am a part are not so gracious as God is full of grace, and not generous in an abounding sort of way.

No Man Is An Island

No man is an island entire of itself; every man 

is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; 

if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe 

is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as 

well as any manner of thy friends or of thine 

own were; any man's death diminishes me, 

because I am involved in mankind. 

And therefore never send to know for whom 

the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. John Donne

Associations

Hebrews 2:14-18 challenges us to think about two types of associations. The first of these associations is "accidental." The second is "on purpose." These associations are critical. they are tied to the issues of life and death, and will determine how we will live our lives.

Fellowship of the Damned

Every human participates in the fellowship of humanity. We are all a part of Adam's race, and share in the privileges and liabilities of that race. According to the Biblical record, we can go back to the Flood, and trace lines of ancestry through the three sons of Noah, but before and beyond that, we still have a common father, Adam.

Whatever distinguishes us throughout humanity is not so important as that which unites us. We have become experts at recognizing the differences of race and nation. We tend to gather according to social levels or fragment due to economic development. But we forget that we are largely all the same, part of the fellowship of humanity, hemmed in by human birth and human death, living a little less than a century, leaving a rather light mark on history.

For all of our intelligence evidenced in communication and organization that sets us apart from animal species, we have our obvious liabilities. We are inventive in new forms of foolishness, and are often entrapped in new kinds of addictions. Our best moments are interrupted by disasters and tragedies of our own making, both on a national and a personal scale. 

What we have "in common" is our fallen humanity, which stands under condemnation. We may not be as bad as we could be, but we surely are not what we were made to be. We are in constant danger of sinking toward that "lowest common denominator," the worst rather than the best, and we do indeed suffer from "guilt by association." We all are born a part of the fellowship of the damned.

Partnership of the Redeemed

Jesus "partakes" of our humanity intentionally. He enters the world of men on purpose, in order that he might introduce a "new humanity" to a brotherhood of which he is the firstborn.

There is a difference in our passage between "fellowship" and "partnership" (partaking). We have no choice in our fellowship. Jesus did. He became a member of what we are by nature. He saddled himself with the limitations and liabilities of our condition. He purposefully sat at the table of those who were unlike him in so many ways, even though he had become like them in so many other ways.

You and I are summoned/invited to this partnership/membership by faith in Jesus Christ. It is not accidental. It is not inevitable. As Jesus entered into this relationship thoughtfully, so will you, or you won't. But he did.

Likenesses

Jesus became like us in all the necessary ways. And yet he remained unlike us in certain ways as well. He had to eat and sleep and work. But he never sinned. Like, and unlike. He reached deep into humanity through his humble service. He refrained from humanity's crudity and impurity. 

For those who are followers of Jesus Christ, we have a pattern to imitate. We reach out to men and women in this world, whether they know Jesus or not, by humble service. But we also refrain from the false worship and pursuits to which the world is addicted, thinking that this is all there is. And because we know Jesus, we know that it is not.

A Church Full Not of Pastors but Priests

True church renewal will require a change of thinking and attitude about several different issues. We have spoken to a couple of these already. Let's review. The church building is not the church, and therefore we cannot allow a building to be our primary visibility in our community. The people of our community must see Christ, and they will only see Christ in the worship and service of Christians. I do not mean primarily worship and service that take place at the address of the church building. I mean worship and service that take place throughout the week. What happens at the church building should only promote and encourage week-long worship and service. Tragically, we often fall into a kind of thinking that when the worship service and church activities that take place in the church building are concluded, then the worship and service of the people cease. This cannot be.

Also, since not only the Temple has been replaced, but also Temple activities, then we cannot continue to use "sacrifices" as a way to appease God or gain His favor. The wonder of the Gospel is that Christ has completely appeased God, and that, in Christ, we have all the favor of God that we need or could ever want. Our efforts in worship and service are not performed in order to gain forgiveness or favor, but they are instead responses to what God has graciously done for us, and what He has promised to do for us.

Now we need to think about who it is that worships and serves. The Biblical answer is: priests. But the startling revolution that has taken place with Christ is that all followers of Christ are priests. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are a priest, and you thus have the privileges and responsibilities of worship and service that were reserved for only Aaron and his sons in the Old Testament. Yes, the specific tasks have changed since there is now no central location and sacrifices are no longer offered. But that does not mean that worship and service have ceased. And you, believer and disciple, are a part of the priesthood.

