Should a Christian Smoke Pot?
Many will say, "what's the big deal?" After all, heroes of the faith past and present smoke cigars and pipes recreationally. Charles Spurgeon's love of cigars is so well documented tobacco companies used his name and story to sell them! What's the difference between enjoying tobacco, which is an acceptable drug, and enjoying marijuana, which is on its way to being an acceptable drug? What about the other acceptable "drugs" consumed on a daily basis by faithful men and women across the globe: alcohol and caffeine. If you can consume wine and beer responsibly, can't you do the same with pot? Still others will say, the Bible doesn't say it is wrong or right, and is a decision for each individual to make on their own. Finally, others will respond to this by simply saying, "It's just wrong, you obviously shouldn't smoke pot!" These are honest responses to this question. They also fall short of examining closely the issue at hand and the breadth of scripture.
Before we get into an argument, it's important to clarify what we are pursuing. As believers and followers of Jesus, our goal is just that: to grow in trust and obedience to Jesus. Our actions should be the ones that help us know God more deeply and be conformed to his image. Our question should be, does smoking marijuana help us in our pursuit of holiness? Does marijuana grow our faith, our worship, or missional efforts? Does it hinder us? Or, is it simply neutral? I believe the Scriptures offer us four guiding principles that should influence our decision to "just say no" or smoke. While scripture does not explicitly mention marijuana, it certainly isn’t silent on this issue.
Christians are Called to Submission
The Christian life is synonymous with submission: to Christ as Lord, to one another, to church leadership, and to government authorities. One always wants to take great care to follow first and foremost the law of the Lord rather than manmade laws (cf. Col 2:20-21). However, it is clear from scripture that the Lord intends for man to live in a peaceful, ordered way. Governments and other structures of authority are a normative means through which order is achieved. Authority is not inherently evil. We even see evidence of this in the trinitarian nature of God himself (Mat 26:39). The first of our guiding principles is that the Christian is clearly called to obey the laws of the land in which he lives, the authority structure under which he find himself as a natural result of living in God’s world. When the law of the land explicitly proscribes use of marijuana, even if it is culturally acceptable, the only ethical choice for the follower of Jesus is to submit to the authorities. In this submission you are baring the image of Christ, who submitted fully to the Father and the authorities.
It is the Christian’s duty to obey those in authority over him (Westminster Larger Catechism, 124). In the church-state nexus of the ancient Israelite community, the connection was extremely easy to see between obedience to God and submission to state law. They were one and the same. However, we see similar commands also given in the New Testament, which was written during a time when the situation was quite different. Romans 13:1-7 calls Christians to “be subject to the governing authorities,” and that “those [that] exist have been instituted by God.” This is particularly remarkable considering Paul wrote this in a time when Nero, who was notoriously cruel to Christians, was in power. First Peter 2:13-14 similarly commands, “Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.” Peter goes on to explain that an important part of the life and ministry of the Christian has to do with the way they submit to authority, even in harsh situations involving suffering.
For a Christian who finds himself in the situation in which he is living in a state where use of marijuana is illegal, it would be disobedient to Christ to disobey the law. Disregarding the authority of the local government is disregarding our Lord, Jesus. Most believers would agree with this. But what about the places where it is legal, we can indulge? Is it "to each his own" in Washington and Colorado?
Drunkenness is Unambiguously Prohibited in Scripture
Scientific data in regard to the effects of marijuana on the user are notoriously varied. At times it seems like advocates for marijuana are discussing an altogether different drug than those who oppose it (see Alison Mack and Janet Joy's work for the Institute of Medicine, Marijuana as Medicine? the Science Beyond the Controversy). For the sake of this discussion, we will assume that using marijuana produces an intoxicating effect in the user that is comparable to drunkenness. I acknowledge in advance that this statement is an unfortunate oversimplification, but for the purposes of this article it serves us well. The short scope of this article does not permit an in-depth look into the nuances and effects of various types of marijuana consumption. However, a clear link can be made between the overconsumption of alcohol and drug use. One large difference between the two is that one can consume alcohol without becoming drunk. Recreational marijuana, on the other hand, is used for the explicit purpose of getting “high.” So, we are not comparing marijuana to alcohol, but rather we are comparing marijuana to drunkenness.
Both the Old Testament and New Testament strictly forbid drinking too much or intoxication. Wine is first mentioned in Genesis when Noah produces it after the great flood subsides. In Genesis 9:21 we see Noah’s abuse of alcohol leading to a shameful incident with his son, Ham. Noah then curses Ham, whose son is Canaan, leading to the Canaanite people whose existence is a perpetual burden to the people of God throughout the Old Testament. No explicit imperative against drunkenness is given here, but the arch of the story teaches the powerful lesson that drunkenness leads to profound disobedience and curses. Additionally, throughout the Old Testament, drunkenness is associated with men of ungodly character (Lev 10:1-11; Sam 25:36; 1Kgs 16:9; 20:16). Proverbs 20:1 clearly explains, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.”
In the New Testament Paul repeatedly teaches against drunkenness (1Cor 11:21; Eph 5:18; 1Tim 3:8). In Revelation, drunkenness is typical of the nations that are far from God (Rev 17:2; 18:3). In Galatians 5:19-21, one of the “deeds of the flesh” listed by Paul is sorcery. The Greek word is φαρμακεία, the etymological root of our English word, “pharmacy.” Drugs were often used as part of the spells of those who practiced this kind of sorcery. This sorcery, and drug use, is presented in direct opposition to living according to the fruit of the Spirit.
Apart from merely forbidding drunkenness, the word of God lifts up a certain type of life that is hard to achieve if you are drunk or high. We are called to be “sober-minded” (2Tim 4:5) and able to take care of our families (1Tim 5:8). Marijuana has been shown to stunt brain development, hinder social ambition, and commonly leads to depression and schizophrenia. Living in a fallen world is hard enough. Submitting ourselves to the effects of marijuana make it extremely difficult to simply do good. To contrast this, the Christian is to, “not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it” (Prov 3:27). Submitting oneself to the effects of drunkenness and marijuana make this impossible.
Ultimately we see that, no matter what our situation, the Christian is to live life by walking in the Spirit, controlled by no other substance (Eph 5:18). This is how we are to become the kind of people God has called us to be and you can't do that while being drunk or high.
Physical Health is Connected to Proper Worship
God has called humanity to be stewards of his creation. This includes our bodies. The Christian’s world is not one that is strictly spiritual. Howard A. Snyder explains, “Spirit and matter are not two different worlds...They are interlaced dimensions of the one world God created in its entirely and intends to redeem, save, liberate and heal in its entirety.” Christ came in the flesh in part to rescue and redeem our bodies (Rom 8:23). The Lord is intimately concerned with not only our souls but also with our physical bodies. Therefore, the choices we make with our bodies either honor and worship the Lord, or they do not.
Smoking marijuana leads to thousands of hospitalizations in the US every year. It has been known to cause cancer, cognitive and behavioral impairment, and increased risk of psychosis, among other harmful effects. (You can read more about these studies here). It additionally leads to fatal “drunk” driving car accidents and countless deaths caused by the black market system that is often used to deliver the drugs to users. Thousands of deaths a year are caused globally due to the criminal market for narcotics. While marijuana may not be as addictive as other substances, it has still been shown that 9% of people who try it do in fact become addicted. It has been argued that addiction can divide the self of the Christian and increase the difficulty in the battle against sin in daily life (see Christopher C. H. Cook, Alcohol, Addiction and Christian Ethics). The addictive nature of the drug should raise a red flag for us, especially in light of Paul’s words, “I will not be enslaved by anything” (1 Cor 6:12). The Lord, lover and creator of all life, is grieved when any of his people would make decisions that may harm the physical life of himself or others.
In addition to introducing physical harm to the body, smoking marijuana can lead one to idolatry. Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 6:19: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.” In the context of sexual immorality here, he explains that when one sins with his body he commits an act of false worship. He explains the same can be said of the misuse of food in Philippians 3:19 where for some enemies of Christ, “their god is their belly.” Here worship of what one eats is directly opposed to worship of Christ. It is clear that the Lord considers what we do with our bodies an act of worship. This truth, should give the Christian even further cause to abstain.
Is marijuana God’s best design for our bodies? At best, marijuana may harm one’s health, and at worst its use could lead to death and idolatry. We want our existence to be one that honors the Lord our God to the fullest extent. In regard to how we treat our physical bodies, it is difficult to imagine a scenario in which it would be normative to needlessly introduce harmful practices and habits like recreational marijuana smoking.
Our Relationships with Others
As worshipers of Jesus, we follow in his example to lay down our lives for the sake of others (John 15:13; Eph 5:25). So, it should not surprise us that scripture recommends we exercise great care and caution in regard to the consumption of all things controversial. This is especially true when relationships with other believers are in view. In such scenarios, the unity of the community and the health of relationships is stressed over and above the personal pleasure of the individual. In Paul’s discourse in Romans 14 we see that we should undoubtedly consider how our consumption of these controversial items might cause a fellow Christian to sin. While one person may be able to smoke in a non-sinful way, seeing him may cause a weaker brother to fall into using marijuana in a sinful way. Consideration of the effect on others must play a role in what a Christian decides to eat, drink, and smoke.
Christians are also called to consider the views and opinions of those who don't believe. We are to love everyone as a neighbor (Luke 10:25-37). As worshipers of the Lord, we are called to represent him to the world. Both the Old and New Testament refers to the people of God as a kingdom of priests (Ex 19; Rev 1:6). This is a high calling and demands a certain amount of examination of our public life. Christ tells us, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Mat 5:16). I make no attempt to argue the validity of these associations, but the fact that they exist in the perception of many North Americans is undeniable: marijuana is commonly associated with laziness, lack of ambition, and the shirking of responsibility. We are called to attract people to Christ, not repel them. As a people, we are to “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks [us] for a reason for the hope that is in [us]” (1Pet 3:15). It is hard to believe that someone would be attracted to our hope while we are under the influence of marijuana. It is perhaps even harder to imagine that while under this influence a Christian would truly be able to make a winsome, compelling defense of this hope. The opinions of others is not the sole factor in our ethical decision-making process, but it is clear, from scripture, that one’s neighbor should be an important element in the equation. Does smoking marijuana, in any meaningful sense, advance the mission of making disciples?
Just Say No
Is anything in the life of the Christian to be lost by, “just saying no?” What does a Christian lose by abstaining from this recreational drug? After taking a genuine look at these four principles, it is hard to imagine a scenario where the Christian could ethically make recreational use of marijuana. If you are still not convinced, I would ask: why is it important to you? If you cannot answer
Using marijuana raises a complex variety of familial, legal, medical, religious, societal, and ethical issues, and this article is far from comprehensive. Certainly more work needs to be done to answer the flow of fresh questions that continues to rush in from those inside and outside the church. For the time being, marijuana is still illegal in most areas in the Unites States, and the Christian is called to fidelity to this governmental authority. The abuse of alcohol, and the ensuing effects, are treated as a great hindrance to the life of the believer throughout Scripture, and it is safe to place marijuana use in this same category. As stewards of our bodies and protectors of life, we should refrain from using any drug that clearly leads to bad health and addiction. And finally, we must remember to consider others greater than ourselves (Phil 2:3). In many cases smoking marijuana will cause the Christian to fall short in his calling to love his neighbors, both inside and outside the church.
The goal of the Christian life is to know, love, and worship our Lord and Savior. As an extension of his own good character, the Lord has graciously given us the Bible so that we would know how to love and worship him. The many questions surrounding marijuana use in the life of the Christian can be boiled down into one simpler issue: “Does doing this help me worship the Lord?” According to the principles listed here, it simply does not.
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Joe Congdon is part of a church planting being sent to Tokyo, Japan with Mission to the World. He is finishing his MDiv at Covenant Seminary in St. Louis, where he lives with his wife and two kids. When he is not thinking through issues of art, missiology, and theology, he loves spending time at home with his family. Follow their efforts at RestoreJapan.com and on Twitter @JoeToTheWorld
Praying For Bad Things to Happen To Bad People
When was the last time you were mad at someone? I mean really mad? Mad enough to pray that God would do something terrible to them? As I read my news feeder this morning articles about the trial of an abortionist in Philadelphia occupied the bandwidth of my iPad. From exposure, to trial details, to commentary on the issues at hand the Gosnell murder trial was front and center. As I read the details of the trial a very sinister and unsanitized thought entered my head. "Maybe they will find him guilty and snip his spine at the base of his neck like he did to all those babies... or worse!" As soon as it was tracking through my frontal lobe though, I felt guilt. How awful that I would think some sort of thought like that towards this man. My Christian upbringing has taught me to reject thoughts like that as vengeful, angry, and wrong. I deserve wrath just as much as Gosnell does. I deserve death for my sin just as deeply as he does. Thinking like that has no place in the mind of a Christian. Or does it? Psalm 137 has long been an intriguing and difficult passage for me to handle. What place does a song that ends with "dash their babies heads against the rocks" have in the Bible? It sounds so vengeful, so vitriol, so wrong. How did a song that elevates the death and vengeance of another people come to be in the Bible, be considered "Christian," or even inspired Scripture? Maybe the problem isn't with the Bible. Maybe the problem is with our view of justice and the place of praying prayers that ask for God to pummel our enemies into dust.
The Imprecatory Category
Within the Psalms themselves we find more than just one example of expressions like Psalm 137. Some have categorized these unique Psalms into a category of prayer labeled "imprecatory Psalms." As C.S. Lewis states in, Reflections on the Psalms: "In some of the Psalms the spirit of hatred which strikes us in the face is like the heat from a furnace mouth." These Psalms are ones in which an appeal to God is made to curse, destroy, or remove an enemy of the writer. They are pleas for vengeance, justice, and equity for the downtrodden.
The problem with this category of Psalm is that it doesn't seem to fit with the other parts of Scripture. How can we pray things like Psalm 109 prays?
Let his years be few; let someone else take his position. May his children become fatherless, and his wife a widow. May his children wander as beggars and be driven from their ruined homes. May creditors seize his entire estate, and strangers take all he has earned. Let no one be kind to him; let no one pity his fatherless children. - Psalm 109:8-12, NLT.
If we’re humble to the Scriptures then, functionally we have to put this category of imprecatory prayers within our Christian lives. If we are going to submit ourselves to the Scripture in every part and believe what the Bible says, then we have to figure out how this kind of prayer fits our lives. The Psalms themselves were collected and used as a worship songbook for the nation of Israel. Psalm 137, as one of the songs of Ascents, was probably recited as the Jews went up to Jerusalem for the annual festivals. Jesus himself most likely recited this Psalm on his way to Jerusalem for one of the Passover Feasts he observed. But can you even imagine the words "Blessed be the one who dashes their babies heads against the rocks" coming out of Jesus' mouth?
A Tolerant Unimprecatory World
It may sound trite to say that our world has stripped the Biblical notions of justice, vengeance and righteous anger from just about anywhere. To look at a person who has deeply sinned against us and pray to God "Let no one be kind to him" is categorically mean. Our tolerance of people who would even pray like this even further diminished. Didn't Jesus himself say, "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44)? Praying that they have a very difficult time of things in life however doesn't seem to equate with loving your enemy.
Let's face it, the only people our world allows us to be intolerant with are intolerant people. It doesn't fit with the cultural Zeitgeist of our times. Even at its core praying that God strikes down people opposed to us doesn't feel loving. It doesn't feel Christian. Functionally many Christians have just removed these sorts of passages from their Bibles altogether. Worse yet is that we have ignored and forgotten this sort of thing is even in the Bible. The question is are we listening to culture more than we are listening to our Bibles on this issue? Is there room for prayers and songs such as these?
One of the reasons we struggle to pray things like this is because we struggle, culturally, with the concept of justice. More specifically, we have lost the categories of right and wrong. And yet, we all know it is there. The families of the victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting categorically understand “right” and “wrong”. The recent Boston Marathon bombing and aftermath spoke to us, collectively, as a “wrong” event. Immediately after the capture of the suspected bomber the Boston police department tweeted “justice has won.” Yet without a category of right and wrong, good and evil, the concept of justice falls down everywhere. Justice in its essence means good for the righteous and evil for the wicked. If there is no real rights and no real wrongs in this world, and everything is left as a cultural preference in our society, then justice itself is a construct we can also do away with. Hitler, Stalin, Gosnell, bin Laden, and every rapist, murderer, pedophile, and terrorist should go free and be left alone to their own devices.
Our hearts, internally, don’t leave us with that option. In our hearts, regardless of how relative and tolerant we are, we desire justice. We want right to be right, and the wrong to be wrong. Especially if we are wronged. We want justice.
For this very reason God’s justice comes to us as a welcome relief. God’s justice tells us that he will do the right thing, for the right people, in the right way, at the right time. Justice for God speaks of all his perfections coming to bear on his creation in beautiful exactness. The Scriptures so clearly affirm that God is just, and will always be just. As Abraham attempted to negotiate with God for the safety of the city of Sodom on behalf of the righteous inhabitants there he called forth God’s justice and stated, “Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” (Genesis 18:25, NLT). The tension for us is that we often wonder where God’s justice is. We want justice now. We want blood today. We want punishment and vengeance to fall upon the guilty against us at this very moment. Wrong must be punished; right must be honored.
Entrusting The Means To God
One of the reasons that I appreciate the imprecatory Psalms so much is that they give me a legitimate means by which to express frustration with God about the injustice of this world. They give me a category and an outlet to help me deal with both persons and circumstances of injustice, immorality. They put me in my place and give God the rightful place he has as Lord over all.
When we look at the Imprecatory Psalms we see that the Psalmist isn't just praying ill will on others, and then going out and carrying that ill will out himself. The Psalmist is expressing himself to God in need. He is saying, "God things are so bad here right now because of this, will you enact vengeance upon them because of their wickedness." There is an air of release in praying these things. In appealing to God to act in this way the Psalmist is giving themselves and the outcome over to God. They are entrusting themselves to a faithful Creator. This doesn't mean God, at that moment will do as the person has prayed. It means that the responsibility of setting things straight is put into the hands of the rightful authority.
For many the idea of praying about vengeance and justice is a foreign notion, because we don't want to be mean about it to others. However, God gives us that means as a matter of faith. When I pray about the difficult situations or people in my sphere of life, or the world at large, I am asking God to take control. I am relinquishing my right to stand as judge, jury and executioner and giving that mantle to God.
Vengeance Is Mine, Says the Lord
Often times I think I don't allow myself to pray in these ways because I doubt God will deal with it. I doubt that he will actually act justly, and so I hope that someone else will do it. As soon as I had my thought about Kermit Gosnell I despaired. In my mind I played out the thoughts that the judge would go lenient on him, that he'd get off on a technicality, and that he'd walk free, even lauded, in our society. My despair was brought on by the fact that I had forgotten about the justice of God. I was hoping that someone, somewhere would give this "monster" his due.
Only God can do that rightly. Only God can bring vengeance down upon us because of our sins. With the imprecatory category I can now pray "let his years be few" and stop worrying about whether God will do it full justice. He is fully just. His action will be right and adequate. The end of the Scripture story is very clear, God will bring full, precise, wise justice upon all those who oppose God and his ways. The angels sing “Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!” (Revelation 16:5–6, ESV). God will give to everyone what they deserve. Justice will be served.
