No Straight Line

A Snowy Day and A Cup of Coffee

I pulled into Dunkin’ Donuts one morning to grab a much-needed coffee on the way to an early morning meeting. It had snowed pretty heavily the night before, so things were pretty messy driving around. Pulling into the DD parking lot was tough enough because of the mounds of snow in the entrance and the people trying to navigate their way in and out of the small parking lot, but something else had happened.

Once we are in Christ, we are no longer orphans. Everyone has a place in the people of God.

Snow had now covered and replaced the once clear vibrant yellow parking lines. The lines were virtually non-existent, as far as all the drivers were concerned, and the parking lot turned into an absolute mess. People were parked sideways; some were taking up two spots; people were double-parking behind other cars making getting in and out of the parking lot nearly impossible. It was a mess, and it was chaos . . . And I hadn’t had my coffee yet.

Straight Lines

First, I learned that day that we love our straight lines. What I mean is that as humans we, at some level, desire structure, and organization to order the seeming chaos. A quick look at the parking lot that snowy day would have had anyone wishing they could just see the parking lines to put some things in order. Organizations, businesses, our lives, and parking lots benefit from a structure that systematizes and organizes our world. I would go as far to say that some of our lives, mine included, may benefit from more structure in some areas.

Second and most important, I learned that day that life is not made of straight lines. As much as I may want it to be, life is not a series of straight lines where everyone stays in their lines, and I stay in mine, and we all go on living happily into our beautifully structured and clean IKEA-like lives. Quite the opposite, life is more like the parking lot and roads covered in snow and full of people who have not had their coffee, so you better get out of their way.

Messy Discipleship

If we agree that life is messier and more fluid than a perfectly lined parking lot, then why do we make disciples who need parking lot lines to learn and make more disciples? Why do we believe that the way to make disciples is to make better parking lots? How will the next generation of disciples teach others what it means to be someone who follows Jesus in the messy snowy days of life if we spend our time stuck in the parking lot drawing lines? Let me explain.

A disciple, as it is defined, is a learner of a way of thought and life. So then discipleship is the process by which a person becomes and grows in the way of that particular thought and way of life. I have gone to, been involved with, and worked for churches across the map. I have seen countless models and methods to make disciples. I want to go on record and say that all of them are good to some degree and serve a purpose much like lines on a parking lot. Now, put those parking lot lines in the middle of the interstate you are going to create a mess; not because they aren’t useful but because they don’t belong there.

When we look at the modern day church, the question is, are we discipling people in a way that is helping them and others navigate the messy roads of life or are we teaching them to stay in the parking lots?

Not Your Average Teacher

I had a driver’s ed teacher who was no joke. A tall and lanky guy, Mr. F was all business with his reflective aviator glasses, light blue corduroy pants, and drove what we believed was an original Humvee that very well could have still had the attached machine gun mounted on the roof from a tour of the battlefield. He was not your average driver's ed teacher.

One particularly snowy day, Mr. F decided to take us for a little spin . . . literally. As the first driver of the day, he told me to head to the back of a large parking lot that was near us in town. We backed up against the curb, and he said, “Take your foot off the pedal and keep the car going straight.”Confused I did so and at that moment, Mr. F reached his long, lanky leg over the center console and slammed the pedal to the floor. We immediately went into a sideways spin, which I corrected (thank you very much), and we started careening across the parking lot at a very alarming rate. I can still remember his calm but stern voice, “Don’t touch the break. Don’t touch it.”

Finally, after a few moments barreling down the parking lot like an Olympic bobsled team, he took his foot off the pedal, brought his lanky leg back to his side, slammed on the passenger break and yelled, “Cut the wheel to the right!”. I’m sure you know what happened next; we started into a spin which would have made any adrenaline rush seeker jealous. I remember looking at Mr. F in the middle of this, almost in slow-motion, he was relaxed. He was so peaceful in fact he might as well have been drinking a cup of coffee with one hand and looking at the sports section of the newspaper with the other. Meanwhile, the entire drivers ed class was silently praying that that car just wouldn’t flip over as we crashed into the rapidly approaching wall.

More Like a Feeling

I am proud to tell you I stopped the spinning car that day, saved our lives, and maybe even impressed Mr. F. I learned a lot of things that day, but one of the most poignant lessons that I learned was something that could not be taught but had to be felt. Life is best learned while living and living is best done while learning.