We have to back up on our thinking about "full-time ministry." In our tradition, we usually think of pastors and missionaries. They are said to be "called" in a special sense, different from the way in which all Christians are called to follow Christ and serve him. One problem. This runs counter to the teaching of the New Testament on the priesthood of all believers. Let me instead say it this way: there is one calling for all Christians. There are different roles in which we may serve. But we are all priests, and "full-time" ministers are no more priests than are you.

One of the problems with this "full-time" phrase is that it implies that all other Christians are "part-time" priests. When would that be? When you are at the church building? That can't be. You are priests every day, and all the time. You are priests when you are with your families, and with your co-workers or fellow students. There is no time of the day when a priest is not a priest, just as there are no activities in which we engage that are not to be characterized by worship and service.

Now there are some particular qualifications for particular roles. Christians who serve as elders and deacons are subject to the character and skill qualifications spelled out in the Pastoral Epistles. But when a person is assigned to a role of pastor/elder, deacon or missionary, they are not all of a sudden elevated to the role of priest. They were priests all along, or else they were not Christians at all.

An implication of this is that pastors/elders, deacons, and missionaries should not be doing your priestly activities for you. When we do so, we are stealing aspects of your privilege and responsibility that are key aspects of your enjoyment of God and of your life that He has graced. The pastor should not pray your prayers for you, do your Bible study for you, worship God or fellowship with believers for you, witness to your neighbors for you, etc. He has a role, to teach God's Word and to provide loving spiritual oversight. But if he in any way inserts himself into your relationship as a priests, he is sinning in his role, and robbing you of your role.

This is a humbling statement for me. I've spent a long time in one place, doing whatever needs to be done. But often, "what needed to be done" needed to be done by a wide range of people, not an individual who desired to be indispensable and appreciated. I recognize that I, many times over, have done the easy thing: doing it myself, rather than leading individuals into the joy of priestly participation. I told you that this church renewal thing would be difficult. I'm afraid that it will be most difficult for me.

The painfully ironic point is that there is a special accountability for those who teach (James 3:1). But when a teacher behaves in a way that contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture (in this case, that all followers of Christ are priests, not just the pastor), then the teacher is actually guilty of false teaching. Perhaps he has not been guilty in what he has said. But we teach more loudly with our actions than with our words.

So, back to you, the priests. How will you worship and serve as a priest today? If I could use a template from the consecration of Aaron and his sons back in Exodus 29, I think we get some good starters to that question. Just remember, we are not re-establishing the old priesthood. But there are some points that carry over.

First, they were washed (Exodus 29:4). When Jesus washed the disciples feet (John 13), he distinguished two washings. Followers of Christ are already fundamentally clean by virtue of their relationship with him, the only, truly Righteous One. We are clean because of His cleanness. But there is also a maintenance washing, the washing of feet. Daily confession of sin and delighting in forgiveness is important preparation for priestly ministry. Again, this does not happen once. We benefit from checking ourselves in the mirror of the character of Christ over and over again.

Second, they were clothed in priestly garments (Exodus 29:5-6). And you must be clothed in Christ. This happens by faith in Christ, that you are covered and completed in him. It is not something that you do for yourself, but it is something that you need to remember and to think about. Note two things. First, being clothed in Christ means that your sins and your faults are covered. They are not invisible, but they are covered. So you need not wait to be perfect in order to serve. Priests are not former sinners. They are forgiven saints who are still sinners. Second, when you present yourself to your world, your are not presenting yourself so much as you are presenting Christ. You are not to win them with your words or your winsome personality, but with Christ and the character of Christ. Yes, this will include gracious words and personal warmth. But it is because you are clothed and covered with Christ.