However, for some this justice has already been served. This makes our prayer for justice a tension filled one. For in praying these sorts of things it might so happen in a different manner. The vengeance that God might pour out against wickedness might have already been secured. On the cross Jesus bore the full weight of God's justice and wrath for those who believe. In Jesus violent murder, an unjust and evil act in itself, the righteous justice of God was performed. Jesus as our substitute stood in our place and took our penalty, God’s wrath, for our sins. As I pray for vengeance upon my enemies and wicked people God’s answer might result in the person hearing and receiving the gospel news and believing fully in Jesus. In that case justice has been served. Christ has stood in their place, he has taken their penalty, he has absorbed the full weight of the wrath of God and the vengeance of God has been applied. The offending sinner has been given a clean slate. The question is am I okay with God's mercy and justice in this situation? Will I entrust myself to him to do what he deems best with each and every individual?
Maybe the real problem with our prayers for justice is that we are afraid of God being just, and answering with mercy towards the sinner. It is in the case that we need to repent of our arrogance and self-righteousness. Were we not the ones that were rebellious and wicked and offensive to God as well? Did we not deserve death for our sins? Did not Christ take our punishment himself? Maybe we don’t understand God’s justice.
Pray Boldly
Maybe our faith and prayers are too weak. We don't pray boldly enough for both the justice and mercy of God. Maybe we are missing a means of gospel transformation in our own lives by not taking up the Psalms and praying those words to God. This includes the feelgood "The Lord is my shepherd" (Psalm 23) type Psalms as well as the "may they perish at the rebuke of your face" (Psalm 80) imprecatory prayers.
We ought to pray the entire Psalter, both highs and lows and in so doing let the actions of justice, grace, vengeance, mercy and hope be given over to God, who is faithful and true. Let's pray boldly and let's entrust ourselves to God who pours out his perfect justice at the cross, and will do so again at the Final Judgement. It will make us more compassionate, more bold, and better equipped to deal with hard statements in the Scriptures.
Jeremy Writebol is the Executive Director of GCD. He is the husband of Stephanie and father of Allison and Ethan. He serves as the lead campus pastor of Woodside Bible Church in Plymouth, MI. He is also an author and contributor to several GCD Books including everPresent and Make, Mature, Multiply. He writes personally at jwritebol.net. You can read all of Jeremy’s articles for GCD here.
What is the Gospel?
When you think about words that are used, abused and highly misunderstood in our culture today, one word in particular rises to the top. It is the word love. We use the word love in our culture to describe our thoughts and feelings for just about anything and everything.
A person wakes up in the morning and quickly jumps into the shower. As the warm water runs over their head, they say to themselves, “I love warm showers.” Then they make their way into the kitchen for a cup of coffee and as they sip the coffee, they say out loud with a smile, “I love coffee in the morning.” They leave their house saying to their spouse and children, “I love you, have a great day.” They pray on their way to work and end the prayer by saying, “I love you God.” When they get in the office, they scan their Facebook account, because the night before they posted a new status update. They wonder how many people liked their post. Today, was a good day. Several people from all across the country not only liked their post, but made multiple comments. As they reclined in their chair they look over at a co-worker and say, “I love facebook.”
If you put all this together, in less than 2 hours this person has declared their love for warm showers, coffee in the morning, their spouse and children, God himself, and facebook. And so it is not wonder when it comes to the subject of love, we are often confused, using it carelessly with little thought.
I would submit to you that what has happened in our culture when it comes to the word love has also happened in our local churches and in the larger landscape of Christianity when it comes to the word gospel. Just like the word love, we use the word gospel at times freely and careless, rarely asking and answering the question, “what is the gospel?”
I can still remember, three years ago sitting at my desk, reflecting on my life and leadership, successes and failures and asking myself this question, “Shawn, do you really understand the gospel?” It is a strange and vulnerable question for a person to ask who has a been a follower of Jesus for twenty years, has a graduate degree in theology, teaches at a Christian college and pastors a growing church. Yet, I am convinced it is easy, as a followers of Jesus, to let our hearts and minds drift on autopilot and think we understand the gospel, but do we really? Can we communicate the gospel to friends and family with confidence and clarity? Can those in our immediate family and church family communicate the gospel with confidence and clarity?
It was on that day that I started a journey to absorb everything I could on the subject of the gospel. I approached the question, “what is the gospel?” with fresh eyes and an open heart. I wanted to be awakened again to the radical scandalous grace of God and refreshed by his ferocious love. All of this happened and more.
THE GOSPEL IN SCRIPTURE
In the New Testament, the word gospel first appears in Mark. It is here, inspired by the Holy Spirit, that Mark shares his overall purpose and point of writing: “The beginning of the good news (which in Greek is the word gospel) about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).
Then thirteen verses later, we find Jesus preaching and proclaiming to those in Galilee. What does he proclaim? He proclaims the gospel.
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news! - Mark 1:14-15.
At the end of the Matthew, we find Jesus saying this gospel, will be proclaimed to the entire world.
And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. - Matthew 24:14
When you exit out of the gospel writers and enter into the writings of Paul, we find that he is unashamed of the gospel and believes it has life changing power.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. - Romans 1:16
Not only does Paul believe this gospel has life changing power, but he also encourages those in the church of Corinth to stand in the truth of the gospel.
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand. - 1 Corinthians 15:1 ESV
Then Paul goes on to say that the gospel is active and growing, not something that is passive and stagnant.
Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth. - Colossians 1:5-6
THE GOSPEL IN HISTORY
As you can see the word gospel is mentioned throughout scripture in various ways and in various settings. Yet, the question still remains, “What is the gospel?”
The word gospel in english find it roots in the greek word, “euangélion.” The word euangélion literally mean “news that brings great joy.” When we hear the word gospel in today’s Christian culture our minds and hearts immediately run to the spiritual implications, but in the first century most minds and hearts would race to the political and historical implications. For those living in the time of Jesus, the word gospel was used to refer to life altering, history making, world shaping news.
BATTLE OF MARATHON
An example of this can be seen in the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. when Greece was invaded by Persia. The Persians thought this would be an easy and effortless victory, but the Greeks would prove them wrong. They would not only fight back, but successful defeated the Persians. After the battle was won, Greece sent heralds or evangelists out to proclaim the good news or gospel of their victory to the surrounding cities.
Gerhard Kittel, the German protestant professor who wrote a well known and widely used book titled, “The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament” writes the following description of the Battle of Marathon.
“The messenger appears, raises a big right hand in greeting and calls out with a loud voice… By his appearance it is known already that he brings good news. His face shines, his spear is decked with laurel, his head is crowned, he swings a branch of palms and joy fills the city.” Kittel, Theological Dictionary of the NT, Vol. 2, p. 722)
Kittel describes a scene of someone bringing life altering, history making, world shaping news of great joy. It is not something that is happening, it is something that has happened.
CAESAR AUGUSTUS AND GOSPEL
If we continue this historical plight, we find that the very word of Mark would have connected in the minds of his readers in profound ways. For what Mark says about Jesus is the exact phrase attributed to Caesar Augustus. An inscription that was discovered from the first century reads, “The beginning of the gospel of Caesar Augustus” (Priene 105.40).
When it was first inscribed it carried with it the message of life altering, history making, world changing news that Caesar Augustus was on the throne. The point that is being made and reinforced that this is good news, joyful news worth celebrating and rejoicing over. At least from the perspective of the Romans.
When the word gospel is being used in the New Testament it is clearly referring to the life altering, history making, world shaping news about Jesus and his Kingdom. It communicates something has happened in history and as a result the world will never be the same. The gospel of Jesus is good news about a conquering king and battle won.
WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT THE GOSPEL
As I continued on my journey, I took the time to research how other pastors and theologians answered the question, “what is the gospel?” Here are some of the answers that stood out to me.
Tim Keller in his book, “The King and The Cross” writes: “A gospel is an announcement of something that has happened in history, something that has been done for you, that changes your status forever. It is not good advice, it is good news.”
Martin Luther in his book, “Basic Theology” writes: “The gospel is a story about Christ, God’s and David’s son, who died and was raised, and is established as Lord. This is the gospel in a nutshell.”
Alistair Begg in his book, “Keep Me Near the Cross” writes: “Here’s the gospel in a phrase. Because Christ died for us, those who trust in him may know that their guilt has been pardoned once and for all. What will we have to say before the bar of God’s judgment? Only one thing. Christ died in my place. That’s the gospel.”
N.T. Wright in an article for Christianity Today writes: “The gospel is the royal announcement that the crucified and risen Jesus, who died for our sins and rose again according to the Scriptures, has been enthroned as the true Lord of the world. When this gospel is preached, God calls people to salvation, out of sheer grace, leading them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as the risen Lord.”
Scot McKnight in his book, “Embracing Grace” writes: “The gospel is the work of God to restore humans to union with God and communion with others, in the context of a community, for the good of others and the world.”
John Piper in an interview on the gospel states: “The Gospel is the news that Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, died for our sins and rose again, eternally triumphant over all his enemies, so that there is now no condemnation for those who believe, but only everlasting joy.”
THE GOSPEL IN MY OWN WORDS
After tracing the word gospel through scripture, looking at if from a historical perspective and then learning from pastors and theologians, I would like to share with you how I define the gospel. In one sentence, I would define the gospel as the good news of Jesus and His Kingdom. If you gave me three sentences, I would define the gospel in this way:
The gospel is the good news that God who is holy and just, looked with grace and mercy on our sin, and in His great love sent His Son to proclaim and establish His Kingdom. Jesus came to sacrificially and selflessly die for us so that, by His death, resurrection and power, we could receive new and eternal life. It is through Jesus that sin is forgiven, people are reconciled to God, and the world will one day be made new.
If you had three sentences, how would you define the gospel?
As I reflect on my journey, I have learned that the gospel is never something you outgrow or grow beyond. Instead as a follower of Jesus you continue to grow each year into a richer, deeper, fuller understanding of the gospel. It fuels our faith, shapes our prayers, directs our ministry and reminds us of our worth and God’s spectacular glory!
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Shawn Kennedy is a part of the Lead Pastoral Team at Existence Church. He is the co-author of Kingdom Come: A Gospel-Centered Guide to Discipleship.You can follow him on Twitter or Facebook or visit Kingdom Come Discipleship. Shawn has a passion for helping people become gospel-centered followers of Jesus who love God, love others and make disciples to the glory of God.
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What happens when we forget the meaning and power of the gospel? Luma Simms explores in Gospel Amnesia.
Fighting Satan through the Character of Christ
Paul’s story is well documented. He was a killer of Christians and an adamant opponent their faith (Acts 8:1-3). Later, as a man saved by God’s grace, he constantly urged believers to turn away from their old lives and to press into their new natures in Christ. He did not harp on rules and regulations, but rather exhorted them to look to Christ for their reason for living. As a hate-monger transformed into a humble servant, Paul knew the benefit of receiving and offering Christ’s compassion. Few passages in the New Testament describe the character of Christ as a weapon against Satan’s work as clearly as Ephesians 4:25-32. In this passage, Paul makes a very clear assertion to believers: Christians are freed through the sacrifice of Christ, by the power of the Spirit, to reflect him and deflect Satan.
Speak Truth (v. 25)
Paul states, “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, forwe are members one of another.” In short, he is telling his audience to be honest with one another. He does not issue this warning against lying in order to be seen as righteous to outsiders or to prevent themselves from consequences later on; rather, Paul says that Christians should speak the truth because they are one body.
The word for “members” in the Greek, mele, literally means “a bodily organ or limb,” giving the metaphor that Christians are plainly, not just figuratively, connected as flesh and bone members of a body. It is indispensable for believers to understand that, in a sense, they should treat each other how they themselves want to be treated. If a believer lies to a brother, he is simply sinning against every other Christian and, essentially, himself. Paul carries this thought from verse 24 in which he tells believers to “put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Although Christians will always struggle with Satan’s temptation to speak falsely until the moment of death, they become new creations in Christ with the ability to walk in a manner that reflects the likeness of God himself.
Control Anger (vv. 26-27)
The passage continues expanding on the statements made in previous verses, saying, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, andgive no opportunity to the devil.” These two verses combine to explain that such characteristics belong to the devil and not to God. Anger in and of itself is not a sin when exercised appropriately. Even Christ, who did not sin (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15), was angry (without sinning) as he rebuked the “money-changers” in the temple (Matt. 21:12-13). When Christians act in such a way that they are representing Satan’s lies and not Christ’s model, they are in danger of, or already participating in, sin. Francis Foulkes clarifies, “The Christian must be sure that his anger is that of righteous indignation, and not just an expression of personal provocation or wounded pride. It must have no sinful motives, nor be allowed to lead to sin in any way.”
Christians are a new creation with a new attitude and a new power to overcome the traps of Satan. Given the opportunity to hold a grudge, the Christian must turn away from their anger and forgive immediately. If “the sun goes down” on a person’s anger, it will continually eat them alive, just as Satan has planned. Satan is a powerful trickster, looking for and providing any avenue for a person to give into temptation and give him a place to work. The gospel affords the opportunity to escape such traps.
Be Generous (v. 28)
For the Christian, there is a new outlook on the idea of giving and receiving: “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, sothat he may have something to share with anyone in need.” Once given this new life in Christ, a person is called to view their possessions differently. Once a thief, the new believer must work honestly for their income and turn it into a gift.
One only needs to look at the life and ministry of Jesus to see that servanthood is the paramount trait of a holy person. Christ was and is God who stepped into human history and lived a perfect, sinless life. As an eternal king, he had no true reason to be humble or to serve anyone, but he did. He gave all of himself in order that Christians might have a life more than they ever imagined (John 10:10-11). Though Satan makes selfishness appealing, the humble character of Christ cannot be overlooked by anyone seeking to model themselves after him. Dishonest gain may often be the easy route to travel, but believers are commissioned to take the road less traveled.
Show Grace (v. 29)
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Here, believers are told not to speak in such a way that someone will be hurt or pushed away by their words. Satan will use biting words to attempt to destroy not only the body of Christ, but relationships they have with others.
It is often the case that society judges Christians based upon their actions. The world is not merely looking for a show, but an authentic lifestyle that promotes goodness. While it is rather easy for the Christian to settle into moralistic behavior modification in order to attempt at pleasing Christ and appearing righteous to the around him, the new man cannot stop there; he must act in sincere concern for those looking to him for answers on Christ.
Any person can modify behavior, but a true disciple of Christ lives with a transformed heart that sees other human beings as lost souls in need of Christ’s redemption. Satan will try to distract believers from the Great Commission, but this must be fought against. There is no escaping the call to love others as Christ does.
Do Not Grieve the Spirit (v. 30)
Paul advises Christians: “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day ofredemption.” This is a simple caution with huge implications. When sinning, one must remember that their sin is not only damaging to others; it’s an affront to God.
The Holy Spirit is God, the third person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit may sometimes be under appreciated and overlooked by many Christians, but the he is the actual person of God dwelling within the Christian. As the Holy Spirit dwells in the believer, he is rightly and justly saddened and angered by the direct disregard for his holy standard. When the Christian sins, it is not to be forgotten that the holy and righteous God of the universe takes full notice. God is not a distant being, floating in the outskirts of creation; God is an active and living being dwelling in and standing beside each person every day of their existence with full knowledge of their transgressions against him. John Calvin once exhorted Christians to “endeavor that the Holy Spirit may dwell cheerfully within you, as in a pleasant and joyful dwelling, and give him no occasion for grief.”
Christians should give thanks for the seal of redemption (Eph. 1:13-14) given to them by God through Christ on the Roman cross. It is in him and him alone that the old man dies and the new man is raised to new life. This new life holds the promise of eternal liberation, while Satan only offers bondage and destruction.
Attitude Matters (v. 31)
Paul collects all wrong attitudes together in one verse, telling his audience to “let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” Though surely a problem in the church that Paul is writing to, any and all Christians can attest to struggling with these very things. As a Christian, this desire does not simply disappear on the day of new life. There is still constant battle within the soul of a Christian to do what is right and holy when Satan’s temptation seems to be the correct – or at least easier – way to handle the negative situation.
The simple response for the Christian is to ignore a person who wrongs them by “turning the other cheek.” This is true and virtuous. However, with the power of the Holy Spirit within the believer, there is far more power over sin than merely walking away or pretending that an offense didn’t occur. A new creation in Christ has every resource imaginable to actively pursue radical forgiveness and grace. The act of loving an enemy is far and above the call of mere forgiveness. After all, even a non-believer with no supernatural power at all can turn away from a person who insults, attacks, or demeans them. God promises something better; he promises “a way of escape” for believers (1 Cor. 10:13).
Be Kind and Forgiving (v. 32)
Paul concludes the passage with this statement: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Believers are called to such a lifestyle because they are new creations with a new heart, first forgiven by God so that they may show grace to the world. The selfish Christian is a contradiction; no one set free from sin can simultaneously be a captive to it. Paul is entirely clear in verse 24 that there is no such thing as a Christian that lives as he once did.
A major facet of the gospel is that having the inclination to continue sinning does not grant a person the excuse to maintain the same pattern of living. In describing a new creation in Christ, Paul uses the adjectives “kind,” “tenderhearted,” and “forgiving.” These are not natural dispositions of the natural human being; these are supernatural reactions to the broken mess of creation.
Saved For a Purpose
Paul says in Romans 5:14 that Christianity is foundationally void and useless if Christ did not resurrect from the dead after his crucifixion. For the Christian, this has massive connotations. If Christ did not rise, he did not conquer death and in turn conquered death on behalf of anyone else. If Christ was not raised, his forgiveness would mean absolutely nothing. Believers cannot understate the grace that must be shown to others in response to the magnificent and unbelievable power exemplified in Jesus Christ. The final words of a risen Savior are not comforting promises of eternity, but an insistence on being light in the midst of darkness (Matt. 28:18-20).
Surely, God’s will is not aimed entirely at the Christian going to Heaven, but rather for his people to represent him well and live according to his immutable standard. Christians have an obligation to love God and love others well precisely because of the cross. The character of Christ is at the forefront of the Christian witness to a lost world. Satan cannot match this weapon because, as Jesus proclaims, not even the Gates of Hell can stop his Church (Matt. 16:18).
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Brandon Smith is Editor of Project TGM, Pastoral Resident at CityView Church, and a freelance writer. He lives in Grapevine, Texas where he and his wife Christa are expecting their first little bundle of joy. Connect with him on Twitter: @BrandonSmith85.
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Read more on this topic in the e-book, Proclaiming Jesus, by Tony Merida.
Walking Through Doubt
I met with a Christian-turned-skeptic friend recently who asked, “Does anyone ever really believe?” After listening to more of the questions and the struggles he faced in the Christian life, I understood why he would ask this question. A few weeks later, I began to doubt God more acutely than I ever had before. I felt as if there was no end to my fight against sin. I was running the race of faith in circles rather than progressing toward the finish line. I felt as if my search for a job was becoming futile. Dead ends were everywhere I turned. I began to feel as if my education was a waste of time, energy, and money. Had I misinterpreted God’s call on my life a long time ago? I felt as if God had set me up to fail. What if he did set me up to fail? What if God set everyone up to fail, beginning with Adam and Eve?