You know what was unhelpful that day? Parking lot lines. I promise I wasn’t thinking about how I could, in an organized manner, find a safe resting spot for the car—I was just thinking about living until dinner. You know what else would not have been helpful? If one of the three people in the back of that car in the middle of the spin said, “Hey Greg. This is pretty stressful, and I don’t know much about how to stop the car, but I do have a really nice parking lot that I know of that you could come to, and we could talk about it.”

On the flip-side, do you know what was helpful? A confident, calm, and strong mentor in the front seat. Up until this point I had heard about sliding in the snow, learned about it in the classroom setting, but I had not experienced it yet. Mr. F knew the feeling well and knew something else even more important; I needed to feel it too.

Experiencial Download

If we think of our discipleship methods in the church, many stop at the information stage. We gather Sunday to learn more about God, and then we gather for a small group to hear more about God, what He has done, and how we are doing in light of it, which is all magnificent. Something is missing in the process—a Mr.F.

Jesus spent time discussing the Kingdom of God, the nature of God, the plans of God and people were amazed or disturbed. The difference between Jesus and the church today is Jesus took it to a level we often don’t take it. Ever wonder why Jesus called the disciples to, “Come follow me”? Why not just teach them at the temple, answer any questions they may have had, and send them on their way with a few worksheets to fill out and a chapter to read until next week? He and Mr. F knew the secret of any good teacher/mentor; they knew people learn best through experience.

Where to Now?

Today, even over fifteen years later, when I am driving in the snow and start slipping, I remember the way I learned to handle the car that day. The days in the classrooms are talking about it, the videos seeing it, and the discussions about what I might do were helpful but nowhere near as helpful as the galvanizing and staying power of experiencing it.

Our structures were helpful but not what I needed at that moment. In the same way, discipleship in the church must be reformed to help people not only know how to talk about making disciples but making them. This reform must be purposefulness and trust that God is the Great Discipler who will use every moment and every spin to teach us a great lesson; God is best experienced not only when we are experiencing him and but when we are helping others experience him too.

The Clarion Call

God put in front of us the essentials to discipleship all along, but we forgot it in all our planning. We lost the simplicity, power, and beauty that we saw Jesus and others like Paul personify. “Follow me as I follow Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). But when these words come to you, you will never quite see discipleship the same way.

Discipleship was never supposed to be a model but a way of life. It was to be done, “as you go” (Deut 6:5-7). Maybe you realized this truth is watching a father teach his child or someone lending a hand to someone in need. Or maybe watching someone sitting next to a friend comforting them after a loss. Why did we ever think we could systematize that? Maybe we thought discipleship would be easier that way. But discipleship was meant to be caught as much as it was meant to be taught. We have put our faith in systems and models that promise results but only produce a need for more improved and efficient systems.

Read through the Gospels. Do you get the feeling from Jesus that anything held him back from making disciples? He discipled on mountain sides, a tax collector’s home, the marketplace, and the temple (much to the chagrin of some of the religious people). He didn’t need a system or a model; he just lived it, people took notice and asked questions. He had some disciples that were close to him who he taught in a more intimate way and some that were not as close, but that he discipled in a different way. Both were done on the highways and byways of life. Discipleship must be done while living because that’s where the head, heart, and feet meet.

So, are we walking in the ways of Jesus or are we just studying his footprints?

—

Greg has served in various pastoral roles in churches in NY and FL over the course of 10 years. Greg now lives in FL with his wife and two children where he is helping churches and church planters equip the church to make disciples in everyday ways in everyday places. You can read more from Greg at www.gregsmiths.com

Originally appeared at www.gregsmiths.com. Used with permission.

3 Elements of Your Calling

Every Christian has the same calling, and every Christian has a unique calling. Wait, what? Every Christian is called by God to orient their life around three central commands in Scripture. In that sense, our calling is the same. Yet our individual obedience will have diverse expression. In this way, our calling is unique.

We orchestrate our lives around a big story that we trust in. The habits and decisions of our daily life are expressions of living that story.

In the last couple years, I’ve discovered this “same calling, unique calling” principle. Without grounding calling in sameness we have no real starting point for our life’s work. Without a sense of uniqueness we live in the agony of jealousy, guilt, and comparison. I have bloodied my face against this brick wall. Maybe my pain can save you some time. Here’s how the “same calling, unique calling” principle has played out for me.

1. Be Creative 

Like so many people, I used to say, “I’m not creative.” I didn’t realize I was calling God a liar.