Third, they were anointed with oil (Exodus 29:7). Priests are all those who make up the Body of Christ, and there are no members of the Body who have not received the Holy Spirit. We are to seek to be filled with this Spirit, to be oiled and greased by Him, that we can accomplish, not our work, but God's. Specifically ask God that He would so guide you by His Spirit that you would say what needs to be said, and that you would refrain from saying what should not be said. Ask the your attitude and your facial expressions would communicate what God wants, not what you feel. And remember, while this anointing was applied only to Aaron and his sons, every believer, young and old, male and female, without regard for race or education level or place in society - all minister by the Spirit as priests.

What a privilege, to live and interact with people as priests of the living God under the Headship of our loving Savior, our High Priest, Jesus Christ, and with the help and protection and enabling of His Spirit, who is with us at all times.

Saints and Sinners

Both of these have serious problems:

Saints who think they are no longer sinners.

Sinners who think they cannot become saints. 

The problem with saints who think they are no longer sinners is that they do not take sin seriously. In most cases, it is their own sin that they do not take seriously. They may in fact take the sins of others very seriously. They may be experts at pointing it out and pontificating on the seriousness of their (other peoples’) sins. But they either will not admit, or completely overlook their own sin. And that is a problem. Because we are all sinners. And one of the worst kind of sinner is the religious type who will not admit to or address their faults. They deserve the label “hypocrite,” and they do damage to the mission and ministry of the church.

The problem with sinners who think they could never be saints is that they do not understand grace sufficiently. They do not believe that God would ever willingly and lovingly involve Himself in a life like theirs. They may think they are beyond the reach of forgiveness, that they are unredeemable. They know that they don’t have the moral resources or will-power to raise themselves to the level of sainthood. But they also have not grasped how grace is purest when it reaches the lowest, and that it is truest when it helps the truly helpless, and that it is noblest when we cannot return the favor, but only receive God’s kindness as a gift.

We are at our best when we, as sinners, accept the gift of being saints. And we are at our best when we as saints do not forget that we are still sinners. 

The Weakness of Words; The Power of the Word

It is no revelation that pastors talk a lot. And having been a pastor for quite a long time, I want to tell you, words are weak. You’ve discovered it yourself. You have tried to tell someone something. And chances are, they would not listen. It seems at times that the more you tell them, the less likely they are to listen.

We must come to the conclusion that our words are weak. We cannot shape the hearts of our hearers, whether friends, foes, or families, merely by our words. They are like water off a duck’s back. They are like darts off a brick wall. It often seems like spitting into the wind, upwind. 

This does not mean that we should not speak. The truth should be verbalized by parents and friends and pastors, at the right time, in the right way, with the right attitude. And we will make mistakes. But we must try. Because to withhold the truth is cruel and deadly, even though sharing the truth carries no guarantee that it will be received with either gratefulness or responsiveness.

And a good part of the reason that we go ahead and speak the truth against all odds is because of “the power of the Word.” God is truth, and, as the old “Battle Hymn” says, “His truth is marching on.” Every once in a while, the powerful wind of His word catches the limp sail of our weak words and carries them home, deep into the heart that seemed to be locked against any good influence.

When God wills for His Word to penetrate, there is no defense against it. The water off the ducks back now changes the ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. Is there a free will? Yes, indeed, set free by God’s powerful Word from the stubbornness of ignorance and resistance, set free to hear and respond and love and live.

Adrift

Picture living on a great pond, often placid, sometimes stormy. What we know about this pond is that it is bordered by a waterfall. Everyone, eventually, goes over the waterfall. Most people try to avoid the waterfall for as long as possible. Some choose to play precariously on the edge, often paying the price. But as life goes on day by day, one could almost forget that the waterfall exists. Yes, we lose loved ones occasionally, but it happened to them, not to me.

Jesus came to earth, and in a short three years ticked off enough people that they threw him over the waterfall. He came with hopes and promises, and there truly was something deeply different about him. And he did not deserve to be killed. But over he went. and then he came back.

Jesus is forming a brotherhood (and sisters, too). Having defeated death, not just avoiding it, but defeating it, he leads. There is a direction, and there is a discipline to this direction. It can be hard, and painful at times, but he leads the way, our first leader, our Pioneer, upstream, against the flow. He leads us into lives that adamantly insist that this is not all there is. We proclaim that we exist, not for our own glory, but for God's. We refuse to live just for the service of self, but to love and serve others. We fail, often, and then begin again, assured by his forgiveness. We hope for a new creation in which there is no sin, but only righteousness and peace and joy (Romans 14:17) - God's righteousness and God's peace and God's joy, shared with His children through His Son and by His Spirit.