This is the place my doubt took root. Like Adam after eating the forbidden fruit, I shifted the blame to God. I said in my heart: “If you had not created this world, I would not be in such a mess.” I simply did not want to believe in a god who would create a world with people made in his image, knowing beforehand they would rebel against him. I did not want to believe in a god who would want me and everyone else in this world to suffer or at least to struggle in some degree or another. I didn’t want to believe in this kind of god. This is the heart of atheism, or any other -ism which essentially rejects the God of the Bible.
Kinds of Doubt
People experience various kinds of doubt. One is neutral, when someone temporarily suspends their presently held beliefs, for serious, careful, and honest re-examination. Another kind of doubt is caused by shock or surprise, ending either in joy, mockery, or desire for further consideration (Matt. 28:17; Acts 17:32-34). Yet, a third kind of doubt is caused by suffering or disappointment. It can either lead someone toward God or away from God. I was experiencing this third kind of doubt.
When we speak of doubt, we often unconsciously place doubt in the intellectual category, and unbelief in the spiritual category. For example, during my doubt, I questioned God's purpose for creating the world he knew would go bad. At the same time, I was dealing with unbelief. I struggled to believe God’s promise that he was working everything out for my good (Rom. 8:28).
We often equate doubt with issues of the head and unbelief with issues of the heart. Or, doubt is provoked by intellectual questions while unbelief is provoked by personal questions. My doubts originated from a personal struggle not an intellectual struggle. Yet my personal struggle influenced my intellectual struggle.
Lessons from Doubt
During the days of my doubt, many things were happening inside of me. I felt as if someone had hijacked my head and my heart. Dead to the God I once loved and believed in. However, through this season of doubt I learned the following:
Doubt never (or rarely) arrives at your doorstep carrying only intellectual baggage. We are complex holistic creatures, whose faith and doubt are shaped by various influences: personal (emotional, intellectual, physical, circumstantial, spiritual, familial), cultural, and social. My doubt was largely influenced by the burnout I was feeling after six years in seminary. “Part of burnout is losing track of your purpose. Now you’re working harder and harder, faster and faster for that which is seemingly more and more meaningless,” says Jeff Van Duzer. Somewhere along the way I lost track of my purpose. I lost sight of my identity first of all as a follower of Christ, second as a husband, and third as a seminary student. My seminary studies were becoming "seemingly more and more meaningless," as I was not working out what I was learning on a regular, consistent basis. I found that just as life without Christ is meaningless, the Christian life without discipleship is absurd.
Doubt is often necessary to experience and healthy to face during certain seasons of life. An unexamined faith is not worth believing. And during this season of life, I felt as if the Lord was bringing my wife and me through a certain wilderness. What was God's purpose for his doubting people when he brought them through the wilderness? No less than to humble them, test them to know what was in their heart, whether they would keep his commandments or not, make them know they must not live by bread alone but also by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord, provide for their every need, discipline them, and do them good in the end (Deut. 8). And just as the waning faith of God's people was being tested on their journey toward the promised land, so also I was pressed to examine the holes in my faith.
Satan is against God, me, and all my relationships. He knows that if he can destroy my faith, he will certainly undermine most everything else God is doing in me and through me, affecting everyone I know. Since I believe there are various kinds of doubt, I do not believe Satan is necessarily a direct cause of some. However, we should not extract him from the equation too quickly. In my case of doubt, I believe Satan played an essential part. Just as Satan planted a deceitful question in the ear of Eve (Gen. 3:1), so also he provoked my heart to ask: "What if God set me up to fail?" This is a deeply personal question, affecting my faith both emotionally and intellectually.
God was using these doubts to awaken my soul in the following ways:
- To check the pulse of my own personal-existential faith. Have I been attempting to drop meaning into my life and faith through a variety of means other than Christ, or is Christ the substance and reason for my existence?
- To ask why my faith doesn’t feel as it should (yes, spiritually and emotionally). How is my life not in accord with the gospel and the life Jesus calls me to live?
- To ask what I am not seeing and/or hearing as I read and reflect on God’s word, in order that I would obey him. Along with this, what idols am I clinging to that are keeping me from following Jesus wholeheartedly?
I had to confess. I had to open my heart of unbelief to my community and invite them to listen well and lovingly speak truth to me. I told my friend, Ian, these questions I was asking along with my acknowledgments. But I then added, “This is the closest I have ever been to walking away from the Lord. Please pray for me, so that I don’t continue in this unbelief--that as the writer to the Hebrews says, will lead me to fall away from the living God.” If Satan was attempting to lead my doubting heart away from the Lord, I knew that prayer on my behalf was probably the most important thing I could ask for.
I knew that if anyone could ultimately help me walk through my doubt, Jesus could. I knew I must confess my doubts, disagreements, and unbelief to him. “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Although faith and doubt live together in this statement, they should not stay together. Yet, this simple confession itself evidences a flicker of faith, a sign of hope. Jesus is a friend of doubters. Indeed, he ate and drank with them. Jesus died and rose from the dead for doubters like you and me.
Athenian Skepticism
Yet, I still attempted to search out passages of Scripture to back up my case against God. The first that came to mind was Acts 17:26, from Paul’s address to the Athenians: “And [God] made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and boundaries of their dwelling place...”
“See, Lord," I thought, "You placed me where I am. In this world, this nation, this state, this city, this situation...”
Then I continued reading the passage: “...that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us” (17:27).
And I stopped in my tracks. I had read this passage countless times before, but probably not with such Athenian skepticism. Then God, through Paul’s message hit me with hope. God’s own hope.
I thought, "God, you placed me right where I am right now, in this situation, this city, this state, this nation, and this world, so that I would seek you and find you...even in the midst of my doubt. This is unbelievably good news."
As I walked through my valley of doubt, I acknowledged Tim Keller’s recommendation to “doubt your doubts.” Yet, I realized it was much easier to doubt my affirmations than it was to doubt my doubts. I learned that in order to doubt my doubts, I had to double over in humility and confess that God is God and I am not.
And while thinking through my question of “Why would God create a world with future rebellion and suffering in mind?”, I finally acknowledged that:
- I am not God.
- God can do whatever he wants.
- All that God does is good, even those things I don’t understand or agree with.
- God also had a solution in mind--the sacrifice of his own beloved Son.
- His Son rose from the dead to defeat such rebellion, and to finally make all things new--even me and you.
- Jesus sent me and you to tell fellow rebels and sufferers of his incomparable love.
- Unless we tell them and demonstrate such love with our lives, they will continue to live a perfectly rebellious life, suffering alone without God.
Seeing Through Doubt
During previous periods of doubt, I had taken up the banner of “I believe in order that I may understand” (originating from Augustine and Hebrews 11:3). Simply put, this confession has not merely relieved my doubts, but has helped me work in faith through doubt unto a more robust, reasonable faith.
This time around, I had to explore more deeply. What sort of belief is it through which I understand? Is it a “blind faith”? No. Rather, the only faith through which we understand is a seeing faith. Not with the eyes of the head, but with the eyes of the heart. We see examples of this sort of faith all throughout Scripture. For example:
Now in putting everything in subjection to [the Son], [God] left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone (Heb. 2:8-9).
What do you see during times of doubt, anxiety, or depression? Do you only see your circumstances as if they are in constant disarray? Or, looking through your circumstances, do you see the suffering Son, who by God's grace tasted death on your behalf? Looking through your doubt, do you see King Jesus who righteously orders all things for your good both now and in the end?
Contrary to the lies I was believing, God was not playing games with me. God's story of creation, fall, redemption, renewal, is no game.
Returning to my friend’s question: “Does anyone ever really believe?” I answered, “Everyone always believes in something.” If I turn from believing in the Lord, I simultaneously turn in faith toward something or someone else.
Yes, but does anyone ever really believe the gospel--that Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead to defeat sin, death, and evil, and is making all things new, even us? The question is whether or not anyone's life is 100% consistent with his or her confession. The answer is no. If our lives exemplified perfect consistency with our faith, we wouldn't need Jesus. We do need Jesus. In both the depths of our doubts and the shallowness of our faith, we look to Jesus, who alone is the founder and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2).
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JT Caldwell is a disciple, husband, writer, editor, and student. JT helped start www.GospelCenteredDiscipleship.com. He lives in Austin, Texas and is part of City Life Church. Follow on Twitter: @JT_Caldwell.
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For more articles on doubts, read Jonathan Dodson's article: Questioning the Gospel.
Your Language Matters
We believe in a God who “spoke” the world into existence (Genesis 1:3). This truth is a constant reminder that words and language have power to create. James compared the tongue to a rudder that steers ships, a bit that guides a horse, and even a spark that can start a fire (James 3:3-6). Clearly, God is serious about our words. Scripture is consistent in its call to us to encourage and build up with our words, praise the Lord with our words, and let truth be what our words form. There is much to write and talk about when it comes to glorifying God with our words. But for this post I want to focus on how our words can create a culture and, sometimes, unintentionally create one that is the exact opposite of that which we are trying.
How Language Hurts Missional Culture
For instance, the phrase “go to church” seems so harmless, and anytime we are corrected that we don’t go to church, we are the church, it can be easy to brush it off as nitpicky or prideful. And sometimes it is! But the reality is that this little phrase can be a big deal if used over time. The phrase insinuates that church is an event to attend rather than the adopted family of God. This little phrase can and has helped create generations of Christians that are sitting on the sidelines just viewing Christianity instead of being catalyzed to get in the game and be the church. If I am the church, that changes everything. I am a living being that is a part of a living thing that God created – the church. Now I have to figure out how this living thing is to live and participate in its life. Language is not the only culprit or the only answer, but it can assist us in creating a people who see the church as God’s people not as God’s event. This difference is worth humbly and consistently fighting for, and our language can help this.
Another issue consistently coming up in the church is getting God’s people to see there smaller church community as a day-to-day, life-on-life community instead of something on the mid-week calendar. People are always saying things like, “How was your community group?” or “Which community do you go to?” Not bad questions. But if our goal is to have our smaller community be a family of God’s servants doing life and mission together, then we want to use language that constantly reminds people of that truth. If you talk as if your communities only exist once a week, your community will believe it only exists once a week.
In addition, we love to use acronyms for everything. Unfortunately, you get new people wondering, “What in the world is the MC? Or GG? And why it is conflicting with Sarah’s DNA?” And it just makes everyone wonder WWJD in this situation. If you have insider and outsider languages, you will have insiders and outsiders. If joining your church requires a glossary, you’re using poor language.
Our language can easily isolate or train people to believe God is calling them to set aside one day or evening instead of setting aside their entire lives. We don’t want to confuse those two!
Correcting Language
There are a few ways to combat our poor language. One is to constantly explain your church’s language - what it is and what it isn’t. Try to minimize acronyms, and if you use them be ready to explain them. Constantly be sharing what God created this community to be and have explanations in your announcements, literature, and website.
For instance, instead of announcing that your church’s missional communities meet on Wednesday night, announce that you have missional communities and explain what those are. You might say something like, “We believe the church is a big family made up of smaller families, and these smaller families meet throughout the week as missional communities. A missional community, or MC, is a small family of God that is participating with God to bring the good news of Jesus to our city. You can meet with so-and-so about joining a family for a meal this Wednesday night.” Yes, it will make announcements a bit longer, but it is a teaching moment for new people and a reminder for others that MC’s are not meant to simply be a weekly potluck. It is worth restating this over and over as we are so prone to forget!
Never assume that people know what you are talking about or what your church’s language means but always explain everything. If you are calling your whole church to be “missionaries,” explain that you mean all of God’s people are missionaries in all of life and that you don’t mean to imply that the whole church should move into a hut in Papua New Guinea this next week – unless you want them to all move to a hut in Papua New Guinea, then have them do that. I don’t even know if Papua New Guinea has huts, but I digress. Minimalize church lingo. Inevitably you will have some, so go out of your way to explain it as often as possible. This goes a long way in making outsiders, newcomers, and unbelievers feel like they belong.
Another helpful language tool is to begin referring to the community as just that and the meeting as a “community meeting.” This way people will begin asking, “How was your MCM or missional community meeting?” They might ask, “How was your small group’s dinner?” This helps reiterate that your small groups eat dinner together but are much more than just that one meal. Constantly differentiate between what your community is and what it does by using different language for both. We are a “community group,” and we have “weekly community outings.” This will take time to create, but it will catch on. People will recognize the difference, and visitors and unbelievers will begin to sense that something is different too!
Think through what you are trying to accomplish on Sunday’s and what to call that. There is a difference between a service and a gathering. A Sunday service conveys that this is something here to serve you and for you to consume, which isn’t bad if this is what you are going for. A gathering, though, creates a posture that this is something in which you participate. In the Soma family, we try to be very intentional about inviting God’s people to participate in God’s work. We use the term “gathering” to help create this culture. A gathering can help facilitate the belief that we are the church, and we are gathering together on a Sunday, rather than the church being a service that we attend.
We expect God’s people to gather together to serve, worship, and build up one another so they can then be sent out to do the same in the world.
Preachers and teachers should be especially considerate with the language they use. It can be very easy to slip into using a bunch of doctrinal terms, Greek words, and bible character references as if everyone knows who or what you are talking about. I remember growing up with a leader named Paul, and he was always saying, “Paul said this” or “Paul wrote that.” I always thought he was talking about himself in the first person, and I was very confused. Telling people who Paul is, even briefly, adds so much to his writing. You could say something like, “This dude, Paul, was essentially a terrorist who killed Christians until he met Jesus.” One quick sentence can end a lot of confusion and allow the listener to engage more with the content of the message rather than trying to figure out the characters or writers.
Many doctrinal terms can be explained with a mere sentence or two, allowing the listener to learn and understand this doctrinal language rather than being lost with every term. Try to never use Greek or Hebrew words, unless absolutely necessary, as we want to teach in the language of our listeners. We don’t need to preach our homework but rather the good news message that God has given us. Being sloppy by thinking that everyone knows what we are talking about is assuming too much and will isolate the unbeliever or new believer, creating missed opportunities to share the gospel with the lost or help the new believer grow in maturity. Let us be considerate and take the extra time to explain every doctrinal term and use language that is common to our context and culture. This is the very art of teaching, is it not?
Lazy Language with the Gospel
I have caught myself often being sloppy with the gospel. Even we gospel-centered disciple makers can be lazy and hear of people’s sins and issues and toss out a quick, “You just need to believe the gospel.” We can take this precious word and toss it around, abuse, overuse, and mishandle it until it loses its meaning. This has already happened as many think “gospel” is simply a genre of music and others a denomination or theological camp. The gospel is not just a word; it is good news. Don’t just tell people to believe the gospel but tell them what this “good news” is. Pray through what aspect of the gospel they may need to hear. Do they need a reminder of the good news of the forgiveness won for them on the cross? Do they need a reminder of the good news that Jesus is alive and will return one day to make all things new? Maybe they feel hopeless to beat sin and need to hear the good news that Jesus sent the Spirit to dwell in us. Explaining the good news of the gospel is powerful for everyone who speaks and hears it!
Additionally, use God’s Word to show these truths. God’s Word is rich with explanations of the good news and is our best tool for revealing all that Christ accomplished for us on the cross. Use God’s Word to explain the gospel, and others will start looking to God’s Word on their own to understand the gospel!
For instance, if someone is struggling with guilt and shame and scared to confess their sins, I might take them to John 3 to illustrate how Jesus came not to condemn the world but to save it. God’s Word says we were condemned already. I would explain the good news that Jesus knows their sin, came to rescue them, and that his blood washes their sin away. I would encourage them be sharing that Christ died for them while they were still sinners, so they are free to confess their sin and walk away from it. A conversation like this, with prayer and scripture, is more powerful than simply saying, “You just need to believe the gospel.”
Language is a gift. Let us use it wisely and intentionally to create a culture that encourages and builds up generations to love and serve Jesus as his church!
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Jake Chambers (@JakeJayChambers) is a member of Jesus’ bride - the church. He is the husband to his beautiful bride Lindsey, and a daddy to his boy Ezra. Jake is passionate about seeing the gospel both transform lives and create communities that love Jesus, the city, and the lost. He currently serves Red Door Church through leading, preaching, equipping, and pastoring. You can read more of his writing at reddoorlife.tv.
Not Only Spirit Filled, But Also Spirit Controlled
Why are Christians so unkind to one another and the world? Why do we criticize, degrade, and dismiss? Why do we act like jerks? I have experienced the sting of Christian criticism many times as I’ve posted Scripture or encouragements online. I’m sure you’ve experienced this, too. Christians critique my use of the Bible and correct my theological positions. This happens so frequently on Twitter, there is now a hashtag, #JesusJuked, for Christians who use Scripture as a correction-weapon to tell others how they are wrong. This isn't cool and this isn't classy. Nowhere in the Bible has God given us license to treat each other like jerks.
If we continue to pridefully announce our objections to everything, we will soon lose credibility to speak the truth of the gospel. We will be known for our desire to be right and prove others wrong, instead of being known for our love for one another. The world will not believe our points about God's love when they are delivered with disrespect and pride. Some Christians have been so busy trying to make their argumentative points, they have lost the opportunity to make a difference. It’s that kind of non-Spirit-led, fleshly preaching that turns people from the gospel everyday.
Again, why do we act with such pride and arrogance toward one another?
At the root, we are relying on our own intellect, ego, and proven arguments instead of Christ. We are prideful and think we can get people to see the truth in our own strength. We trust our smarts and wit more than Christ. With our eyes on our selves, we miss others and the gospel.
A Matter of Control
Today, we have access to the Holy Spirit's power to control our lives. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live with “gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15) and be “the aroma of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:15) to the world around us. God has commanded us to walk and live by the Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23
Scripture tells us "when the Holy Spirit controls our lives," we will have certain characteristics that demonstrate his character. Through our words and actions people should see certain aspects of God’s character: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. If we are speaking out of bitterness, anger, frustration, fear, we are not being controlled by the Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit are the picture of what it looks like to follow Jesus. If our actions do not display these fruits, we aren’t being controlled by the Spirit.
We often get confused into thinking our frustrations and bitterness are actually righteous obedience. The reality is, however, the righteous acts are those of peace, patience, and kindness.When we aren't patient with our unbelieving neighbor and his journey with faith, we are not living by the Spirit. When we lose our temper when our co-worker asks another hard question, we are not living by the Spirit. However, when pursue peace among those quarreling in the office, we are living by the Spirit. When we sacrifice our Saturday to help our neighbor with their yard-work, we are living by the Spirit. As the Spirit controls our lives, we become a better picture of God's character and the gospel.
We not only need to live Spirit-filled lives, but also Spirit-controlled lives. If you don't know if your actions or words are from the Spirit, ask: Is this statement done out of joy? Done out of love? Done out of gentleness? Done out of kindness? If the answers are no, it’s not of the Spirit.
A Better Way called Grace
Make no mistake. We are called, as Christians, to persuade others towards the gospel. It is one of our main responsibilities. Paul says: “Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this too” (2 Corinthians 5:11). We are to share the message of grace.
I’ve been asking myself a question lately, and it has been wrecking my heart: “How is the world supposed to see the grace of God if the people of God are not gracious?”