Most of us are familiar with the doctrine of imago dei (i.e., humans were created in the image of God). We share common ground with God, have capacity to relate to God, and are designed to overflow with the goodness of God. But creativity is also a key part of this shared likeness.

God command us to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion” over creation (Gen 1:28-29). He encourages us to “make something out of what I have made, create something out of what I have created.”

During the Olympics this summer we will witness the world’s greatest kinesthetic creativity. Gymnasts will prepare jaw-dropping routines. Top sprinters will run nearly thirty miles per hour. With the bodies God has given them these athletes have made something. They are creative. But probably in a way that doesn’t fit most people’s definition.

My wife recently shared a valuable Albert Einstein quote with me: “Everyone is a genius but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” You are creative. But if you aren’t musical or artistic and you judge yourself by those standards, you will live your whole life believing “I’m not creative.” What a lie.

You are created in the image of God. You have been created to create so you must “create to live,” as my friend Daniel Mogg puts it. You are infused with the creative life of the Holy Spirit—the same Spirit that brought order out of the uninhabitable land in the beginning. So be creative because you are.

2. Mature in Love

About five years ago, I had a nervous breakdown. I’m not prone to anxiety attacks and things of that nature, but I am certain my experience lands in that category.

I was speaking at a summer camp, and all I wanted to do was go hide in my room and cry. I felt fearful of the people around me. What brought these feelings on?

Looking back, it seems clear that demonic forces were screaming lies about me that I began to truly believe. But before these demons spoke them to me, so did a well-intentioned mentor in my life.

At the time, I was a youth and college pastor. The lead pastor was receiving some feedback that, although I made myself available to others, I wasn’t as approachable as I should be. I took this advice to heart. I remember one week where I set up seventeen one-on-one appointments with others to connect. Yet even with these efforts, many folks felt that my relational performance was deficient.

“On Sunday mornings I’d like you to go around shake hands, kiss babies, and schmooze,” he explained. “You mean like a politician?” I asked. “Exactly!”

I came to dread the schmoozing times between services. I became fearful of others. Why? A lie began to grow in my heart. “I’m not good at relationships.” Months later at the summer camp that seed bore fruit and the enemy was throwing it in my face.

Perhaps, like me you’ve come to believe something similarly harmful about your capacity to relate to others. “If people get to know me they won’t really like me.” “I wish I was an extrovert like her.” “I’m bad at connecting with people.”

It took several years to wean myself off the poisonous lies I’d been sipping. He replaced those lies with the truth about me in Christ. Here’s the truth about you and me: By God’s grace, I’m good at relationships. I can mature in love as I respond to the love God has shown me through Christ. I may never be that great at the politician thing, but I thrive in one-on-one conversations and smaller settings. I love others best in these contexts. But if you ask me to schmooze somewhere, I’ll just shoot myself in the kneecap so I can escape.

When it comes to relationships, what elements of your personality does God desire to rescue you from? What elements of your personality does God want to redeem so that his life can shine through you? His plan is to do both of these things in your life. His calling for each of us is to mature in love, but that maturity will manifest uniquely based off your personality and your context.

3. Multiply Disciples 

About five years ago, I was exposed to the missional community movement. Both the theological vision and the reproducibility resonated deeply with me. However, I struggled deeply to connect the teachings with my own life. So many of the missional exhortations I heard started with “connecting with your neighbors.” That was pretty hard for me. I don’t live in a neighborhood. I live at a Camp and Conference Center. The lake is surrounded with million dollar homes—almost all of which are gated/barricaded. I invited some folks over one time, but while I was broiling steaks, my son ran into the corner of our kitchen counter at a dead sprint. It was a pretty bad injury, so I canceled the dinner, and it was never rescheduled.

I started to try to reach out to my co-workers. But then I remembered that I lead a one-year discipleship college. Everyone around me is already aspiring to follow Jesus. Uh-oh. I started to feel intense guilt about my perceived failure to make disciples. But God used a conversation with a coach to yank me out of those doldrums.

“I feel like I’m not making disciples—not fulfilling the Great Commission. I don’t know how to reach people outside the faith.”

“How would you define discipleship?”

“It starts before conversion as people begin to follow Jesus. The journey continues when people trust in Jesus then reorient every area of their life under his leadership.”

“So you don’t feel like you’re doing that with the discipleship school?”