But here we are, back on the pond. And we find ourselves adrift, the very thing the author of Hebrews said not to do: "For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it" (Hebrews 2:1). He goes on and says in v. 3, "how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" And so here we are, adrift and neglectful. Too many of us are living as though this is all there there is. Too many of us are living for our own glory. Too many of us live primarily to serve ourselves, and we only serve others with the leftovers. Too many of us are trying to prove how good we are, rather than gladly accepting the forgiveness that we need. We are not hoping for a new creation, but are trying to make the best of it in this old creation. The only thing weaker than our fear of the impending waterfall is our hunger for God's righteousness and peace and joy.

But God has spoken in His Son (Hebrews 1:2), and Jesus still speaks. His testimony lives on, even as he speaks the truth because He is the Truth. And so words spoken long ago, in a different culture, in a different language, and in a different context - they are His words, and he speaks the truth to the band of brothers whom he is ferrying through this old creation, past the waterfall, to a new creation. And his testimony is this: "I will put my trust in Him" (Hebrews 2:13; Isaiah 8:17). 

Not Another Activity!

I have written recently about the problem of taking "old temple" sentiments and applying them to church buildings ("The Church's New Address"). So if the old Temple is gone, and if the church building should not be the focal point of the church's identity, then what has happened to old Temple activities? Maybe we just call them "church activities."

First, what were these Temple activities? Certainly the whole sacrificial system was central. But now, Christ offered Himself as the perfect and final sacrifice, so there is no more of that. Pilgrimage was a vital part of Israel's faith. Three times a year people would come from all corners to attend the major festivals in Jerusalem. But again, these have been fulfilled in different ways. Jesus is the Passover lamb. The Holy Spirit was poured on the new-born church at Pentecost following Jesus' ascension. The Feast of Booths may be fulfilled in part by the spread of missionaries carrying the Gospel around the world, and may look forward to the final harvest of God's people leading up to the Last Day. Nonetheless, we are not bound to make pilgrimages. You may certainly visit the "Holy Land" if you wish, and there may be benefit to that, but not in terms of satisfying God's law or expectations. Also, the teaching and study of the Law were common Temple and synagogue activities. Remember Jesus discussing the Law in the Temple as a boy (Luke 2:46,47). 

Let's think about this last point for a minute. How does our attention to Scripture change when it is the text for introducing a Person as opposed to delineating God's law? In the Old Covenant, the Law and the Prophets served to lay out God's claim on His people, and His expectations for them. Yes, it is a rich text, composed not only of law code, but also narrative and poetry that convey story and emotion. But now, in the New Covenant, Scripture functions much more as an introduction to a Person, Jesus Christ. Is that distinction being made clear in how we handle Scripture in our church gatherings? After all, in evangelical churches, the preaching of the Bible is the primary activity. Is the activity one of engendering love for Christ as opposed to setting up more and more expectations of what it means to be a "good Christian?" There may be a real problem here. 

Let's push farther. Church activities demand and depend on church fixtures. What about the pulpit? There is a great tradition throughout Church history for the place of the pulpit. But we do not know that Jesus ever preached from a pulpit. Nor Paul, or any of the other apostles. Yes, God's Word must be preached and taught. But how it is done must have in view its goal - to know and love and serve Jesus better. Yes, the "whole counsel" of God is needed. But the "whole counsel of God" points to Christ.

Maybe it's the difference between paying close attention to details, and reading between the lines. When I was engaged to my wife, we would trade letters back and forth on a daily basis (this was before texting and email). As I would read these love letters, I was not concerned about the details. But I read between the lines. Details might give me clues as to how I could measure up or meet her expectations. But I was already assured of her love for me. Yes, I wanted (and still want) to please her. But that is different from measuring up or meeting expectations. Reading between the lines is something altogether different. It is getting to know her, imagining her expressions and emotions, even as I read the words. The word serves to build the relationship, not define it. 

And in addition to pulpits, I am afraid that our pew alignments and sanctuary setups promote activities that may be more akin to temple activities than the true life of the church.