The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction. - Proverbs 16:21
The writer of the proverb is saying: "Gracious words make a person persuasive." It is not our arguments or our tight-doctrine that make us persuasive to people, it is the graciousness, love, and joy that only comes from a Christ-filled and Spirit-controlled life. If we walk in step with the Spirit and exhibit these characteristics to a world thirsty for grace, who wouldn’t want to be around us?
When we are gracious, we introduce a little more of the character of God to the world. God, more than anyone, has the right to banish us, to speak ill of us, to expose our heart’s motives, to reveal how wrong we are, and yet God is gracious. He doesn’t critique, jab, or JesusJuke his children.
The gospel shows us that God is not running after us to smite us, but to save us. "God so loved the world,” and “God did not come to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3:16-17). God lavishes us with grace.
The gospel is not our work, our rules, or our religious structure. It’s the news that Christ has come, died, and rose again for the sake of us sinners. God wants to reconcile people to himself and he’s given everything in His Son to reconcile people to himself. God has done it all for us and that is grace. That’s the gospel the world needs to hear. It’s this simple proclamation and the hearing of this good news that transforms the human heart.
This gospel preached graciously does something profound to the human heart. When we talk about who Jesus was, and what He did, and His great love and gracious covering for our sin - God takes it and drives it supernaturally into the human heart, and the Holy Spirit draws people into faith in Christ. As we graciously share this story of Jesus, the graciousness of God is evident and draws people to the grace of Christ that can save them. When we pridefully argue our points, the message of grace is lost.
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Matt and Michelle Brown are evangelists and founders of Think Eternity, an evangelistic nonprofit. Matt is the author of several books, including Revolutionaries: Men and Women in Every Century Who Advanced Christianity and a frequent blogger. You can connect with them on twitter@evangelistmatt and @Thinke. Matt also wrote the article: Evangelism Has Become a Dirty Word.
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Read more on making sharing the gospel with grace in Jonathan Dodson's book, Unbelievable Gospel: How to Share a Gospel Worth Believing
Avoid Making Disciples of Yourself
Those of us who take seriously the Great Commission recognize how Christ’s charge compels us not to make converts on a superficial level but Christ followers in every area of life. This rightfully includes a healthy obedience to Jesus Christ, the head of the church, and a deep love for Christ’s body, the local church. We cannot create missionaries without making disciples. But we who make disciples must remember our own fallen state. Though pure in motive, without great care we may—in the name of disciple making — focus on making those we disciple like us rather than like Jesus. True, Paul told those he discipled to follow him as he followed Christ, and there is a sense in which one of the best ways to show a disciple how to follow Christ is by demonstrating such a life. But we must be aware of our own biases as we lead others.
As we make disciples, we need to take care to be balanced and holistic in our training. All of us have personalities and passions that make us unique, but our goal in disciple making is less to note our uniqueness and more to spotlight Christ. If we are not careful, we will inadvertently push those we follow to pursue our personal passions more than Jesus. The goal is to make Christ followers not us followers.
Three areas represent how to balance the heart of our disciple making and mentoring:
- Orthodoxy, or right belief — we must affirm and guard fundamental teaching of Scripture.
- Orthopathy, or right affections — we must have a deep love for God and for others.
- Orthopraxy, or right actions — we must demonstrate our faith effectively in how we live.
In other words, we should be discipling others (and ourselves) to give glory to God through our head, our heart, and our hands. This is hinted at in Luke 2:52 where we read our Lord grew in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man. We see this in the earliest description of life in the church in Acts 2:42-47:
- Orthodoxy: They gave themselves to the apostles’ doctrine.
- Orthopathy: They were praising God and having favor with the people.
- Orthopraxy: They sold their possessions and distributed to those in need.
Here is how we must take care not to make followers of us rather than followers of Christ. We all have a tendency to favor one of these areas — doctrine, affection, or action — more than the others.
You probably know some believers who love to study doctrine or some subset of theology, from apologetics to a specific theological trend (eschatology, for instance). Sometimes folks given to such interests display a less-than-gracious capacity to relate to others or to practice their faith in the real world. And, sometimes they would rather argue their theological convictions than take time to hear yours.
Others have a great heart for people and really love God, but the idea of a doctrinal study gives them chills. They have affection but do not adequately value truth.
Then again, some just want to know how to “do” the Christian life. These are the activists, jumping from one cause to another, sometimes running over people who do not share their fondness for said cause, and often not able to articulate biblically why they have such an activist bent.
You may be given to one of these three tendencies more than others, but take care: If you focus on one in your disciple making to the neglect of the others, you are not making followers of Jesus. You are making followers of you.
Consider these unbalanced approaches:
Orthodoxy + Orthopraxy – Orthopathy = legalism.
The Pharisees were keen on preserving the truth and on doing their religious duties. But they did not love people. Modern-day Pharisees still don’t.
Orthopraxy + Orthopathy – Orthodoxy = liberalism.
You have heard the expression a “bleeding-heart liberal.” Liberals love to talk about their love for people and causes, but loathe to talk about doctrine and changeless truth.
Orthodoxy + Orthopathy – Orthopraxy = monasticism.
Monasteries seek to preserve a pure faith. They love those inside their safe walls. But their focus is on what goes on inside their sanctuary far more than what happens in the surrounding culture. I know many churches who function this way, gathering together regularly, loving their fellowship, standing on the promises while they sit on the premises of their church facility, but who do so little in their communities that if they vanished no one would notice.
We must be aware how we as individuals and churches focus on one of these to the exclusion of the others. We need balance. Not a milque-toast, generic version of each, but a bold, unashamed passion for truth, for God and people, and a burden to live out our doctrine and our affection effectively. Students need to see where they are strong and where they are weak in these areas, and student ministries must as well. Most student ministries focus primarily on affections, and then to some degree activism, but give far too little focus to doctrine. I want to dig deeply into the riches of God’s Word, have a heart for my Savior and the people for whom He died that is apparent to all, and be able to live the faith in this culture in such a way that believers and unbelievers alike see there is no better way to live. Or to think. Or to love.
Understanding this not only helps us disciple those who have come to follow Christ, it can help us evangelize as well. Some people need to be shown theologically the truth of the gospel. But some also need to see and sense the great love of God for them in addition to the propositions of the gospel. Further, some need to see how our faith actually works in the real world, how following Christ affects our daily lives and decisions. The effective gospel bearer will learn to explain the gospel in such a way that one sees its truth, senses its heart, and realizes its practicality in a broken world.
Be busy making disciples. Just be busy making disciples of Jesus, with all of our hearts, minds, and activity. Such disciples may make people take notice. They did in the early church. And they will today.
The following is an excerpt from Alvin Reid's new book, As You Go: Creating a Missional Culture of Gospel-Centered Students (Navpress). Continue reading As You Go.
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Alvin L. Reid is husband to Michelle and father to Josh and Hannah. He is a professor of evangelism and student ministry at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary as well as a popular speaker and author. He has written numerous books on student ministry, evangelism, missional Christianity, and spiritual awakenings. Follow on twitter: @AlvinReid.
Be a Storyteller
What do you do when you get together with friends? You start with story. What do you do when you return from vacation? Do you pull out the agenda from the cruise and walk them through a list of what you did? No, you share story. How do you explain your childhood to your kids? Story. It is almost impossible to separate storytelling from the fabric of relationship. We like to tell stories and hear stories. Sharing them is the foundation of relationship. And yet, we often fail to share the story of the scriptures in the same natural way. If story is the way we share how our day went, why is it not the form in which we clarify the gospel? If story is the way we instruct our children in the way they should live, why don't we become storytellers to instruct disciples in the way of obedience. We like stories as illustrations in sermons to clarify meaning but fail to see the story of Scripture as the place to find meaning. I want to call us back to narrative. I invite us to become gospel storytellers. The Bible is nearly two-thirds narrative. It is the story of God. We ought to share it.
Stories are Where We Go for Meaning
"What is the meaning of life?" is the timeless question. It is the question asked in Micah 6:8: "What is required of man?" It is Aristotle’s question: "How should a man lead his life?" Historically, humanity has answered this question through philosophy, science, religion, and art. The first three have failed us or been disregarded. No one reads Plato outside of homework and cramming for exams. We are tired of science’s polished but empty answers. Religion is a place of hypocrisy, ritual, and superstition. The world of cynics has rejected all but the art and story is the dominant art form:
The world now consumes films, novels, theatre, and television in such quantities and such ravenous hunger that the story arts have become humanity’s prime source for inspiration. Robert McKee, Story.
Many of the stories we hear and tell fall short of the meaning of life. As a society, we are beyond the myth of progressive human progress. We have far too many evils to remind us we aren’t getting better. The depravity of the world is our base assumption and our human hunch is that life was not supposed to be this way. Stories try to explain the way forward through this mess. However, void of the gospel story, our neighbors hears some variation of this plot: you can fix your problems, if we are creative, courageous, and smart enough. The meaning of life in contemporary stories is: you are the center of the problem and the solution. The story, or life, is about you. However, the gospel is the story of God for you, for your life. The story of a gracious and just God who goes to great lengths to save and redeem those who don't deserve it. The story of God gives humanity a new identity, meaning, and purpose.
Stories are Where We Turn for Guidance
Kenneth Burke said, “Stories are equipment for living.” We model our own life choices on the stories we believe are best or the stories we wish to avoid. We hear how things worked and didn’t work in the years before and make adjustments. We learn from how our older siblings stories and model our own lives after them. Not only do my parents and teachers have major impact on forming the way I wanted to live, but so did Huck Finn, Bill Huxtable, the Box Car Children, and the group from Saved by the Bell. These stories and characters instructed and formed my proper view of living. They taught me how to live adventurously, with integrity, and even how to ask a girl out on a date. They do so, because we connect with the characters. We witness what they witness, we experience what they do. Stories are shaped in the reality of the world. They reflect what is true of us and our surroundings. As we listen to a story, it informs how we live. How does the story of the Bible inform how you live? What would it look like to have life shaped by the gospel story and bring others into that story?
Stories are the Glue of Community
Stories form and hold groups of people together. They are the folklore shared, the background , and the history of our greatest triumphs over our most challenging days. The inside jokes, the shared experiences turned lifelong memories, and anything that follows “remember that one time” binds communities together. The stories a community shares are the stories that define it. If the story is one of independence and self-reliance, the community will be shaped by this. If the common story is one of pleasure and riches, it will be defined by this, too. If the community's story is one of hope, grace, and love, it will be characterized by hope, grace, and love.
The Good Story
Robert McKee, the self proclaimed story guru of the 21st century, writes that "a good story tells the world something it wants to hear and it's the artists job to figure out what it wants to hear." The gospel is that good story. It is the story of what the world needed but didn't deserve being given by God through Christ. It is the story of true acceptance, adoption, belonging, gifts, overcoming the destruction and devastation of this world. Eugene Peterson explains this well:
Stories are the most prominent biblical way of helping us see ourselves in ‘the God story,’ which always gets around to the story of God making and saving us. Stories, in contrast to abstract statements of truth, tease us into becoming participants in what is being said. We find ourselves involved in the action. We may start as spectators or critics, but if the story is good (and the biblical stories are very good!), we find ourselves no longer just listening to but inhabiting the story.
The gospel is a story not a list of facts. It is the story about God redeeming, rescuing, and recreating his creation. The story of God taking it upon himself to save us from death and bring us to life. The gospel is the true story and only trustworthy account for what has been done to redeem the world. The story is good news. The gospel is the compelling story that doesn’t fall flat on meaning. The story that satisfies our longings for purpose and joy. It is the greatest story because it instructs us in how to live with faith and in close relationship with God. Furthermore, it creates a community. The story of God makes a new people characterized by grace, because the story is about grace. The community is centered around God because the story is about God. This is a story the world wants and needs to hear.
Sheryl's Story
Her family tree mostly produced problems. Its fruit wasn't peppered with convicts or crazies, just disappointments: neglected homes, broken promises, and abandoned children. The residue of family pain was silent relationships. She knew at an early age that everything would be uphill for her and no one was going to carry her. Whatever she gained would be by her sweat. Whatever the costs, she would pay. She was raised religiously in what to do and how to do it. She knew the right things to do but was never told the story.
One evening, she came to our home for our community's weekly meal and story time. We shared and engaged the story of the early church (Acts 2). We shared the story of God's adoption of us and the creation of the church. It was story-time. In the middle, Sheryl asked, "I've never heard this story, but is the church a family? All I've heard is God wants us to do stuff for him and live right, this story sounds like God loves us like children." My wife explained, "Church is family. We are a family. Even when we are not together we are the family. But all good families get together, catch up, share stories, and live life together."
Sheryl was raised to know the right things to do and the bullet points of theology. She was never told the story of the Gospel. The story she had believed was one of self-reliance and moral behavior. She found meaning in it and had accepted this story for her life. But it wasn't the true story. We had the blessing of sharing the story of God with her. Unfortunately, most of the people we live around and work with don't know the gospel story, either. They may know some of the points, or some of the characters, but they haven't heard the story. Like Sheryl, they need to hear it and engage. Be a storyteller to them!
Become a Storyteller
How do you become a gospel storyteller?
- Begin by knowing it as a story. Read it, listen to it, and engage it in conversation with us. Place yourself in the narrative, not as the hero but as the everyman.
- Ask of the story? If this were true, how would it change my life, community, city?
- Participate in the Story-Formed Way created by Soma Communities.
- Speak it. The best way to learn is to share it and try!
- Share your life story and how it is really part of God's story.
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Brad Watson serves as a pastor of Bread&Wine Communities in Portland, Oregon. He is also the director of GospelCenteredDiscipleship.com. Brad is the co-author of Raised? Doubting the Resurrection. His greatest passion is to encourage and equip leaders for the mission of making disciples. He is Mirela’s husband and Norah’s dad. Twitter: @BradsStories
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Read more on story-formed discipleship: A Story of Gospel Community by Seth Mcbee.
The Burden of Shepherding
It's an understatement to say that the Apostle Paul faced challenges. In 2 Corinthians 11, he rattled off a list of some of the difficulties he encountered as an apostolic church planter. He was beaten, imprisoned, whipped, and shipwrecked. He experienced sleeplessness, hunger, nakedness, rejection, false accusation, and persecution. His work was literally dangerous. He used the word “danger” eight times to describe it. This list de-romanticizes the apostolic gifting and calling, doesn’t it? And yet, at the end of his vivid description of the suffering he had faced, he makes a very telling statement: “Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my anxiety for all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:28). Everything else refers to his being shipwrecked, beaten, homeless, hungry, etc. There was something beyond these struggles. What could be more difficult to endure than all of that “everything else?” Evidently, of all the challenges Paul faced, the burden of caring for the churches was the most difficult. Paul’s concern for the church caused him anxiety. This is the very same word used in 1 Peter 5:6-7: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” Anyone who has ever answered the phone at 3 am to the sound of someone weeping can relate to Paul. Anyone who has sat with a woman after she’s learned her husband has cheated on her can understand what he’s feeling. Anyone who has driven around town in the dark looking for the guy from their missional community who is strung out on meth can begin to comprehend what Paul is saying. Caring for people is extremely difficult work that has the potential to cause great anxiety.
I am frequently asked: “How to you handle the burden of shepherding people? How do you avoid making people’s problems your own? Where do you find the strength to continue caring for them, even when it’s extremely difficult?” Often, the person asking these questions are being crushed under this burden.
I think there is something healthy about Paul’s anxiety. He continues his thought by saying, “Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?” (2 Corinthians 11:29). We are actually commanded to “weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15). The word “compassion” literally means “to be moved in one’s intestines.” When other people are hurting, we should feel it deeply, too. On the other hand (and I have no idea if this was the case for Paul), I think there is often something unhealthy about the anxiety we feel.
Two False Beliefs that Lead to Unhealth
While there may be many factors that contribute to unhealthy anxiety, in my own life I see two primary reasons I end up feeling the burden of shepherding.
1. I think it’s my responsibility to “save” people.
It’s my job to “fix” them. I need to save this couple’s marriage, I need to ensure that this man overcomes his porn addiction, I need to heal this woman from her sexual abuse. Those statements sound ridiculous because they are never stated that explicitly but are buried under a pile of good intentions and pious justification. Justifications such as: “We are called to bear one another’s burdens,” “We are the hands and feet of Jesus,”and “this is the work I’m called to do.”
What I’m truly saying when I take ultimate responsibility for the well-being of others is: “If they crash, it’s on me. My worth and value is at stake. If this doesn’t end well, it will reflect negatively on me, and I don’t want to look like an idiot.”
The good news, however, is Jesus Christ is the person responsible for the shepherding and care of every person in our church family! He is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep (John 10). He is the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5), which means he’s the Senior Pastor. He’s the one who indwells people with his Spirit; the same Spirit that raised him from the dead. He is the one who brings about transformation. Let that sink in for moment: It’s the Spirit’s job to care for people and to change people. The amazing thing is that he asks us to join him in that work-not to own that work, but to join that work.
2. I think I can do my part with my power.
The Chief Shepherd is responsible for everyone, but he asks me to shepherd his flock, too. The weight is on his shoulders, while I am given the opportunity to serve him by serving others. Even when I’m clear on this, however, I sometimes end up feeling the burden of shepherding because I attempt to do “my” part in the power of my own strength.
Here are some indicators that I may have slipped into this faulty thinking/belief:
- I am concerned about saying the wrong thing.
- I am uncomfortable with silence.
- I get nervous about heart level conversations.
- Shepherding leaves me completely exhausted.
- I find myself worrying about the people I'm caring for
- I get frustrated (rather than grieved) by a lack of progress
Jesus has, in fact, asked us to join him in his work of caring for his people. But he has also given us every resource needed to do that work. Every resource! He’s given us his Spirit, who supernaturally empowers us for ministry (Ephesians 1:19-20, Colossians 1:29). The Spirit is the wisdom and the power of God, so we lack neither the necessary wisdom or the necessary power to care for others. The challenge for me is to “serve by the strength that God provides” (1 Peter 4:11) rather than “leaning on my own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Self-reliance is a sure path to shepherding burnout.
Three Helpful Practices in Shepherding
How can we actively engage in the care of people’s hearts without getting completely overwhelmed in the process? How do we avoid unhealthy anxiety, and consider the health of our own hearts as we shepherd others? I’ve found these three practices to be helpful:
1. Repent of my desire to save people in order to make myself significant. This is nothing short of idolatry, and a flat-out denial of the work of Jesus. He alone defines me. I am one with him, and my life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). Additional efforts to prove my worth are an insult to the One True Savior. We must repent of this idolatry and return to worship of the only savior.
2. Affirm that it is the Spirit’s responsibility to change people. Repeatedly entrust people to his care. They belong to him! (Psalm 24:1). I often lift my hands in the air as I’m praying early in the morning for a hurting person, reminding myself that they belong to him, and that they are ultimately in his hands. I can trust him to do all of the things Jesus said he would do: convict, teach, comfort, remind, and glorify Jesus.
At the end of a hard meeting or a heavy phone call, pray and entrust the person into the Spirit’s ongoing care. Make it clear to God, yourself, and the other person that you are trusting the Holy Spirit to be the one to bring about transformation in the person’s life.