There it was. That moment set me free. Somehow I’d come to see all the neighborhood missional stuff as the sexy thing to do. But none of that was possible for me in my context. And I felt horrible about it. Somehow I’d come to devalue people who were already Christians to the point where I didn’t even consider that to be legitimate discipleship work. I saw my current ministry as less than what others were doing.

Since then, God has opened countless doors to for me to connect with people outside the faith and to share Christ. Most of it has happened at my gym. But what if I were still beating my head against a wall trying to do neighborhood mission stuff in my context? It doesn’t make any sense.

Jesus has called you to make disciples. That means you help people see how good Jesus is so they can be reconciled to the Father and filled with the Spirit. You teach them to lovingly obey Jesus’ teaching. Making disciples is our calling, yet it expresses itself uniquely in each of our lives. Peter reminds us that God’s grace is “varied” based off our individual gifts (1 Pt 4:10).

If you’re a fish, get out of that tree. Adapt your rhythms, relationships, and/or context so that you can truly live out God’s calling on your life. Be creative, mature in love, and make disciples.

—

Dr. Sean Post leads a one-year discipleship experience for young adults called Adelphia. He has authored three books. His great joys in life are spending time with his wife and three kids, eating great food, and CrossFit.

Speak into Suffering

When my first daughter went to be with the Lord, one friend wrote to me, “There are no words.” There are no words to describe, quantify, or eliminate the pain of child loss—it was a depletion of my person in nearly every possible manner. There are no words for the kinds of suffering we can endure on this earth. Experiencing that kind of depletion is not a reason to despair with hopelessness, for it can give way to great rejoicing. Through it, the abundance and sufficiency of Scripture become unmistakable. There are divinely-inspired words—that can never be depleted—to speak into intense suffering.

Disciples devour and dwell on the things of God found in the Scriptures. We pray. We kill sin in our lives. We serve others.

Many who have not personally experienced intense suffering feel depleted of words the minute they hear about someone else’s deep pain. Perhaps that is you. You feel you cannot relate well to others’ agony. Perhaps you have heard the widespread advice that the best approach to someone who is suffering is to be present and only listen. Or, perhaps you have only had occasion to read or learn about what not to say when someone is suffering, so you are at a loss for exactly how to act or be. God’s Word is an abundant, sufficient help for you too.

The God Speaking There

In The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom was familiar with her own suffering and that of others. She recounts that women with of her in a Nazi prison camp would encircle her and her sister, pressing in closely and attentively, as they read the Word of God (thanks to a Bible God miraculously provided).

Precisely during this level of suffering, they desperately needed and wanted the Word. The God speaking there—through those pages—was their only hope. This remarkable account shows the Word bringing hope and light to a dark and, from an earthly perspective, hopeless circumstance.

So as a Church, as disciples, as teachers, as leaders, as friends, as one who is suffering intensely—right where we find yourself—let’s do well at speaking Scripture into suffering. To do so, we will need to learn the Word itself—not just verses we pluck from the book, but the meaning of passages and, then, the application of passages to our overall theology and the way we view the world.

And, ethen, we need to become good listeners. I have learned that there is no substitute for these—learning the Word and listening—and that when they are done well, I have much more to offer someone who is suffering in addition to myself.

As disciples—right where we find yourself—let’s do well at speaking Scripture into suffering

Think about your life and heart. What often results in your own spiritual growth? You have an ache. And you bring it to the Lord and his Word. Whether through an article, a conversation with someone else, a lecture, a small group meeting, a sermon, a book, reading the Bible in the quietness of your home, you have a realization about that ache. That is, you learn what the Bible speaks into that ache.

When you do, you grow. You are made more whole with the truth of his Word. One experience like this after another is what carried me through grief.

So, if you have a suffering friend, listen for the ache when he or she speaks. If you cannot identify it or if you do not yet know how the Bible speaks into it, then be satisfied with being a good listener—after all, you would only be speaking for the benefit of your friend. Make no assumptions, for a response of Biblical perspective to the ache they feel, might not be the words you think they need to hear.

Identifying the Ache

But do know, if you can indeed identify another’s ache and can grow to interpret and apply the Bible well to the aches you begin to hear around you, then trust that the Word of God is your sufficient and most compassionate resource to share with someone who is suffering.

When suffering is new, resonate with the ache. A sorrowful reaction to suffering is Biblical.