Acts 2:42 reads as follows: "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." This is a description of the new-born church, meeting so that they might know and follow the risen Lord as they are now led by the Spirit. We do not know where they met. It seemed not to matter. We do not know how they were organized or arranged. Even their schedules and calendars were secondary. But one thing is clear. They were not merely going through the motions of old temple activities. The were "devoted" to something new; something that was making a difference; something that they needed and wanted.

I know that Acts 2 was an unusual time. But the church itself is unusual. Heavenly light and power have broken through into the lives of these groups of people, meeting in local assemblies. And they just want to see and experience more. I do not believe that the old Temple activities were characterized by this kind of excitement and expectation. Nor do I find it in most of our church activities. Some things need to change.

Walk in the Light

Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. (Isaiah 2:5)

The most obvious problem with this statement is that of darkness. Jacob-like people like you and I who have a reputation for deceit and who are self-deceived, find ourselves time and again opting for darkness instead of light. We've been called to the light. We've been exposed to the light. We've been privileged and graced to see the difference between darkness and light. Why choose darkness?

Is it because we forget the light of the Lord? Is there so much darkness around us, that the darkness begins to appear normal, and the light seems like a distant star, real but irrelevant? Or is it because we love the darkness. We love the old pleasures; the old securities; the old fellowships. Have we fallen for the false promises of the near world, because they are so good at making it all look too good to be true? Oh, Esau! We are not better than you, trading away transcendent privileges for instant oatmeal. 

The light of the Lord. Is it the light that the Lord gives, or the light that the Lord is? It is probably both, since God is light, and He has purposed to reveal Himself. But let's not run to becoming experts on God's view of things before we pause and view God. He is, in Himself, light. He is holy, of a different order and nature than anything else that we know. Everything truly is darkness compared to Him. And so to walk in the light of the Lord is to begin to understand how God stands in relation to every aspect of my life - my pursuits and my imaginations and my tedious tasks. What is there about any of these that either basks in the light, or hides in the shadows?

But God is also gracious in that He gives light. We can actually exercise a kind of wise discernment that distinguishes between the better vs. the lesser; the valuable vs. cheap; light vs. darkness. We can catch glimpses of glory shining through the shadows, renewing hope that our kids, our hearts, our reactions can actually reflect heaven's light. Or, on the other hand, we can be amazing foolish, and willfully so.

Come, you who have the heart of Jacob and the will of Esau. Come, you sinner, no worse than me. Come think about God for a while. Turn off the TV or shut down the computer, and let the Spirit lift your mind to catch an eternal perspective. Bow and be humbled before a high and holy God who does not find it strange to share Himself with us. 

The Church's New Address

What is your church's address? If you attend church, you will probably tell me a street name where your church building is located. But that is not your church's address. 

The Temple in Jerusalem once had an address. But then Jesus came, superseded the temple, endured the following observations, and said this concerning its future: 

“And while some were talking about the temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts, He said, “As for these things which you are looking at, the days will come in which there will not be left one stone upon another which will not be torn down.”” (Luke 21:5–6 NAS95). 

And, unlike most people who made up the temple admiration society, I believe Jesus could have added, "and that will be a good thing." Our problem ever since the replacement of the Temple is this: we've consistently been tempted to go back; to recreate what was old as opposed to embracing what is new. No, I'm not in favor of blowing up or bulldozing church buildings. I'm neither a terrorist nor an arsonist. But our identification with church buildings has distorted the New Testament of the church.

God's temple, whether physical or spiritual, is where God meets with His people. That location is now "in Christ," and it takes place as the Spirit of God unites God's people with the risen and ascended Lord in spiritual relationship. To individuals, God says “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you,” (1 Corinthians 6:19 NAS95). This reference is singular, indicating that the individual Christian is, in a sense, a temple/meeting place with God. But in a larger sense, collected believers are a temple: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16 NAS95). This reference is plural, speaking to the collection of Christians at Corinth, as one chapter of a worldwide collection of believers who make up God's new temple. A tremendous summary of this "new temple" teaching is found in Ephesians 2, where unity and a dynamic energy are emphasized: 

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19–22 NAS95). 