Worry and anxiety are often a sign that we believe our identity is in question. “If this doesn't work out well, it will impact my worth and value.” Casting all of your anxieties upon him means affirming that the outcome of any shepherding situations we find ourselves in will have no impact on our identity. I find this prayer helps me affirm the Spirit’s work and my identity. I pray:
This is your responsibility, not mine. This is in your hands. I trust you to work. Regardless of what happens, I will entrust this person to you, and I will entrust myself to you. I will not be anxious, feeling that I must perform in order to be significant or worthy. My worth and value comes exclusively from the work of Jesus and through my connection to him. I cast my anxieties upon you, because you care for me, and because you are responsible for them and for me. This is your job and I trust you to do it!
3. Pray and ask the Spirit to speak to you concerning the people you shepherd. “What do I need to say? What questions do I need to ask? What scriptures might be relevant?” Then, pray and ask the Spirit to fill, empower, and speak through you. My flesh (Romans 13:14), my “old self” (Ephesians 4:22) hates to depend on the Spirit. It is filled with pride and desperately wants me to look smart, to appear as if I have it all together. Total dependence on the Spirit puts me in a place of humility, and gives me greater energy and clarity for the task at hand.
Peter’s words to elders should serve as a fitting closing word to anyone involved in the shepherding and care of others. May the Spirit fill us for the task at hand!
I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. - 1 Peter 5:1-5
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Abe Meysenburg serves as a pastor and elder with Soma Communities in Tacoma, WA. After living in the Midwest for most of their lives, he and his wife, Jennifer, moved to Tacoma in the summer of 1999. In 2001, after working as a Starbucks manager for a few years, Abe helped start The Sound Community Church, which then became a part of Soma Communities in May 2007. Twitter: @AbeMeysenburg.
Other articles by Abe Meysenburg: Grief and the Gospel and The Gospel and the Great Commandment.
Staying for the Best Things
I can't shake the scene of that little room where Passion and Patience sit waiting. The boys' sitter instructed them to stay still, to rest side by side, to hold out for what's best. What we come to find is a quest for pleasure so intense we're compelled to take note. John Bunyan is telling that kind of story in The Pilgrim's Progress. He brings us along with Christian every step of the way and at this particular point Interpreter is our guide.
Interpreter leads Christian into a small room to observe two kids seated in parallel chairs. Passion is the restless one. He is discontent, perhaps huffing and puffing, frowning and squirming. Beside him is Patience. He's the one who keeps quiet. Bunyan implies his posture: feet straight in front of him, neatly squared up in the middle of the chair, hands folded in his lap (i.e., not the way my kids sit at the dinner table). The boys were plainly told they had to wait for the best things. The best things were coming to them, but wouldn't get there until early the next year. Passion can't stand this. We can tell by how he acts. He just wants it all now. Then someone walks in the room and dumps a bag of treasure at his feet. Aha! Passion jumps down from his chair and happily scoops up the goodies. Grinning, he looks over at Patience, still sitting quietly, and he laughs him to scorn.
But Christian continues to watch. He sees that Passion “quickly lavishe[s] all away” until he "had presently nothing left him but rags." Interpreter explains:
These two lads are figures: Passion, of the men of this world; and Patience, of the men of that which is to come; for as here thou seest, Passion will have all now this year, that is to say, in this world; so are the men of this world, they must have all their good things now, they cannot stay till next year, that is until the next world, for their portion of good. . . . But as thou sawest that he had quickly lavished all away, and had presently left him nothing but rags; so will it be with all such men at the end of this world.
Christian replies,
Now I see that Patience has the best wisdom, and that upon many accounts. First, because he stays for the best things. Second, and also because he will have the glory of his, when the other has nothing but rags.
How'd He Do That?
Bunyan leaves us to wonder how Patience's waiting actually looked. Sure, we understand the end. We get that he has the best wisdom. But how exactly did he wait? What did he think about while sitting in that chair? Watching Passion indulge in the treasure? Remembering the sitter's words? How was Patience, well, patient?
Answer: he was a Christian hedonist.
Now to be sure, it doesn't sound very hedonistic at first. Denying himself the bag of "treasure" tossed in front of him resembles more the tune of self-denial. But self-denial, for the Christian Hedonist, is not for the sake of self-denial.
Patience saw Passion dive into the mass of goodies, and he denied his impulse to do the same. He held back. And this is biblical, of course. The apostle Paul writes in Titus 2:11–12a, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions." Paul says there are things in this world we're supposed to renounce, that is, deny. And the "self" in self-denial is composed of these things. That self is the old self, the one that was crucified with Jesus (Romans 6:6), the one in whom we no longer exist (Galatians 2:20). That is the self Patience denied, the self of ungodliness, worldly passions, and inferior pleasures.
"For the Best Things"
You see, this doesn’t end up as a negative enterprise. Remember how Bunyan says it. Patience sat quietly in his chair "because he stays for the best things." It appears that Patience realized he sat in that room with pleasures for which that bag of treasure could not satisfy. Denying the treasure didn't shrivel up his appetite. It was that his appetite was so big it shriveled up the treasure. Patience didn't bury his head in the sand either. He wasn't frantically shouting "No!" over and over. He simply kept his eyes on next year. He trusted what he was told. Passion could have done the same had he not been far too easily pleased.
We learn that Patience’s self-denial came from a craving for the superior pleasure. This is the self-denial of the Christian Hedonist. Patience wasn't merely holding back, he was looking forward. His resistance from that bag of transient treasure was actually his feasting in eternal joy. As Paul continues in Titus 2:12b–13, "training us. . . to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ."
What Bunyan means is that Patience halted the world's empty promises because he had something better ahead (namely, our Savior Jesus Christ).
Different and the Same
So we're different from Patience, and we're the same. We're different in that we're in a much sweeter spot than he was. He sat in that chair with the promise of better things (convincing enough) while we sit here, in the room of this world, with not only a promise, but also God's very Spirit living inside us. We have the active communication of himself through his word. We have the experience of being "in Christ" now, of being seated with him now in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). Our lives are hidden in him now (Colossians 3:3). We are brought to God now and enjoy his fellowship (1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 1:3).
But there is still more to come. Like Patience, what's better remains out in front. Learning again from Paul, we've not yet obtained the fullness of our portion. We're not yet perfect (Philippians 3:12). We are waiting, too. We are waiting for the consummation of God's great work, the revealing of our Lord Jesus and the final redemption of our bodies (1 Corinthians 1:7; Romans 8:23). So as wondrous at it is now, the "far better" is yet next year (Philippians 1:23).
And waiting like this is staying for the best things.
Editor’s Note: This is a repost of “Staying for the Best Things“ from the Desiring God blog. It appears here with the author’s permission.
What Would Jesus Say About That?
“I DO DRUGS. WHAT WOULD JESUS SAY ABOUT THAT?”
How would you respond to this question? Here’s the context: you’re a night security guard and the only Christian in your workplace. Another guard suddenly sticks his head into your office. Pointing his finger he almost accuses, “You’re one of those ‘Christians,’ right?” You get a little nervous. Nothing good ever follows that question. No one gives you a high five, says “good job,” and goes about their business. They only want to debate, challenge, or stump you. You respond with regretful hesitation, “Yeah…”
He crosses his arms, looks you square in the eye and then brings the challenge: “I do drugs. What would Jesus say about that?” How would you respond? More pointedly, how could you respond in a way that might actually resonate with the asker?
THREE INSUFFICIENT RESPONSES
I’ve posed this scenario, which actually happened to a leader I was coaching, in trainings around the country. No matter where I am, I hear these responses:
1. “Um, I Don’t Know Exactly”
For some followers of Jesus, our gut response would be to look down, stammer a bit, and ashamedly admit we don’t know what Jesus would say. Maybe, we give in to the pressure of the unexpected question, the outlandish honesty, or the shock of a challenge at 2 a.m. Perhaps we have a general sense of what Jesus might say, but have a hard time putting it into words. It could be that our “people-pleaser” kicks in and we simply can’t tell him the core of what we believe. Sometimes, we are afraid. A common response to this question is a blank stare. Put yourself in the shoes of the asker: “I don’t know” looks like ignorance. This simply isn’t a sufficient answer, the asker really wants to know what you and Jesus think.
2. “He’d tell you to stop.”
For other Christians, the answer would stem from the moralistic, humanist culture we grew up in. Our answer is some form of Bob Newhart’s MadTV sketch: a counselee admits a number of struggles, while Newhart, the counselor answers each with a blunt “Stop it!” Even if we intellectually know Jesus is our savior, we function as if he is simply a good guy with ethical advice. When asked about any sin issue – by anyone, Christian or not – we espouse surface-level fixes. Instead of addressing the true sin, we merely address the outflows or consequences of sin. Maybe we look for five easy steps to end a struggle; advise a few “good works”. Perhaps we appeal to legality (“you’ll get arrested”), personal welfare (“it might kill you”), heartstrings (“if you get arrested or die, can you imagine how your family will feel?”), or moralism (“you know it’s wrong”). It could be that we even quote a verse: “He’d say ‘you shall have no other gods before me’ – that’s the first commandment.” Put yourself in his shoes again“He’d say, ‘Stop it’” fits a view of God they’re most likely assuming of a no-fun, rule-giving, demanding, and impersonal deity. This too doesn't get to the heart of the matter.
3. “He died for your sin so you can be with him in heaven”
A final common response acknowledges their need for the gospel. Maybe you’ve been praying for this guard. Perhaps, you’ve intentionally spoken of faith before to “peak his interest.” It could be that in this moment of boldness, you’re elated that God finally opened the door. So, you share the gospel many of us know well. You gush out some form of, “He’d tell you that God is perfect and heaven is perfect, but because of sin, you’re not perfect. God sent Jesus to die for your sin so you can be reconciled to God and live eternal life with him. If you accept Jesus he’ll forgive your sin of drugs!” This is all true – and praise God it is! But, if he’s ignoring God, he doesn’t care about heaven. If he’s like much of the world, he doesn’t believe he’s too bad a person. If he’s a common American, it’s likely he doesn’t fully understand sin or his need for Jesus. There’s a strong possibility he doesn’t believe in God – or at least, a God who makes any difference in his daily life. Even the objective, big-picture gospel is not a sufficient answer!
CHILDREN, TOSSED TO AND FRO
These three responses fail because they don’t get to the heart of our faith! The first answer is empty, the second is moralistic, the third is futuristic: it sees the gospel as merely a past event that greatly benefits my future but has nothing to do with today. Many who question the gospel need to know how it applies to them in their current situation. Behind the challenging question is a heart in need of applicable truth.
Futile and failed attempts like these, for growing or explaining faith, are not unique to our culture. Writing to first-century Ephesus, Paul explains the goal of Christian life is maturity in Christ. How do we attain maturity? Paul gives three ways we cannot grow: “[by] every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Eph 4:14). Following new doctrinal trends, teachers, or even gaining more head-knowledge of the Bible isn’t enough. We will always be let down by relying on our own power and “cunning,” to make new rules and fix ourselves or each other. Some are deceived by false teachers, with false hope, and false ways to solve real issues. This is how we often answer any question, not just the 2 a.m. drug challenge. Difficult questions like:
- “How can God redeem my broken marriage?”
- “I’m so angry at my boss, what do I do?”
- “We just want a baby!”
- “How do these verses or commands apply to me?”
- “Where is God in this (recent tragedy)?”
Our answers are some mixture of:
- “I don’t know” (and if you’re really good, you’ll add “but I’ll pray for you.”)
- “Let me give you a great book on that.”
- “Let’s meet every week for accountability.”
- “Do these three things or steps.”
- “You just need to trust Jesus.”
- “One day, all this will be better.”
None of these, Paul would say, are sufficient for faith or maturity. He even claims answers like this likens us to “children, tossed to and fro by the waves” (v.14). These answers fall short because they don't come from belief in the gospel. Pointing people to books, programs, and renewed moralism to receive blessings and solve problems demonstrates a lack of belief that Jesus is sufficient for our struggles, doubts, hopes, and frustrations. We are saying, "that's a tough question, let me point you to some human cunning or the latest in pop-psychology.
APPLYING AN OBJECTIVE GOSPEL TO SUBJECTIVE SITUATIONS
In conversations like these, we miss a great blessing of the gospel. It is a past event, both historically and personally for every Christian. It does give future hope, for personal reconciliation and the renewal of all things. But it also impacts every moment of our present lives! Paul writes in Romans, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” (Romans 1:16-17). Verse 16 shows the past reality of the gospel; in the verses following these, Paul explains coming wrath and eternal power: the future reality of the gospel.
But verse 17 says our faith doesn’t just “save us,” and “give us eternal life.” Faith is the very power by which we live. The gospel does mean something: to everyone, everyday and for every situation. We just don’t seem to know how to apply it! To the Romans, Paul says we learn to “live [now!] by faith.” To the Ephesians, he says that while those other ways will fail, the way to “grow up in every way into him who is the head” is to “speak the truth in love” (Eph 4:15). Jesus himself, the greatest proclaimer and very embodiment of the gospel, gives us an example of what it looks like to apply the objective truth of the gospel to the specific, subjective need.
When Jesus meets a Samaritan woman in John 4, she challenged him with a question of race and gender roles, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (v.9). Jesus doesn’t ignore her first question; he doesn’t tell her to stop worrying about her situation; he doesn’t answer that he’ll die soon to reconcile the broken socio-economic status, so she should believe in him for eternal life. Instead, he starts by addressing her obvious need, thirst: “there is greater water than this well can give,” he says – “living water” will forever quench your thirst (v.10, 13).
Here’s what is often missed in this passage: Jesus speaks to something deeper than thirst. He speaks to the woman’s lack of satisfaction. We see this in her desire to be filled, never having to drink again: “Sir, give me that is water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water” (v.15). We see this as they discuss her string of spouses: “You’ve had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband” (v.18). In her unfilled desire to worship: “[Jews] say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship” (v.20). At every point, Jesus shows himself and God’s truth to be more satisfying than any of her lesser pursuits: water, good husband or fulfillment in a man, or worship location. Finally, she declares her need for a Messiah as he reveals, “I who you speak to am he” (v.26).
Jesus spoke “truth in love.” He met her on her turf. He showed her how faith matters for her present life. Jesus spoke the objective gospel: “There is a Messiah, coming to free you to worship God in spirit and truth, and I am he!” But he spoke that objective gospel in a way that addressed her subjective situation. He started with her felt needs, then pointed to her greater, heart-level need: “God will satisfy you more than this!” It’s a poignant picture of Jesus, truth incarnate, speaking truth to her in a way that she can immediately resonate with and understand.
HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND?
Back to the original scenario and challenge: “I do drugs. What would Jesus say about that?” How do you answer that question? What deeper need is the asker really addressing? What true struggle is he admitting? Put yourself in his shoes: how can the objective truth of the gospel apply to their subjective situation?
Here’s how my friend responded to the challenge, and I couldn’t be prouder of him. After thinking for a moment, he said, “I think Jesus would tell you that you’re looking for hope in a place that’s going to let you down. You know it lets you down because you have to take a hit three times a day. So I think Jesus would tell you that he’s a better place to put your hope, because he promises he’ll never let you down.” Jesus spoke the gospel truth as it addressed satisfaction; my friend spoke the gospel truth as it addresses personal hope. He exalted Jesus as the objective answer to the guard’s subjective question. God has thousands of years of history, 66 written books, and millions of lives throughout history to prove that Jesus is man’s greatest hope.
No, the guard didn’t fall on his knees weeping that night. God didn’t redeem his soul in that office. But he uncrossed his arms, shook his head, smiled and told my friend: “No one has ever told me that before. That actually makes a lot of sense. We should talk more about that sometime.” That night, the guard walked away from my friend, having heard the gospel spoken to him in a way that resonated with him in his present life.
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Ben Connelly lives in Fort Worth with his wife and daughters. He started The City Church in 2010 and lives on mission by teaching public speaking at TCU. Ben sits on the board of a few city-focused organizations, trains occasionally across the country, and writes in spurts at benconnelly.net. Twitter:@connellyben
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Related articles: Questioning the Gospel by Jonathan Dodson and What is the Purpose of the Bible? by Jeremy Carr
It’s Grace All the Way
This is an excerpt taken from On the Grace of God by Justin Holcomb copyright ©2013. Used by permission of Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org. ---
From Jesus Christ “we have all received grace upon grace” (John 1:16). We are saved solely through faith in Jesus Christ because of God’s grace and Christ’s merit alone. We are neither saved by our merits nor declared righteous by our good works. We do not deserve grace, or else it wouldn’t be grace. This means that God grants salvation not because of the good things we do or even because of our faith— and despite our sin. This is the ring of liberation in the Christian proclamation. If it is not grace all the way, then we will spend our lifetime wondering if we have done enough to get that total acceptance for which we desperately long. “I said the prayer, but did I say it passionately enough?” “I repented, but was it sincere enough?” Election puts salvation in the only place that it can possibly exist: God’s hands. God’s election is the unconditional and unmerited nature of his grace.
Ephesians 2:4–5 proclaims Gods grace clearly: “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace have you been saved.” Regeneration (being made spiritually alive) takes place when we as spiritually dead people are made alive in Christ. Dead people do not cooperate with grace. Unless regeneration takes place first, there is no possibility of faith. Paul got this from Jesus, who told Nicodemus: “Unless a man is born again first, he cannot possibly see or enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
Ephesians 2 is filled with the high-octane gospel of grace for both our justification and sanctification. It begins with how believers were dead in their sins, then moves to how God loved us and rescued us from this death by his grace, bringing salvation to all in Christ, uniting Jews and Gentiles as one people in which the Spirit of God dwells. The first half of the chapter focuses on God’s rescue operation for his people, which delivered us from our sin and God’s wrath, and ends with the verse 10, which centers on how God’s deliverance means we are created anew for lives of righteousness. As one commentator notes, salvation has already been described by Paul as “a resurrection from the dead, a liberation from slavery, and a rescue from condemnation”; he moves now to the idea of a new creation.
The theme of Ephesians 2:8-9 is clear: grace. This theme was already mentioned in Ephesians 2:5, but what was then more of an “undercurrent” now becomes the main point.
We are saved by grace, not anything we have done. The passage is a traditional one used to support the idea that justification before God is by grace alone, and not anything we do.
And for good reason. The verses strike with great emphasis the note of salvation as a complete “gift of God.” We have done nothing to bring it about that could lead us to boast about it. And yet it is nearly impossible not to boast in the radical love of God when we grasp this reality.
We now move to Ephesians 2:10 with its focus on “good works.” It is tempting at first glance to think that verses 8-9 are about grace and verse 10 is about works. But this would be to miss something very important that we easily neglect: everything is grace. Or, as one scholar puts it, “It is grace all the way.”
But what does that mean exactly?
Notice how God-centered Ephesians 2:10 is. In the Greek, the first word in the sentence is “his,” which is an unusual placement and puts the emphasis squarely on God. We are “his workmanship.” We “are created [by God] in Christ Jesus” for good works. These good works were those “that God prepared beforehand.” Clearly works are important to Paul, but his emphasis here is on God bringing them about within us.
Notice that this verse does three important things.