• When everything in life now feels meaningless, remember that there is a reason for this feeling—the world is not as it should be (Ecclesiastes).
• When the experience of grief is life-consuming, remember how consuming was David’s grief over his baby’s impending death (2 Sam. 12:15-17).
• When suffering makes you feel lonely, read the Psalms to know you are truly not alone.
• When you feel angry with the woeful way of the world, think of Jesus’ troubled, even angered, response to death because of death’s impact upon those grieving the loss of Lazarus (Jn 11:33).
• When this life feels full of anguish, think of Jesus’ anguish in the garden of Gethsemane. The burden he felt when anticipating the cross demonstrates the miserable state of the world (Lk 22:44).
• When suffering makes you feel ostracized, take heart that you are in good company when suffering (1 Pt 4:12).
• When suffering makes you feel misunderstood, look to the account of Job and the mistaken assumptions of his friends (Job 4-31) or to the gospel accounts to see how constantly Jesus was unappreciated, misunderstood, unrecognized for who he is. People are flawed.

Longing for Hope

Listen for the aches longing for light, hope, comfort, or purpose amidst suffering.

• When friends and family members do not meet all of your needs, be encouraged that the comfort we receive—even when given through others—is comfort ultimately from God (2 Cor. 1:4).
• When you see debilitating sickness or death overcoming your body or the body of someone you love, remember that we believers will one day have resurrected, glorified, and redeemed bodies just like his heavenly one (1 Jn 3:2; 1 Cor 15:42).
• When the force of emotion is strong, and your words won’t suffice to express your heart, take comfort that the Holy Spirit himself intercedes for you (Rom 8:26).
• When you feel forgotten in your suffering, remember that God memorializes every tear that falls from your eye (Ps 56:8), just as he knows the number of hairs on your head (Lk 12:7).
• When suffering severs a relationship, remember the ultimate relationship forsaking willingly endured within the Godhead for you (Matt 27:46). God understands.
• When you do not feel the compassion of others, remember that Jesus’ suffering (Is 53) and overcoming-power makes him a High Priest, who relates to us and causes us to overcome with power too (Heb 4:14-16)—giving grace for the present and the promise of heaven.
• When death or the fear of death seems to conquer you, remember that he has ultimately defeated death (1 Cor 15:55-57).
• When you feel distant from God, dwell upon the truth that he has given a love that no suffering, pain, or heartache can pull away from you (Rom 8:38-39).
• When suffering makes you feel unmoored, haphazardly walking through life while wondering when you will finally be free from earthly concerns, remember that you are truly and solidly anchored through Christ to the world to come (Heb 6:19).
• When suffering makes life feel slow, remember that by God’s definition—given the eternal state—this suffering is light and momentary (2 Cor 4:17).
• When you need to be reminded of the treasures that can come alongside of suffering, learn why Jesus said that it is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting (Eccles 7:2) or why Peter said that faith refined through suffering is gold (1 Pt 1:7). God’s glory can be evident in your faithfulness, giving you purpose and joy.

Stuck When Suffering

Listen for the ache of being stuck when suffering. 

• When you experience unending bitterness toward God, look to the story of Jeremiah, who also felt bitterness at his intense suffering. Hear how patient and sure were the words of exhortation and restoration that God spoke to him (Jer 15:18-21).
• When others avoid you or when you are tempted always to avoid others who do not fully understand, think of how you might give someone opportunity to enter into your mourning or suffering with you. Then, take heart that when you can share their joy, it truly becomes your own (Rom 12:15).
• When you can think of no reason to not blame God for the suffering that has come into your life, look to Genesis 3; the original sin of Adam and Eve is what broke the world. God is One in whom there is no darkness (1 Jn 1:5), who created the world good (Gen 1:31), who cannot tempt with evil (Jas 1:13), and so, cannot be convicted of wickedness, malice, or evil.
• When you simply cannot understand your suffering within God’s sovereign plan, rest content that his ways are beyond yours (Rom 11:33; Matt 18:2).
• When suffering makes you stuck in a cycle of looking only inward, remember that you have gifts that can be employed for others’ good and God’s glory (1 Pt 4:10).
• When you, Christian, are having difficulty being grateful for what you do have, remember the wrath from which you have been saved (Rom 5:9; 1 Thess 1:10).
• When escaping from suffering has become your focus, remember that Jesus Christ, and his good pleasure, is your reward (Matt 25:23).
• When you are tempted to blame yourself for circumstances beyond your control, remember that God has purposed all of the events in your life and the lives of those you love—including birth and death, and every circumstance in between (Ps 139:16)—just as he planned from the beginning of creation that Jesus would die for us (1 Pt 1:20). Remember his sacrificial love as the reason to move forward, and move forward in devotion to him.
• When you question if your suffering has any meaning or purpose, trust in the sovereignty of God to bring his purposes to fruition through the circumstances of your life, all of which are a part of his plan (Gen 50:20; Job 42:2).
• When you question what miracle of goodness God can bring from your suffering, meditate on Romans 5:3-5 and trust that suffering can teach you, give you a depth of knowledge of God like never before, and bring encouragement when the genuineness of your faith becomes evident (1 Pt 1:17).