Another summary, with implications relating to temple activities, is found in 1 Peter 2: 

“And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:4–5 NAS95).

So your church's address does not contain a street number or zip code. Your church building can be located with that information, but not your church proper; not your church/people; not those who by faith in Christ are united in one body to God through His Spirit. This church is constantly on the move, dynamic and vibrant. They are constantly in dozens of places, serving their Lord and sharing their faith.

Here are some implications:

1. Never again repeat the church growth mantra that the visibility of the building is critical to success. It is the visibility of Christ that is critical, and God did not design to display Christ in your church building, even if it is a historical cathedral or an architectural wonder.
2. Don't allow yourself to spend more time and money on the building than you do on those who are and who will be God's people. I am not saying that we should not have a building. God created us with physical bodies, and we need buildings of various types that provide shelter. I am saying, if you spend more dollars and energy on the building than you do on the people, then something needs to change immediately.
3. God's people cannot be identified primarily by who shows up in your building on any given Sunday. There may be many of God's people who don't honor the building with their presence. Maybe they are somewhere honoring God instead. Further, there are probably people in your building who faithfully wear out pew covers who are not God's people. The Bible certainly gives us serious indicators of who is a child of God. Church attendance is not a serious indicator. Fellowship is. Enduring one my sermons is not. Encouragement and exhortation are essential. But God did not ordain Sundays at 11, at this address, in that building. 
4. Stop asking, "How can we get them to come?" Start asking, "To whom will we go?" We gather, somewhere, for prayer and teaching and fellowship, but we scatter for service and evangelism. If we creatively invite them to our building so that we can serve them and evangelize them, and then if they creatively decline, we cannot say that we've done our best. It is not our church building and location that have failed us. It is we who have failed our Master.

I am thankful for our church building. 

• But I dislike how it defines us. 

I am thankful for the comfort and the convenience of our structure. 

• But I regret that we expect the building to be a lighthouse for our community, when it ought to be Christians representing Christ. 

I am thankful for the simple beauty and functionality of our building. 

• But I know something is wrong when we are more animated by maintenance issues than by missional concerns. 

It's nice to have a location and a schedule. 

• I hate that we have become so predictable.

From a Glass Half-Empty to Overflowing

I have the gift of seeing what's wrong with things. It's actually a curse, or part of it. But it's true, there is something wrong with most everything. Why? Because we live in a less-than-perfect world. Let's be honest.

To make things worse, we live in a world filled with self-important people who are dedicated to telling us how wonderful they are, or how wonderful their products are. They populate the most coveted positions of business and politics, areas of influence in educational institutions, and sometimes the house next door. They consistently hide the truth from us about their limitations and shortcomings. I call them liars.
In a less-than-perfect world, it would be good to limit the hyperbole, the exaggeration. It just is not believable. It makes people not want to listen to anyone. Tone it down. Tell the truth, the whole truth. And just so you know, I do the same thing. I often fail see what's wrong in me. I have way too high an opinion of myself.

But the point of this essay is this: there is a Person about whom we can talk concerning whom hyperbole is impossible. There is a Subject of which it would be unthinkable to exaggerate. The Person is Jesus, and the Subject is the Salvation which He introduces.

There is nothing wrong with Jesus. He is perfect. He has never done anything imperfect. He defines perfection. And the salvation that He introduces to this world is complete and perfect, so much so that we cannot imagine it. Our minds, which are less-than-perfect, cannot conceive of such perfection. 1 Corinthians 2:9 quotes loosely from Isaiah 64, and describes "Things which eye has not seen and hear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him."

So here is my confession: the person who can see what is wrong with most everything (other than in himself) does not give nearly enough credit to God for doing everything right. No, not just right. He does all things magnificently, wondrously, and with absolute perfection. We cannot think thoughts too exceedingly high, nor speak words too exceptionally noble, of this God and His Son, Jesus Christ, or of the wonders of His plan and design.

Who is Breaking Your Heart?

No one? Really? No one at all? Then I'm afraid that you are not involved in ministry.

You may be a busy, productive person. You may be social and friendly and well-connected. But that is not the same as ministry.