First, it gives the reason why Paul can say in verses 8-9 that salvation is a complete gift of God: because we are his workmanship, re-created in Jesus Christ.
Second, it points forward to other places the new creation idea is found in Ephesians.
Third, it completes the section of Ephesians 2:1-10 in a fitting way by using again the idea of “walking,” which contrasts with Ephesians 2:2 where Paul talks about how we used to “walk” in sin, following the “course of the world.” Now we “walk” in good works God has set before us.
Ephesians 2:10 continues that we have been created in Christ Jesus “for good works.” So we are saved for the purpose of walking in good works. Good works are never the ground or cause of our salvation. They can’t be, they just don’t work like that. They are not the cause but the “goal of the new creation.”
And God has already prepared them for us ahead of time.
We must always hold Ephesians 2:10 together with 2:8-9. The Bible paints a holistic picture of the believer as one whose life is continually lived in grace that bears fruit, fruit that is used by God to bless others.
How do we then live? If our works are “prepared beforehand,” what do we do? Paul says we “walk in them.” We show up. We abide in the vine of Jesus (John 15:4). We walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16-25). We do our best not to muck it up. But we will; and when we do, grace picks us up again. It’s like the old Rich Mullins lyric: “If I stand, let me stand on the promise that you will see me through, and if I can’t, let me fall on the grace that first brought me to you.” There is a damaging idea floating around that says, “God saved you, now what are you going to do for him?” This is a recipe for failure. If you come to the table believing you can do anything for God in your own strength or repay him on any level, you have already lost. You are back to confessing your self-dependent spiritual death from which Jesus saved you.
Above all else and before any discussion of what we should do, we must understand deeply in our bones who we are: the workmanship of God. You are his project. So, you are invited to be who you are. Your life is not your own; it was bought with a price. Live with the gratitude, humility, joy, and peace that come from knowing it does not all depend on you. You are loved and accepted in Christ, so you don’t have to focus on what you do or don’t do for God. Now you can focus on what Jesus has done for you, and that will cause you to love God more. Then you can’t help but walk in grace, realizing how costly God’s grace was.
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Justin Holcomb is a pastor at Mars Hill Church, where he serves as executive director of the Resurgence. He is also adjunct professor of theology and philosophy at Reformed Theological Seminary and previously taught at the University of Virginia. Justin holds two masters degrees from Reformed Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from Emory University.
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Read Gospel Amnesia: Forgetting the Goodness of the News by Luma Simms
What is the purpose of the Bible?
I was recently taking a walk with my family through our neighborhood. We ran into some neighbor friends and in the midst of conversation began discussing the recent History Channel series, “The Bible.” The neighbor asked my thoughts on the program’s accuracy, both historically and theologically. This opened the door for the question: What is the purpose of the Bible? This is a great question that is not always answered well. There are several misconceptions about the Bible’s purpose. For some, the Bible is seen as a collection of mythical stories about heroes whose point is to convey a moral lesson. For others, the Bible is seen as a book of lessons and rules by which we live good lives. In the over-churched yet under-gospeled South, the Bible has even been misapplied to justify preferences, lifestyles, and, at times, foolishness, that Scripture itself does not mandate.
Often, this stems from limiting the Bible to information that a person should learn – mere knowledge to acquire but never practice. Likewise, the Bible can be limited to mere practical steps for living. While both of these features are important and have a role in discipleship, they miss the full purpose of Scripture. Scripture is a grand story of redemption in which we find our story. It is the authoritative word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, revealing the person and work of Jesus. When we listen to Scripture in discipleship, we will be transformed to become more like Jesus together.
Listening Well
As a music major in college, I studied classical guitar. I also played in a local band that kept busy playing shows, recording albums, and pursuing the rockstar dream. This often kept me from a disciplined practice of classical guitar. Once in a group meeting of all the classical guitar majors, our instructor advised, “Be sure you’re listening to good music. Don’t listen to junk that’ll just ruin your ears. Listen well and strive to create something good.” He urged us to focus on both music theory and practice.
Around that time I attended a concert in Atlanta featuring Christopher Parkening, one of the greatest classical guitarists of our time. Parkening played solo guitar in a way I never thought possible. His dynamic style featured fast, technical melodies as well as lush, peaceful tones. The concert was nothing less than inspirational. In that moment, I witnessed the beauty of both the technical theory of music and its performance. I was transformed and encouraged to study the technique of classical guitar as well as to strive to excel as a performing musician. This affected not only me, personally, but also my fellow classmates, as we cheered each other on toward better performance.
Similarly, our discipleship is a marriage of theory and practice – the information of gospel truth as well as the practical application of that good news. In this way, Scripture becomes the tune to which we are to listen – a beautiful symphony composed and performed by God.
The “information” of Scripture is the grand story of redemption, revealing the identity, character, and nature of our God. This story’s hero is Christ himself. In teaching his disciples, Jesus states, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44).
Likewise, the “practice” of Scripture is the application of this truth. James 1:22 says to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Other examples include the instruction to love one another (John 13:34-35; 1 Peter 1:22, 4:8; 1 John 3:11), fellowship with one another (1 John 1:3-7, Acts 2:42-47), forgive one another (Ephesians 4:25-32), accept one another (Romans 15:7), serve one another (Galations 5:13-14), teach one another (Colossians 3:16), be patient with one another (1 Thessalonians 5:14), pray for one another (James 5:13-16), submit to one another (Ephesians 5:1-21), and encourage one another (1Thessalonians 5:11-15). Since our new identity is found in the person and work of Christ, new actions and a new way of living follow.
As we listen, we take in not only the information of gospel truth but also the practical application of this good news, thereby being transformed to become more like Christ together. Acts 2:42-47 is a great example:
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
The disciples’ devotion to the teaching affected their personal lives as well as their shared community. Through worship and obedient action together, their hearts were “glad and generous.” They did not merely do generous things, they had an inner transformation together. This is summed up in the word “fellowship,” which describes a community of active participation.
Rhythmic Participation
Heeding the wisdom of our guitar instructor, we music majors devoted ourselves to classical guitar together. We would listen well and practice often; culminating in performing recitals and concerts, both as soloists and together in ensembles. There’s a drastic difference between being being a mere listener of music and being a musician. And although many can appreciate the sound of good music, its creation comes from those who not only listen but who also devote to practice and performance. So it is with discipleship in listening to Scripture.
In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” In this gospel commission, Jesus charges the disciples to make disciples by bringing to bear both the “information” and “application” of the good news together for transformation.
First, we see that “teaching” is sharing the information of the gospel. Jesus states that all Scripture bears witness about him (John 5:39) and that Scripture written about him in the law of Moses, Psalms, and Prophets would be fulfilled in him (Luke 24:44). Since all Scripture is about Christ, this is what we are to teach. This is the information of the gospel.
Second, we see the application of the gospel in the instruction “to observe all that I have commanded you.” Teaching is not a one-time passing of information but the ongoing action of kneading the gospel into the hearts and minds of disciples through observing what has been taught. When questioned by the religious elite of the day, Jesus replies, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” In quoting Scripture from Deuteronomy 6, Jesus displays his authority over the Old Testament as well as the continuity of God’s redemptive plan in gospel discipleship.
Third, we see transformation in Christian discipleship. Discipleship begins with Christ (“all that I have commanded you”) and involves both a teaching disciple (“teaching”) and a learning disciple (“to observe”). Yet teaching information alone is not sufficient in becoming a disciple. Likewise, merely adhering to what is taught or commanded does not truly encompass discipleship. True discipleship in light of the gospel gives disciples of Christ a new identity that results in new action. This transformation is a work of the Holy Spirit that includes both instant and ongoing action.
As we listen to Scripture, the Holy Spirit works to transform us, empower us, and mature us together.
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Jeremy Carr (ThM, MDiv) is lead teaching pastor and co-founding elder of Redemption Church in Augusta, GA. He has been a member of the Acts 29 network since 2007 and has written for the Resurgence. Jeremy is husband to Melody and father to Emaline, Jude, Sadie, and Nora. His book, Sound Words: Listening to the Scriptures, will be released by GCD books in May. Twitter: @pastorjcarr.
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When We Stop Dreaming
The following is an excerpt of Freefall to Fly by Rebekah Lyons, used by permission. Purchase the entire book on Amazon. ---
My head snapped up from the pillow at the sound of my daughter calling my name from downstairs. Good Luck Charlie had ended, and my job needed to start again. More than fifteen years removed from my napkin dreams, I was running fast. I’d been given a front-row seat on a rickety wooden roller coaster motoring on a never-ending loop. Twisting, turn- ing, backward, forward. Straining to find my bearings, but never slowing enough to compose myself. Going in circles, but never finding my dreams.
If we ignore the yearnings of our souls, we atrophy, and our dreams die. Sadly, many of us choose this descent because we believe it’s safer. If we don’t hope, we won’t be let down. If we don’t imagine, reality won’t disappoint. Either way, we avoid pain.
These destructive tendencies seem to afflict women in particular. Since 1988, the use of antidepressant drugs has soared nearly 400 percent, and women are 2.5 times more likely than men to take them. Twenty-three percent of women ages forty to fifty-nine regularly take these drugs, more than in any other demographic. Nearly one in four. A devastating statistic. Why the struggle? Why the heaviness?
As for me, I wondered: Is this just seasonal depression? Or will it linger? My faith was flailing. The gloom lifted by spring, but the lurking shadow reminded me that January would come again. I think perhaps the antici- pation of the darkness returning was as precarious as when it settled.
A friend recently confessed through tears that she struggles with bitterness. Her life doesn’t look the way she’d hoped it would. She couldn’t reconcile how her life—looking so successful on the surface—disguised the aching void that brings her tears the moment she opens her balled fists.
Are we grieving because our lives don’t look the way we imagined in our youth?
Do we pressure our children to reach their potential because we aren’t living up to our own?
Are we spending every moment cultivating the lives of everyone . . . but ourselves?
Women are stars fading behind the dark shadow of those we care for, and we often look a little worse for wear. Our light is dimmer than it used to be as we find ourselves unable to dream beyond our current reality.
So we compromise. My childhood dreams were just that—dreams. I should let them go. We push down any hope when we sense it emerging. The desire for change uncovers what terrifies us most: failure.
Then we go numb. We tell ourselves a quick fix will do just fine. Whatever will keep our heads above water—whatever will allow us to keep making lunches, paying the bills, getting through sex, doing the kids’ carpool, working out, pursuing that career, and so on—will just have to do. We don’t want to become the crazy lady at the bus stop, so we think to our- selves, Just give me the shortcut. Then I’ll be okay.
Perhaps most alarming are the many women who don’t see past their manicured lives—grasping for society’s definition of being “put together.” We have pretty ways of masking our lack of meaning, using all kinds of beauty products and retail therapy. We have homes to furnish and decorate, then redecorate once we tire of what we have. We keep up with fashion styles, throw and attend parties, and maintain a rigorous pace. While these are all delightful and beautiful and often worthy goals, using them to conceal our unfulfilled lives is dangerous.
Some women uncover their talents before having kids and then shelve them while raising their children. They’ve experienced a sense of fulfill- ment in living out their purpose but believe they must set aside their pursuits for the sake of motherhood. They’ve bought into the belief that their gifts and child rearing are disparate parts, unable to coexist. Instead of fighting to figure out the balance, they stuff their dreams in a box marked “Motherhood.”
Other women never identify their purpose before having children. Parenthood sets in and can unknowingly become the excuse to stop cultivating their dreams. Instead, they place their quest for significance on the lives of their children (as we see played out on Facebook every day). But this suffocating pressure is too much for anyone to bear, much less a five-year-old.
In either case, the displacement of a mother’s purpose (beyond child rearing) becomes a huge loss to our communities. If women aren’t empowered to cultivate their uniqueness, we all suffer the loss of beauty, creativity, and resourcefulness they were meant to inject into the world.
Can a mother chase the dreams that stir her heart and simultaneously raise her children?
Can a woman chase the dreams that stir her heart when life gets in the way?
The masks need not remain. The fading is teaching us to turn from try- ing to prove to each other that we have everything together to letting our wounds show. We speak words that ring out in the air and just sit there. Moments of sharing and pain and desperation. Desperation to be heard, to be understood, and to know we are still in this life together. The years give us new perspective and freedom to be honest. In these settings, an echo keeps surfacing. Struggle, responsibility, pain, and in the midst of it all, faith.
Aging is paradoxical: the older we get, the less we are sure of. All we hope for is the courage to keep walking. And our understanding of God’s grace takes new shape for us. Our hearts stumble into unknown territory as our lives twist and turn. Yet we aren’t sure how to respond.
We thought we had faith figured out before, when life was a negative in black and white. But now that we see in full color, the image has faded. Clarity left long ago when we were held in the tension between seeing how things ought to be in contrast with how they really are. We freefall because we never figured out what makes us fly.
We stopped dreaming.
I’m riveted by the scene in The King’s Speech when Prince Albert, Duke of York, delivers a discourse to a large crowd on a dreary London day in 1930. He stutters conspicuously, and the crowd squirms in their seats. Out of desperation to defend her husband’s reputation, the Duchess of York travels to a dilapidated part of town to locate Lionel Logue, a speech therapist. He has Bertie (his affectionate nickname for Albert) wear headphones and listen to blaring classical music while reading Shakespeare’s well-known soliloquy from Hamlet. Lionel records Bertie’s voice as he stutters through the famous first phrase—“To be or not to be”—but Bertie’s final frustration drives him out of the room, recording in hand, shouting, “What’s the use?”
Bertie hides the vinyl recording in his desk drawer. Just out of reach. But he knows it’s still there. After a week passes, Bertie pulls out the record and listens. As his smooth, liberated speech echoes out of the speaker, he is dumbfounded, amazed by the gift he possesses. He hears words of conviction soaring without stutter. Beautiful like music. His wife bears witness. An epiphany. They promptly return to Lionel in secret to continue working. Too often we live with our talents hidden in the desk drawer. Just out of reach. We’ve tucked them away. Refusing to listen. It hurts too much to hope. So we go on with our lives, not allowing ourselves to go near that drawer.
“We arrive in this world with birthright gifts—then we spend the first half of our lives abandoning them or letting others disabuse us of them,” Parker Palmer writes in Let Your Life Speak. “Then—if we are awake, aware, and able to admit our loss—we spend the second half trying to recover and reclaim the gift we once possessed.”
This was an excerpt from Freefall to Fly by Rebekah Lyons. Purchase the entire book on Amazon.
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Rebekah Lyons is a mother of three, wife of one, and dog walker of two living in New York City. She's an old soul with a contemporary, honest voice who puts a new face on the struggles women face as they seek to live a life of meaning. As a self-confessed mess, Rebekah wears her heart on her sleeve, a benefit to friends, and readers alike. She serves alongside her husband, Gabe, as cofounder of QIdeas, an organization that helps leaders winsomely engage culture.
Can Racially Diverse Churches Exist?
In 2006, I planted Emmaus Church with a small team of people who dreamed of a gospel-centered, multi-ethnic, multi-racial church. We had a vision that our church would not just have racially integrated worship services but also racially integrated community life because of the reconciling power of the gospel. In the early years of pursuing this vision, we were often told this goal was impossible to reach (especially for a church in Portland, Oregon, the whitest major city in America). I would like to report to you that we never for a moment believed such voices, and we never failed to believe that God was willing and able to make our vision become reality.
But I can’t.
Despite our full commitment to pursuing a gospel-centered, multi-ethnic, multi-racial church – and despite our unwillingness to settle for only half of that equation – we often doubted it could happen. And when it did in fact happen, we then doubted it could be sustained. Of course we have not been alone in this sentiment. The vast majority of pastors I know would love for their churches to reflect the racial diversity of their cities. Yet those very same pastors make little to no attempt to actually achieve that desire. This is because in America, in general, and in American Christianity, in particular, there are so many factors working against a truly integrated church family that it most often feels like a fool’s errand.
But is it?
Can American Christians find themselves in gospel-centered, multi-ethnic, multi-racial churches that are integrated both in and beyond the Sunday gathering? Can this be normal? Based on the Scriptures and my personal experience, I believe the answer is “no and yes.”
No, Racially Diverse Churches Cannot Be Normal
Racially diverse churches cannot be normal because unity is not normal. Human beings have been against each other since Adam and Eve hid their nakedness and blamed each other before God. It is in our sinful nature to be both divided and divisive (Galatians 5:19-21). This is one of the reasons that the Homogenous Unit Principle often works; it appeals to the sinful desires of our hearts to exalt ourselves and separate from those who do not likewise exalt us by affirming who we are and what we like.
This inborn tendency toward division and divisiveness is made even stronger by the social construct of race because it provides us with (false) justification for our sin. If we adopt the man-made category of race we escape condemnation because we are now convinced that our division and divisiveness is not a product of our self-centered hearts but a product of God-ordained biology. This is how American slavery was defended in the 18th and 19th centuries (e.g. “God built white superiority into creation so he intends for society to function this way”), and this is how the segregation of American churches is often defended in the 21st centuries (e.g. “God made us to worship differently, so it makes sense for us to worship separately”).
In light of the fact that we have inherited both a sinful tendency toward division and a social construct that exploits it, a truly racially unified church will never be normal. Never. This is clearly implied in Jesus’ extended prayer on the eve of his death. In John 17, Jesus prays three times for the Father to unite the members of his church with one another just as Jesus is united with the Father. He then twice says that it is through such unity that the world will know that Jesus is who he says he is (John 17:21, 23). In other words, unity of this sort is so rare that the world simply cannot explain it apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is in fact the utter abnormality of true unity that makes people stop, notice, and seek an explanation when it sees Jesus’ church united.
Yes, Racially Diverse Churches Can Be Normal
The fact that unity requires an explanation reveals that unity is not normal, but the fact that Jesus is the explanation for said unity reveals that unity can become normal for those who are in Christ. Thus, while racially diverse churches will never be normal in America, they can become the new normal for American Christians because Jesus has not only done everything necessary to unite us to God, he has done everything necessary to unite us to each other. Consequently, living to see racially integrated churches as the new normal is not just possible, it is preferable for at least three reasons.
First, we should do everything we can to make racially diverse churches the new normal because this is a model Scripture gives us. In Acts 6, the apostles work to integrate and unify a culturally diverse church and, as a result, “the word of God spread” (Acts 6:7). In Acts 11:19-26, we are introduced to the ethnically diverse church of Antioch, and in Acts 13:1-2, we are introduced to their diverse leadership team which consisted of blacks and whites, Africans and Greeks, Gentiles and Jews. I do not think it is a coincidence that it was in Antioch that the disciples were first referred to as “Christians” (pejorative or not), as their multi-cultural, multi-national, multi-ethnic unity could only be explained by their connection to Christ.
Second, we should do everything we can to make racially diverse churches the new normal because racially diverse churches reflect the coming kingdom. When the Apostle John received the revelation, he was given a vision of the redeemed which he described as “a great multitude…of every nation, tribe, people and language” worshiping God in unison (Revelation 7:9). This is what Jesus’ coming kingdom will look like. The church is tasked with bringing a foretaste of this coming kingdom into this present world. Thus, as much as the American church works to bring God’s kingdom into this world through helping the poor, forgiving offenders, and healing the sick, we should also work to bring God’s kingdom into this world through integrating our worshiping communities.
Third, we should do everything we can to make racially diverse churches the new normal because Jesus is the only reasonable explanation for racially integrated churches. True unity between human beings is so rare that Jesus says it requires an explanation for which only his person and work will suffice. If this is true of unity in general, it is much more true of unity across racial lines for two reasons. First, racial categories are more immediately visible to Americans than any other. Second, racial tensions are more palpable and potentially explosive to Americans than any other. Therefore, racial unity is both more obvious than unity across other categories (so our non-Christian neighbors immediately recognize it) and more unlikely than unity across other categories (so our non-Christian neighbors cannot explain it). This opens the door for us to offer Jesus and his gospel as the answer to a question they are actually asking.
American Christians want to experience racially diverse churches for the reasons above. American Christians can experience racially diverse churches because Jesus has done everything necessary to unite us to God and to each other. But American Christians will experience racially diverse churches, if, and only if, we are intentional about seeking them.
Racially Diverse Churches Will Only Become Normal Through Intentionality
Racially integrated churches do not “just happen” any more than conversion “just happens.” Though the Holy Spirit is the only one who can convert people who are spiritually dead, he chooses to do so through human beings who commit themselves to declaring and displaying the gospel to their neighbors. In the same way, though Jesus is the only one who can build racially integrated churches, he does so through human beings who commit themselves to building racially integrated churches.
Are you willing to make that commitment?
If so, there is no formula for success apart from a wholehearted commitment to what seems impossible and a willingness to do whatever is necessary to get there. This means that what is right for another church may not be right for yours. For example, I know of a gospel-centered, multi-racial church that became racially integrated largely because of its exceptional worship team, which was intentionally multi-cultural in its song choice and performance. This worked for them. Yet because of the limited pool of human and financial resources we had when we planted, this would not have worked for Emmaus. Instead, we made a conscious decision to avoid having any music in our worship services for the first year and a half of our existence. We knew that the moment we chose one musical style over another we would be unintentionally choosing one culture over another. Therefore, we waited for our church to become multi-racial so diverse music could come from our diverse congregation rather than the other way around.
While there is no formula for success, there are several things through which everyone who wants to experience a racially diverse church will have to think. As I share a few of these topics below, I do so with white church leaders and members (like me) in mind. I am convinced that pastors of color are much more equipped to plant and lead multi-racial churches because American culture forces them to be aware of race and to live in a multi-racial environment every day of their lives. For those like myself who need additional guidance, here are four key areas you will have to intentionally think through.
1. Church Leadership
It is very easy to say you want a racially diverse church. But few people will believe you or follow you if you are not willing to also have racially diverse leadership. If you are white, you must consider the fact that people of color are asked to submit to white leadership every day in virtually every sphere of their lives. If they are to believe your church is offering something different from the world, they will have to see you not only empowering minority leaders but also willfully sharing your authority with them and submitting your authority to them. Are you willing to do this with people who see the world and ministry through a different lens than you? This is ultimately what you’re asking your congregation to do, and they will only do it if you model it for them.
Invariably, when I talk about this particular issue with other pastors the same question comes up: Where will I find them? This very sincere question reveals two very sincere problems. The first problem is that white evangelicals live such segregated lives that they can’t think of any people of color who could be potential church leaders. The second problem is that white evangelicals define “potential church leaders” not only in biblical terms but in culturally shaped, non-biblical terms that automatically eliminate a large number of Christians of color. Are you willing to work with leaders who do not come from the overwhelmingly white Bible colleges and seminaries of your particular theological ilk? Are you willing to work with leaders who do not have leadership experience in the overwhelmingly white para-church ministries you are most familiar with? Are you willing to work with Jesus loving, gospel-centered believers who do not share your affinity for a euro-centric view of church history and theology?
2. Worship Service
When most of us think of the ideal worship service, we unintentionally think of a worship service that most appeals to our particular racial, ethnic, or cultural experience. This means that we are vulnerable to defining the elements, order, and style of a good worship service in ways that exclude or otherwise alienate those from other racial, ethnic, and cultural experiences. For instance, to the average white hipster in Portland, a good musical worship set is moody and dark, while to the average black adult in Portland, a good musical worship set is celebratory and upbeat. Similar distinctions can be observed in preferences about the length of the music set and sermon, the oratory style and chosen illustrations of the preacher, the frequency and method of receiving communion, and even the best way to welcome visitors. Are you willing to re-evaluate every detail of your worship experience in your pursuit of a fully integrated multi-racial church? If so, what is the process?
3. Congregational Education
If an American congregation is to be racially diverse it will most likely include its share of white people. We white Americans have inherited many privileges on the sole basis of our skin tone. One such privilege is not having to think about race at all and especially not having to think of ourselves in racial categories. As such, the white members of our congregations are likely to have difficulty understanding why our church is talking about race so much and making so many intentional decisions with race in mind. It is not uncommon for white Christians in these circumstances to unintentionally and unconsciously speak and behave in ways that actually work against racial unity in the congregation. It is not that they are racist. It is that they do not know how to live in a truly racially integrated environment. Are you willing to make the white members of your congregation aware of their whiteness and all the privileges it affords them? Are you willing to call the white members of your congregation to voluntarily lay down their privileges in service to the black, Latino, Native American, and Asian members of your church and your community? If so, how will you do that?
4. Humble Listening
If you are going to pastor an integrated church, you are going to have a church full of people whose experiences and viewpoints are different from yours. Likewise, you are going to be aiming to reach a city full of people whose experiences and viewpoints are different from yours. Formal training in Bible college or seminary can prepare you for many things in ministry, but it cannot train you to see through someone else’s eyes. Reading books and blogs from white people who do multi-racial ministry (like me) can help you ask the right questions, but it cannot help you answer them. Your own observation of another’s racial experience and cultural distinctions can be helpful, but it cannot be complete nor wholly accurate. The only way to know what the various people of color in your church or city are thinking, feeling, and desiring is to ask them and listen without any agenda other than learning from them. Are you willing to profess your own ignorance and to have those conversations?
Racially diverse churches will never be normal. And that’s the point.
In conclusion, let me be clear that I am not an expert on multi-racial churches. Though God has graciously honored our prayers and made Emmaus a gospel-centered, multi-ethnic, multi-racial church, we are only an average-sized church, and we still have a very long way to go. For example, our city is 9% Latino, but our church is less than 2% Latino. We are dissatisfied with this and are intentionally trying to minimize that gap in order to accurately reflect the diversity of our neighborhood, bring the gospel to one of the fastest growing people groups in our city, and learn more about the God we worship through the rich contributions of Latino culture. To do this, our church is in the process of translating its bulletins, website, song slides, and other printed materials into Spanish while I, as lead pastor, am reading books on Latino culture and history, listening to my Latino neighbors, and spending more than 10 hours a week trying to learn the Spanish language. I confess that this is difficult work, and I have no idea if any of it will bear fruit. But I can guarantee we will never see fruit if we’re not intentional in our pursuit of our goal. And that goal is worth every bit of the work.
I hope that you determine the same for your church.
Integrated, racially diverse churches will never be normal. And that’s the point. It is precisely because they are abnormal that they are worth every sacrifice you have to make in pursuit of them. Their utter abnormality causes people to search for an explanation for every one of them that exists. And that explanation is solely found in who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. May you and I work together to see racially integrated churches become the new normal so that all of our churches require such an explanation.
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Cole Brown is founding pastor of Emmaus Church, a multi-racial congregation in Portland, OR. He is the author of Lies My Pastor Told Me & Lies Hip Hop Told Me and blogs on race, culture, theology and related topics at colebrownpdx.com. He lives in Portland with his wife and two children and loves Jesus, Hip Hop, and comedy. Twitter: @colebrownpdx
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Questioning the Gospel
Christians do a lot of back slapping when it comes to belief in the gospel. It’s like we’re afraid to ask hard questions, struggle through difficult times, and doubt the faith. Jenny is a new Christian. She’s well educated, thoughtful, terribly excited about the gospel, and acquainted with suffering. As we talked about her newfound faith, she explained to me that she tried church in the past. She’d had a “bad experience.” I braced myself for some church trashing, but quickly realized Jenny had something to say to the church. Jenny recounted story after story of her difficult questions being turned away by Christians and pastors. She was told, “All the answers are in the Bible. Just read it and have faith.” Her doubts were dismissed as undermining skepticism. Eventually, despite her admiration for the church, she left. Why? She wasn’t allowed to question the gospel.
The Bible Invites Doubt
Non-Christians aren’t the only ones that need to question the gospel. On the other side of faith, our discipleship should be suffused with doubt. Many of us run from it. We look down on doubt. In contrast, the whole Bible presupposes doubt. The Bible is largely written by believers to believers who doubt their beliefs. Many saints were adept at questioning God, asking questions like:
- “Will you put to death the righteous with the wicked?” (Gen 18:25)
- “Oh, Lord, will you please send someone else?” (Ex 4:13)
- “Why do the wicked prosper?” (Ps 73)
- “How long Oh Lord?” (Ps 79)
- “Have you not rejected us, O God?” (Ps 60)
- “How will this be since I am a virgin?” (Lk 1:34)
- “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46)
- “Why do I do what I do not want?” (Rom 7:20)
These men and women questioned God, to his face. Thomas was incredulous when told about the resurrection. Facing Jesus, he still doubted. Just prior to the ascension, with the risen Jesus standing in their midst, we’re told disciples “…worshiped but some doubted” (Matt 28:17).
Recovering the Practice of Doubt
Christians have lost the practice of doubt. Instead, we often reinforce blind faith. We gather like-minded people around us to reinforce our beliefs, while isolating ourselves from genuine questions about God, Scripture, and life. Non-Christians see this and are put off. Some assume that Christianity is pure indoctrination. Others believe that you have to check your brain at the door of church. So they remain, on the outside of the church, with important, authentic questions about the gospel, with no one to hear them out.
We need to learn from our skeptical friends and neighbors. We need to be more honest about how bizarre our faith sounds. Have you ever considered that Christianity sounds like a cult? We purport that our leader died and rose from the dead, but that he is now, conveniently, invisible. We believe that he will reappear one day to set all things right. Do you really believe this? Why? Can you account for it in a believable way? Many of the gospel teachings are slipped onto the shelf of our mental library, where they gather to collect dust. Sure we “believe” them, but don’t pull them down often enough to doubt them.
God has created a world filled with irony and incongruity. We are redeemed but we aren’t. We are perfect in God’s sight but not in real time. Jesus has defeated death and evil, but people die and suffer every day. Then, there’s the everyday struggle to believe. We possess the promises of God, but fail to believe them every single day. Instead, we believe in the fleeting promises of the world. We believe the approval of co-workers is better that the enduring approval of God the Father. We believe holding a grudge will bring more satisfaction than giving away Christ’s forgiveness. Suffering through a trial, we believe God in unjust or we are awful, instead of seeing God’s grace and goodness to purify misplaced faith in ourselves or in the comforts of this world. O, how we disbelieve.
Blind Faith is Blinding to the World
We disbelieve the gospel because we fail to doubt the gospel. We don’t interrogate it to find better promises. We don’t question God, asking him for greater joy than the fleeting satisfaction we have in comfort. We don’t query the gospel to make better sense of suffering. Instead, we place one hand over our eyes, and point upward: “Just have faith.” This is unbelievable. It is shallow.
Blind faith is blinding faith. It masks the light of the gospel, covering up the perceptive truths of Scripture that must be queried to be uncovered. People like Jenny need Christians who welcome, not stomp, doubt. An unbelieving world needs to see why the gospel is worth believing. They need to see what atonement has to do with pluralism, what regeneration has to do with environmental stewardship, what propitiation has to do with humility, what adoption has to do with sex trafficking, what justification has to do with self-esteem, what new creation has to do with the Arts, what union with Christ has to do with longings for significance. Our colleagues, coworkers, and neighbors also need to hear us doubt the gospel in face of: literature, homosexuality, racism, women, technology, pluralism, hypocrisy, evolution, and atheism, to name a few. The gospel must be questioned if we are to uncover its riches, not only for ourselves but also for the world.
Blind faith reroutes a detour around God’s design in suffering. Peter reminds us that trials are meant to make us question, reflect, and refine our faith. When we suffer the loss of a friend, job, or dream, we are meant to question the gospel. We are meant to discover, through trial, how Christ is better, not just affirm that he is better. Suffering can show us how God is sufficient and the Savior is sublime. But we must doubt. We must take our hands off our eyes to stare our troubles in the face. Only then can faith become precious and perceptive. We’ve failed to realize we are meant to doubt our way into faith every single day. When we doubt the gospel, in God’s presence, we find Jesus standing up in our circumstances, flooding them with hope.
Doubting for Joy
Standing in front of the risen Christ, “they worshipped but some doubted” (Matt 28:17). The disciples are skeptical. They possess the facts, the proofs to believe, but still don’t have faith. Or maybe they believed but lacked faith? Making a distinction between belief and faith Harvard Religion scholar, Harvey Cox writes: “We can believe something to be true without it making much difference to us, but we place our faith only in something that is vital for the way we live.” If we don’t see the gospel as vital, then we will restrict it to the realm of belief. In other words, we can believe the gospel with it making very little difference to our lives. We can believe without faith.
The way forward from belief to faith is through the path of doubt, down the road of inquiry. We must question what we believe in order to increase in faith. For Christ to become vital, we must see how essential he is, in everything. We need the vital organ of faith. Belief cannot live without faith, the animating power of actual trust in a trustworthy gospel. This comes through testing our faith, asking how God is good in our pain, what Jesus has to do with Science, how the Holy Spirit changes on culture. We need to get in front of the face of God and ask the hard questions with humility. We need to pull the gospel off the shelf and doubt it for joy.
Seeing the resurrected Jesus, some disciples “disbelieved for joy” (Lk 24:41). Doubt arose in their hearts. Jesus patiently revealed his hands and feet, scarred from his crucifixion. This was no spirit. Touching his body, they tested their beliefs (that the resurrection wasn’t plausible), and considered the immense promise this belief held if it were true. They leaned forward into faith. The closer they got to the risen Lord, under scrutiny, the more belief gave way to faith. They even watched Jesus perform an experiment, eating to prove he wasn’t an apparition. The prospect of the gospel became more compelling as they questioned the gospel in the face of Christ. They disbelieved for joy. Like the wonder we feel when we hit a homerun, ace the test, or win someone’s affection, they disbelieved for joy. Stunned in awe, they couldn’t believe it, but they were jumping up and down for joy inside. Disbelieving for joy, they fell headlong into faith.
This month marks a new series of articles at GCD following the theme of: Questioning the Gospel. We hope you’ll come doubt the gospel with us and disbelieve for joy.
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Jonathan K. Dodson (MDiv; ThM) serves as a pastor of City Life Church in Austin, Texas. He is the author of Gospel-Centered Discipleship andUnbelievable Gospel. He has discipled men and women abroad and at home for almost two decades, taking great delight in communicating the gospel and seeing Christ formed in others.
The Missional Shift in Student Ministry
Alvin Reid is a great partner and friend of GCD. This last week he released his new book, As You Go: Creating a Missional Culture of Gospel-Centered Students. In this great read, Alvin hopes to help students and leaders to have their entire lives defined by the mission. This is a much needed resource for the church in America and we are happy to share this excerpt of As You Go with our readers. ---
On the east coast of North Carolina a windy spot named Kitty Hawk faces the Atlantic Ocean. On that site over one hundred years ago two brothers named Orville and Wilbur Wright made a discovery that has radically changed my life and most likely yours as well. On a cold December day in 1903, these brothers tested what became the first fixed-wing flying machine in history. Their efforts marked the tipping point of a movement leading to global air travel, which has become a staple of culture now. A century later, in Atlanta alone, numbers equivalent to a small city pass through a single airport, traveling literally all over the world in a matter of hours.
Airplanes have not changed travel – the movement of people from one place to another -- in its essence. But the means and speed of travel have changed dramatically.
We have an unchanging Word from God (the Bible) and a unique message (the gospel), but the world in which we teach and live and share the truth of a relationship with God has changed significantly in recent years. Today, we have the largest number of youth ever in history, and by far the most unreached.
From the earliest days of the church in Acts until now, the Great Commission has not changed in its essence. But the approach to the missionary enterprise of taking the gospel to the world has changed dramatically. Peter and Paul had ink to pen their writings, but no blogs or Twitter feeds. The United States has become the fourth-largest mission field in the world. This means a fundamental shift must take place: Student ministers must recognize more students today are lost without Christ than ever in history, and the “market share” of students active in church is shrinking. In other words, student ministry needs a revolution. We live in a time when much is at stake and much is changing, as revolutionary as the Renaissance and Reformation, a time when the stakes will not allow status quo Christianity to continue unchallenged, if any season ever did. Where do we begin if we hope to see a movement of God create a missional revolution among students?
1. God.
We need a new vision of God: His vastness, His involvement in all things, His love and His justice. If your students have a lot better grasp of you as the student pastor than God -- who sustains the world by the word of His power -- you have a problem. If your students understand the latest stats on sexuality in America more than they know the attributes of God and how He is King over all of life, you have a serious problem. We need student pastors and who are better at theology than at new ideas. Years ago the founders of one student ministry said it is a sin to make Christianity boring. Agreed. And it is a greater sin to make Christianity silly, which is what has happened far too often. We must exalt a great God and give focus to His Word.
2. The gospel.
A movement of gospel recovery is happening today. Read Gospel by J. D. Greear or The Unbelievable Gospel by Jonathan Dodson. Or better, read Romans or John. We have shrink-wrapped the gospel, paring it down to the most bare of propositions. We must recover the great drama of redemption in Scripture, and see the gospel reflected in culture from movie plotlines to the wonder of creation. The one thing that is constantly newsworthy in your ministry is not an Ipad giveaway. It is Jesus. We need a radical, Christocentric transformation, understanding the gospel is for salvation and sanctification, for saved and unsaved alike. Jesus is the answer to all of life—not the superficial, subcultural Jesus, but the Jesus who cares for the broken and rebukes the self-righteous: the children-loving, disciple-calling, leper-healing, Pharisee-rebuking, humbly born, and ultimately reigning Lord Jesus.
3. The goal
Every ministry exists to glorify God. The goal of student ministry is to glorify God by developing disciples who learn both to see the world as missionaries and live as missionaries—to live focused on the mission of God. This means focusing less on discipleship aimed toward the lowest common denominator, which is a failed paradigm. It means you score success in long-term discipleship, equipping students for a life of service to Christ. It means helping students grow and develop their own plan for gospel impact now.
4. The gathering.
Connect to the whole church, across generations. Today’s teens are not only the most numerous; they are also the most fatherless. We must connect students to the larger church and not function as a parachurch ministry within a church building. We need a Titus 2 revolution where older men teach younger guys and older women teach younger ladies. We have spent so much time on the imperative that I fear we have lost the indicative, the “why” of all we do with, for, and through students. Once a person meets Christ he or she goes on a journey to further understand the message of God and live out the mission of God, to build a gospel-centered life with a missional posture toward everything: career, family, church, economics, fitness, morality — everything. Gabe Lyons in The Next Christians observes via research what I see consistently in my frequent interactions with leaders. Leaders seek a “new way forward;” they “want to be a force for restoration in a broken world even as we proclaim the Christian Gospel.” I, and others, call this way forward missional. Being missional means to think like a missionary, and missionaries travel: geographically to far lands, or sometimes they simply take a journey into their own communities to share Christ more effectively and intentionally. Geography does not define a missionary; the mission does.