You may be part of a church, and you may actually be busy and active in that faith community. But nonetheless, if no one is breaking your heart, I suspect that you are not involved in ministry.

Ministry is defined by loving relationships with sinners for the sake of the Savior. And every time that you truly love a sinner, and you come up against the stubbornness of sin, it breaks your heart. Oh, it will make you mad. And at times you will become self-righteous. But, as you come to your senses, that you remember that you yourself are a sinner as well, it will break your heart.

So if you are doing all sorts of good things, but your heart is not broken, humbly repent of the protective cocoon into which you have crawled. And come on out here, where the sinners are. Love them, for the sake of Christ.

Blessed Trinity

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”
(2 Corinthians 13:14 NAS95)

The subject of the Trinity in Scripture is not so much taught as inferred. As we read through the pages of God’s unfolding drama of redemption, we see the Three Persons of the Trinity in communication and cooperation with one another. Centuries of reflection on the biblical testimony have agreed that these Three Persons are equal, and yet they have differing roles. Here we are, finite persons, our only field of experience being relationships between finite humans, seeking to explain relationships between infinite Persons. Our minds and language are inadequate, but it is nonetheless part of our worship. We are humbled and overwhelmed as we approach this subject.

So it is with humility, and a little embarrassment that I offer this illustration of the Trinity. Think of a paint color chart; a gallon of paint, and a paintbrush.

In the mind of the Father exists the most beautiful color ever conceived. Its beauty is beyond anything we have ever seen. We do not know its name.

The Father was pleased to “show off” this divine color in the context of His creation. He sent the Son, the manifestation of this heavenly beauty, now visible to men, and given a name, Jesus.

But paint in a can is not the intended end result of what God desires. The Spirit now applies this heavenly beauty that has come to earth in substance to the lives of those who have come into relationship with God through Jesus Christ. They are changed and covered, so that they resemble more and more the hue of heaven as opposed to the grimy grayness of earth.

So to know God, know Jesus. And to know Jesus, accept Him, that His Spirit might apply His beauty to your life.

Make No Provision for the Flesh (Romans 13:14)

Sin doesn’t just reach out and grab us. We set the table for it. In strange and seductive ways, we actually send the invitation. And when sin shows up, we hypocritically cry, “how did it get in?”, and “I sinned against my will!”

Romans 13:11-14 is a summary of practical material that begins at the beginning of chapter 12. Therefore, the phrase “make no provision for the flesh” is linked to the powerful, general thoughts of Romans 12: 1,2: “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice;” and, “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12, in turn, reaches back to the teaching of Romans 6, where we are warned about “presenting” our members and “bodies” as instruments of sin. So way back in Romans 6 we find hints that you and I are involved in setting the table for sin, even before we commit the sin.

So go back with me to those closing verses of Romans 13, and let’s look at the context of this phrase. First, in v.11, we find that the need to take a different view and approach to how we live our lives is urgent. Do it now. The opportunities are fewer than ever before. Then Paul introduces the metaphor of day and night, light and darkness. We know what belongs to which. Even children know. Don’t play games here. Don’t get into your “adult” rationalizations and reasonings. You know what is right, and you know what is wrong. What are you willing to bring out in the daylight, for God and your family and your friends to see and know?

Put on the armor of light. Full disclosure. No secrets. No hidden agendas. No furtive plans. No escapism. No covert operations. No pet relationships. The armor of light means that I tell the truth about myself. I am a sinner. I am weak here and here and here. I admire Christ because of this and this and this. I want to devote all my thoughts and imaginations and conversations and passions to Him.

Verse 13 gives us three sets of two: “not in carousing and drunkenness;” “not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality;” “not in strife and jealousy.” The flesh wants an experience (the first duplet). But now, child of the day, your experience is found in Christ, not in the party scene, the speed scene, the amusement scene, the adventure scene. Yes, God graciously gives many experiences in his glorious creation, but all under the experience of knowing and walking with Christ. The flesh also wants a relationship (2nd duplet). It wants to be loved and appreciated, and treated with tenderness and affection. We need to understand and affirm that Jesus is our primary relationship. Yes, God gives other relationships and fellowships. But none are to rival or compete with your primary relationship with Christ. And third, the flesh wants victory (3rd duplet). It wants to get the last word, and to make him/her hurt more than you. It wants to leave a lasting mark that will testify that you are a person with whom to be reckoned. But now you know that Jesus is your victory. And that is why so much of the material between the opening of Romans 12 and the closing of Romans 13 talks in plain and practical detail about how to serve others. Because you do not need to triumph over them. Jesus is your victory.

So, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”

Don’t send the invitation, and do not set the table. The hunger and craving that you feel, make plans now to fill it with the fellowship of Christ. Expose your secret plans that try to satisfy your soul with the wild experience, or the dangerous relationship, or the vengeful act. Ruthlessly examine your plans. Remove the tools of your duplicity. Recognize what tools of technology have been placed more in service of the flesh than the spirit. Ask about every relationship, whether you are more attracted by and to the flesh than to the mind and soul. And, is it right? Or, does it smell? And if it feels so good to turn over in your mind, or to say, then don’t think it or say it. You are probably thinking and saying things much more for you than for the other.

Get out of the shadows. Live in the light. Put on Christ, the armor of light.

That’s Not My Job

OK, so it’s a silly little word play. We’re not talking about a task, but a person. But you will get the point.

“that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.” (Job 1:1 NAS95)

This verse refers to a man named Job (in the Old Testament, right before Psalms), and it also describes Jesus. I wonder to what extent it would, or could, apply to me.

I did a series some time ago on Jonah and Jesus. I concluded that I was much more like Jonah than Jesus. But this one is different. Job starts out, out of the gate, with very high credentials. I’d like to spend a few moments on each, for my benefit, - maybe for someone else’s as well.

“Blameless” is translated in KJV as “perfect.” It has the sense, not of flawlessness, but rather, of completion. Job was complete in his makeup, and in the dedication of the totality of that makeup, to God.

Job was not half a man. He was not one of those “men without chests” described by C.S. Lewis. He was not one of those “little-souled” men, as Jesus called his disciples on more than one occasion (translated “men of little faith”). Job was not big on talk and little in action. He was not merely a man of good intentions, lacking in follow-through. He was not compartmentalized, so that he could be holy in one corner of his life, and perverse in another.

And Jesus was also blameless, and even more so. No void. No shadows. No secrets. No regrets. He was, and is, complete. As I walk in fellowship with Jesus, I must find the He is not tolerant of tolerated inconsistency. We must identify and attack areas of life that display less than whole-hearted discipleship.

“Upright” means straight. Job knew what he was about, and he was not distracted from that high road. Jesus also knew His mission. And His mission was not merely a task, but a life lived in fellowship with God, and in fulfilling God’s will, no matter what it cost Him personally.

I am easily distracted. I pursue goals that prove not to be worth the time and effort. My latest “great idea” collects tarnish in a hurry. There is a back room full of them. I am also easily discouraged, lacking the fortitude to pursue godly behaviors and pursuits through the gauntlet of difficulties and disciplines needed to accomplish something worthwhile, by God’s grace and enablement. But Job, and Jesus, even more so, walked a straight path of fellowship with God and fulfillment of His will for their lives.

Job feared God. Many of the details of Jobs life are lost in the fog of ancient history. God has given us all the details that we need. But one of the mistakes we often make (I read this recently in Chesterton) is that if it happened a long time ago, then, because of progress, we conclude that it was different for them. In this case, I struggle with people-pleasing, but Job probably didn’t have that problem, because, why would you bother trying to impress primitive men? It must have been easier for Job to fear God than for me. Rubbish. God was large in Job’s mind and heart, and He is far too small in mine. And Jesus, even more so, displayed a rock-solid understanding of God’s size and sovereignty. I have a deep need to read my Bible slowly, and to take what it says about God (and other things) literally, that is, as though it is really true.

Finally, Job turned away from evil. He did not walk in the counsel of the gody, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful (Psalm 1). He did not play games with sin, or flirt with temptation. Job was a man who could tell himself “No!” and mean it. And I, and you, must do the same.

So far, this Job isn’t my Job. But I would like him to be. But Jesus, though I fall far short, is indeed my Jesus, because He gave Himself for me in order that I can become like Job, and even more so, like Jesus.