Continue reading As You Go.
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Alvin L. Reid is husband to Michelle and father to Josh and Hannah. He is a professor of evangelism and student ministry at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary as well as a popular speaker and author. He has written numerous books on student ministry, evangelism, missional Christianity, and spiritual awakenings. Follow on twitter: @AlvinReid.
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Related Resources
Unbelievable Gospel by Jonathan Dodson
How to Disciple Urban Youth by Eliot Velasquez
Replacing the Center of Youth Ministry by Josh Cousineau
5 Lies that Kill Obedience
When Mirela and I loaded up our belongings and headed to the northwest, we were filled with an incredible blend of expectation and zeal. We knew something major was happening, and God was going to let us be part of it. We didn't have a grand plan. We just had a genuine desire to serve and to start a church in Portland. It was a big adventure and we felt like pioneers on the Oregon Trail. As we crossed the Walla Walla mountains in eastern Oregon, we listened to Rich Mullen’s song, “You’re on the Verge of a Miracle.” We couldn’t wait to see mass revival in Portland. God placed us in a remarkable church planting team. We’ve seen lots of evidence of God’s grace in our lives and in the church. He has continually provided for our small church plant. We are thankful for many things. From the outside, it looks pretty good. Church planters come from all over the world to learn about what we are doing. Our missional communities multiply every year. We even have a cool website.
The reality is: life lived on the frontier is hard. We have seen only a handful of people come to Christ and be baptized. Church conflict is constant. It seems as though every time someone joins our church, another person leaves. About a third of the missional communities we start fail. All the while, our city continues to be desperately far from knowing the riches of the gospel. My neighbors constantly reject the good news of Jesus despite our best attempts to demonstrate and proclaim it to them. The city is not flourishing in the peace of salvation, but struggling in the chaos of brokenness. It doesn’t feel like the ‘miracle’ is happening. We sometimes wonder: “When will the revival come? Will we be around to see it?”
Lessons from China
It reminds me of the church in China. No, not the Chinese church of today, where thousands are baptized daily and they can’t print enough Bibles or equip enough pastors to keep up with the rapid multiplication of the church. Not that movement. I am reminded of the Chinese churches of Hudson Taylor, Robert Morrison, and the Cambridge Seven. They spent the best years of their lives laboring with little or no fruit. Despite decades of evangelism and service, they only witnessed a few conversions and a few new churches in their life times. By the time Mao banned religion, many, even within the missions movement, assumed China was ‘unreachable.’ These missionaries had seemingly wasted their lives.
However, the house church movement that began to erupt in the 1960s and continues today was built on the foundation of these missionaries. The converts they baptized became the backbone of today's movement. The few disciples they made, made more disciples, and they made disciples, and so on. The revival those missionaries prayed for came. It was just decades after they had died. The pioneering missionaries never saw the packed house churches or the all night baptism services. They didn't see their prayers answered. Yet, they faithfully served, at great personal cost, for years. They obeyed the call to go and make disciples without knowing their impact.
The Rewards of Obedience
What do you get for all your anonymous and resultless faithfulness? Nothing short of God. “Discipleship,” as Bonheofer writes, “means joy.” The reward is Christ himself. Often we get confused and think the rewards for obedience are big churches, lots of twitter followers, and the approval of our peers. We miss the promise of Christ.
How sick are we when we lust for the results of Christ’s work, thinking it could belong to us? When we prefer convert stories to Christ? Sadly, many of us will hope more for ‘success’ than we will hope for Christ.
If you follow Jesus, you may never see revival. Though you love your city, you may never see it transformed. But if you follow Jesus you are guaranteed this one thing: Jesus. Your fruit is the joy of obeying Jesus. Nothing else. The baptisms and church plants belong to God. Those are God’s work, not yours.
5 Lies that Kill Obedience
Our ability to quit and become sidetracked is great. Our hearts are constantly being attacked by lies that keep us from persevering in faith. These five lies are particularly successful. They are deceptive and effective in killing our conviction to follow Jesus and trust in his work.
1. “You are above this.”
This is the lie of strong pride. That the grunt work isn’t for you. I first heard this lie when I cleaned toilets for a church in Los Angeles. You may hear it while you are watching babies in the nursery Sunday after Sunday. Or when you get stood up once again by your not-yet believing friends for dinner. You hear it when your neighbors shun you for being crazy people who believe in Jesus. The lie is: “you are better then this.” When you believe this lie, you think you are entitled to fame. In reality, you are only entitled to be called a child of God, and that right was purchased by Christ. Don’t settle for position and fame. If you think you are above the job and task, you will not persevere in obedience.
2. “You are below this.”
Many times it also sounds like: “You don’t belong and you don’t deserve this.” This is a lie attacking Christ’s ability to work in and through you. If you believe this lie, you believe that God is not at work, but you are the one at work. This lie leads to fear and rejection of your identity as a son or daughter of God. It is also born out of comparison to others instead of Christ. What is so devastating about this lie is it paralyzes folks from obedience that would give God glory. No one is capable or skilled enough to do what God has called them to do. The Holy Spirit empowers us for the tasks and God is glorified in using us.
3. “If you were better, it would be easier.”
This one comes when things feel incredibly hard. It leads to self loathing and increased suffering. This lie shakes your sense of purpose. You begin to place yourself as the focal point of God’s work and conclude you are either in the way or driving it forward. When things improve, you believe it is because you have done better and have earned it. When things fail, you are certain it is your fault. Similar lies are: “You have to be good to be used for good.” Or: “You have to be smarter, better, quicker, more talented, more educated, rich and moral in order to do good.” This leads to a personal quest for self-rightness, excellence, and God's job. This lie essentially says: “You are this city’s savior.” Eventually you quit in desperation because you have labored without a savior.
4. “If it isn’t happening now, it never will.”
This lie says: "today is all there is and God can't work tomorrow. If God hasn’t answer your prayers for revival by now, he never will." When you believe it, you lose perspective on the scope of life and count everything you are doing as worthless. You are no longer content in obedience alone, but want to see what your obedience will create. This is nearsighted dreaming. This lie results in quick quitting or shrinking versions of worthwhile-God-given dreams. This is a lie people believe when the settle for less then the radical surrender and obedience God called them to. When we believe this lie we are saying, “God doesn’t care anymore or he can’t do it.”
5. “You are alone.”
This is the hardest one. Our sinful hearts leap to this lie when we are tired and discouraged. The goal of this lie is to isolate you and make you think no one else cares, and no one else is coming to help. No longer are you being obedient to God’s work, but now you feel like a hired hand. It is as if God is paying you to establish a franchise of his kingdom and is looking for a return on his investment. Your belief in this lie says, “Jesus doesn’t love me or this city. He didn’t died for this city of for me...God abandones his people."
Gospel Motivation
At the heart of each these lies is an attack on your motivation and an attack on the gospel. The truth is Christ died for you. You are loved and you are his son or daughter (1 John 3:1). He has empowered you with his Spirit to be his witness (Acts 1:8). He will work in you and through you as he works all things together for good and conforms you to the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:28-29). He is with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28).
When I was 11, my family moved to Lisbon, a city of five million people with fewer than 4 percent believing the gospel. Shortly after we arrived, my family went to a hill that overlooked the city we came to ‘win’ for Christ. My dad wept over it as he prayed for the people and for the gospel to take root and free people. We all cried. We had put everything on the line to follow Jesus to this city. We loved the city and we loved Jesus.
Soon it will be two decades since that day we prayed for that city, and the statistics are the same. My parents saw only a couple people baptized in over a decade of ministry there. They will never see or experience his prayers for the city being answered. What did they experience? God’s lavished grace in new ways; the gospel.
Are you willing to weep over your city for decades and never see your prayers answered, and plant seeds you never see germinate? What if your church never becomes nationally known? What if you don’t write books or speak at conferences? Is the gift of the gospel enough for you?
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Brad Watsonserves as a pastor of Bread&Wine Communities in Portland, Oregon. He is also the director of GospelCenteredDiscipleship.com. Brad is the co-author of Raised? Doubting the Resurrection. His greatest passion is to encourage and equip leaders for the mission of making disciples. He is Mirela's husband and Norah's dad.
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Related Resources:
Gospel Amnesia by Luma Simms (e-book)
Living the Mission by Winfield Bevins (article)
The Gospel and the Great Commission by Abe Meysenburg (article)
Why Entrepreneurs Don't Like Your Church
Most readers know me as a missional community practitioner and don’t realize I am also an entrepreneur. I currently own an investment portfolio management firm, and have for 10 years. I’ve started three other businesses, and will be starting another when we move to Phoenix later this year. I am a business starter, that’s my ‘day job.’ Most churches have a hard time getting entrepreneurs, like me, to join their mission and vision. We are either running from church or passively sitting in pews on Sunday. We have gifts and strengths to offer, but they lay dormant in the local church. Why? It isn't for a lack of asking. Pastors frequently attempt to pull the business owners in but are met with, “I’m too busy.” Excuses, like these, are usually a cloud of smoke to mask the true objections. My hope is to help shed some light on what lies beneath the "I'm too busy" objection.
A Big Problem
First, entrepreneurs are not more important or better than the rest of the church. However, we can all agree that the entrepreneur is usually a pretty odd specimen with unique gifts and abilities. The church can’t afford to have anyone’s gifts sidelined. The mission of the church is too important to miss out on a single part of the body. What does it say about our church, if a fraction of its gifts go unused, unengaged?
The entrepreneur is not super human, but they usually have a ton of capacity, they aren’t scared of risk, they love thinking outside the box, and they don’t mind submitting to leadership. What’s really interesting is that if they find something they are sold out for, they’ll call others to join them. They can become a huge ally for the church to aid in the understanding of making disciples who make disciples. The problem is that for many years the entrepreneur has been told to “fit into this box” or go elsewhere. Many have. Many entrepreneurs have decided to fulfill the great commission through para-church organizations and non-profits. I understand why.
What if you were a baseball player and were continually told by your coach that instead of playing baseball, you were going to knit scarfs? I’m guessing you’d find a different place to allow your talent to mature. In a sense, churches have been doing this for years with the entrepreneur. We don't put them in the game they were designed to play.
Entrepreneurs are so unique they can give a church's vision a run for its money, ask tough questions, and sharpen the leadership of the local church. They have the ability to challenge and push leaders in ways other folks can't. They cause us to dream bigger, get specific, empower others, and take major risks. So, why do entrepreneurs hate your church?
Your Vision is Too Small
What do I mean by “vision?” The mission of all followers of Jesus is to make disciples who make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). The vision for your local church is the how, where, and who of this commission. How are you going to make disciples? Where are you going to go? Who are you going to reach? Your church was placed on earth to make disciples. That is why you exist. If we all had the exact same vision for the how, where, and who we were going to make disciples of, then we might as well be one big church. But, the fact is, God has given each church a unique vision to carry out the mission he has given us all. Far too often, churches settle for a vision that is too small.
Entrepreneurs think big. Honestly, that’s also what makes us (entrepreneurs) fail sometimes. We think all our ideas are going to be the next big thing, when in reality, our dreams are often bigger than the marketplace can handle. However, these big dreams allow businesses to be born and succeed.
Entrepreneurs want to be part of something big, not something that is going to only affect those around the block. Now, those around the block might be the starting point to implement the vision, but shouldn’t be the end point. If you want entrepreneurs to be engaged on the mission in the context God has given your church, think big, not small.
Soma Communities told me they wanted to see 3,000 missional communities in the Seattle area. That’s 1 for every 1,000 people. That vision started with me getting after it, trained, and excited for multiplication. If they merely told me that they wanted me to go and start a missional community in my neighborhood, that would have been great and all, but the first thing I’d be thinking is: “Is that it? Is that where I stop?” Honestly, as an entrepreneur, to have that be the end goal, wouldn’t be exciting enough.
God is our example for casting vision. He told Abraham: “Your offspring will be numbered as the stars. The whole earth will be blessed through your family.” This is a big vision. God also said that we were to be his witnesses, not only to our neighbors and cities, but to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Think of this vision laid out by God in Genesis and Acts. It includes the people next door to you, but is also much bigger that that. God’s vision is simultaneously as small as a family and as big as the world.
So, when we hear this, we get excited. Not because we can do it on our own, but because we know that God can and he has given us the Spirit to empower us for the mission. This is a vision beyond our powers and requires us to rely on the Spirit. So, while others may balk at a large vision, the entrepreneur will be your ally in calling people to fulfilling the seemingly impossible. We need entrepreneurs calling us to push the envelope, to think beyond our neighborhood and consider the world. They will become a litmus test: if your vision is too small and doesn’t require risk, innovation, or creative thinking, they will pick up on this.
Your Vision is too Generic
Having a large vision is one thing, but if it is a generic vision, it will likely die. God’s vision for Abraham was big, but it was also specific. He told Abraham: “Go to the land I will show you.” At times, God is not always specific with us, but that’s okay. He’s God. But, what I do find interesting is how God treated Paul on the mission field. Paul listened to Jesus when he said, “you’ll be my witness even to the ends of the earth” (big vision) and then listened to the Spirit as he continued to instruct Paul where to go and where not go. It is amazing to watch how specific the Spirit was with Paul as he listened and relied on God (Acts 16).
What we’ll see in churches is that their vision is: “We want to glorify God in all the earth.” Well, thanks? It is a big vision, but I can frankly do that without being connected to your specific church.
Give us some handles on what you mean. When Soma Communities says: “We want to see 3,000 Missional Communities in the Puget Sound area.” This gives me so much information right up front. I see a big vision: a number that they desire to attain. I also see the means by which they are going to see disciples made: missional communities. The vision tells folks how they plan on glorifying god in the earth. You don’t necessarily need to see a number, but put some sort of descriptive handles so we aren’t left to wander.
It’d be like me trying to secure a loan for my business and saying: “We want to be the best company in the whole world!” How? By being the best. Where? The world. Ridiculous. Entrepreneurs need specific vision.
Your Implementation is Too Restrictive
Many churches and pastors usually fail the most here. You literally take the best weapon from the entrepreneur out of their hand by wanting to control everything.
You tell them how things are going to run on Sunday, how things are going to run in your programs, and how things are going to work in their community, small group, or missional community.
Entrepreneurs are used to coming up with game plans and strategies based on who they are, what their context is, and who is working alongside them. Churches steal that mindset from the entrepreneur and tell them, “Our way or the highway.” And frankly, most entrepreneurs have said, “See ya later.”
Churches then chalk it up to us not wanting to submit to leadership, but that’s not it. We don’t want to be controlled and manipulated into thinking the pastor knows it all and knows how our lives should work. That sounds a little harsh, but that’s how they see it.
Entrepreneurs are used to being handed the “rules” to live within as they deal with local government, tax laws, officials, etc. Once we figure out the “rules of engagement” we can take it and build our businesses within that framework.
Think like that when implementing your vision. How can the church set up a system where it allows the entrepreneurs to use their gifts instead of restrict them? In Soma Communities, the parameters or rules are: we believe that the primary organizing structure of the church is gospel communities on mission and how you work that out is up to you! They train, equip, and encourage. They don’t control.
The Austin Stone does this well, too. My friend Todd Engstrom, says, “For us inviting entrepreneurs into conversations that are in their fields, not just ours. Most entrepreneurs hate the church because everything is pretty prescribed, and honestly not very complex. So, we help them think through ministry in their world, but allow them to be the experts.“ By inviting the entrepreneur into these conversations, Austin Stone has launched 9 different non-profits and unleashed leaders into full engagement in the mission of making disciples.
This is a dream for the entrepreneur. It allows us to work within the time frame that our businesses allow instead of having to be at programs, church services, or church buildings. To be part of most churches, you have to be at the church building more often than a hipster wears a scarf. Most business owners don’t have time for that. When they don’t show up to those events, they are made to feel guilty and less than a Christian for not showing up to the latest greatest event.
As a church, flip that scenario and say, “the mission and vision is critical; figure out how to make disciples in the ways that God has given you.” Empower folks! Free up the implementation of your vision to liberate more gifts. This respects the uniqueness of everyone’s design. We have all been made differently, with different gifts, with different schedules, and different ideas.
Your Methods Are Too Safe
God is sovereign, right? Don’t be a chicken pastor. If we can all agree that it’s God’s mission, God’s power, and God’s resources, why wouldn’t we risk everything we’ve got? Entrepreneurs are willing to try whatever it takes and are rarely controlled by the fear of failure. They thrive on risk and “going for it.”
Entrepreneurs can see right through the leaders who are more afraid of man than God. They can see the fear of failure. They never want to be part of something safe and want to push the envelope with mission. They want to be sent to the places considered unsafe to live in, work in, and do ministry in.
Last year as Soma leadership, we prayed for leaders to be sent to Seattle, San Francisco, and Phoenix. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but the more I heard about Phoenix and some of the “hard things” about it, I knew I was ready.
People were saying:
- Phoenix has a ton of gangs and drugs and horrid schools.
- Phoenix is spread out and is more like a suburban context, which is impossible to do missional community life in.
- Phoenix is hard for relationship building. Most people just stay inside and don’t want to get to know other people.
All I heard was, “Yadda yadda yadda…” My wife thought through the above and said, “if all these (and other excuses) are true, shouldn’t we be the first to move in and show others about our God who lives in community? “
Pastors, stop being safe with your people. Call them to take risks in making disciples. If it doesn’t work, who cares? You’ll learn something. If you’re following Jesus, you have nothing to lose. It’s not even really a risk. God is in control and he is good at it. If you enable entrepreneurs to take risks, others will follow. Your church will quickly see the joy in following Jesus with reckless abandonment.
Final Word to Pastors
Honestly, if you are reading this and you are a pastor, know this: entrepreneurs desire to be part of what the local church is doing. They’re just tired of you thinking too small and being too timid. Dreaming big. Leading strong. Take risks. Entrepreneurs will follow you.
This article isn’t a fix-it-all. However, pastor and business starters are on the wrong page. This is meant to be a shout to the pastor from the pew on why you have been frustrated with us and we (entrepreneurs) have been frustrated with you.
I don’t believe that we are always right, or that we are better than any other person in your flock. But, for too long, we’ve been shelved and treated as though our gifts are a hindrance to the church instead of actual gifts.
If you can start to lean into these four basic things…you’ll be surprised how much you’ll see the entrepreneur get behind you and desire to be part of what the church is doing.
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Seth McBee is the adopted son of God, husband of one wife, and father of three. He’s a graduate of Seattle Pacific University with a finance degree. By trade Seth is an Investment Portfolio Manager, serving as president of McBee Advisors, Inc as well as a missional community leader, preaching elder with Soma Communities in Renton, Washington, and executive team member of the GCM Collective. Twitter @sdmcbee.
Other article by Seth: Leading Joe Blow Into Mission, The Introverted Evangelist, and How Kids Learn to Follow Jesus.
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Also Read Proclaiming Jesus by Tony Merida.