Applying Scripture to All Our Aches

Whatever the circumstance, listen for the underlying yearning or longing. Let’s keep learning how to carefully apply Scripture to all of the aches we experience. The process of teaching and discipleship is God’s to lead faithfully.

And our aches are often the impetus and route God uses for our growth to increasingly display his glory through changed and faithful lives; the kind of lives that display his glory like this are grown from his Word.

While it’s not ours to invent or assume others’ aches, it is ours to listen well, to acknowledge back to the sufferer what we hear, and trust that for every need of the heart, God has spoken abundantly and sufficiently in his Word. You can learn skillful application of his Word to human aches and be empowered to give others more than yourself—you can speak his Word.

Take heart that this is your source of compassion for the sufferer, and this is your source of comfort when suffering—for putting his salve of truth skillfully into our aches is always our good.

If or when a circumstance of suffering comes into your life that cannot be described in words, remember, he speaks.

Behind the Mask

• What could you add to these lists since it’s not exhaustive?
• How has God spoke through your suffering?
• How have you listened poorly or well when others have been suffering?
• What hope do we have in the midst of sufferings?

—

Lianna Davis (@liannadavis) is wed to Tyler and mom to two girls, one who lives in heaven and one who lives on earth. She serves with Hope Mommies, a non-profit organization sharing the hope of Christ with bereaved mothers, and is co-founder at Of Larks, a blog for theologically-minded women writers and readers. 

Names for the Nameless

“I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” (Revelation 2:17)

While I was working on this chapter, I got a call from a man who wouldn’t give his name. My assistant buzzed me, laughing. “I have a man on the line who says he needs to talk with you and that it’s urgent,” she said. “He says that he’s a big fan of yours. By the way, he’s lying about that. He called you ‘Dr. Greene.’”

When I picked up the phone and said hello, I asked the man his name. “Let’s go with Bobby,” he said, “if that’s okay with you. I don’t want to give you my real name because I’m ashamed about what I’m going to tell you and, after I tell you, you won’t want to have anything to do with me. I would rather you not know who I am.”

It was an interesting conversation because neither of us knew the other’s name.

We don’t, you know. Know each other’s names, that is.

[K]nowing that your heavenly Father is for you not against you is the only reason to give up your masks and develop the type of authentic relationships you never thought you could have.

In the Bible, names aren’t just names. The name reveals the essence of the person. In fact, sometimes the names of biblical figures were changed to reflect a change in who they were. Revelation 2:17 says that we’ll have a new name in heaven and that name will reflect who we really, ultimately, are. My pointing that out probably makes both of us uncomfortable. If our name reflects the essence of who we are, then everybody will know, and (we assume) that “name” won’t be very appealing.

Isaiah, the prophet, had some good news for God’s people: “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.’ And they shall be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken” (Isaiah 62:11–12).

I have some good news for you too! It’s about your name, and it’s not what you think

It is said that Augustine, after he had committed his life to Christ, was approached by his former mistress. When he saw her, he started running in the other direction. She ran after him shouting, “Augustine, it’s me! It’s me!” “Yes,” he called back over his shoulder, “but it’s not me!”

When Augustine said, “But it’s not me!” it really wasn’t him! And therein lies the best news you’ll ever hear.

Let’s start with a statement made by the apostle Paul in Galatians 2:19–20: “For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

According to Paul, the good news is that you’re already dead (we’ll talk a lot more about that in the next chapter).

Normally, I know that isn’t good news, but it is in this case, and I’m going to show you why. Please note that in the verses I gave you, Paul isn’t giving us a command. He’s giving us a fact. It isn’t one more thing you have to do (crucify yourself) to “get right with God,” “to change the world” or “to make your life count.” The truth is that it’s already done. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” it really was finished . . . done . . . over. In Romans 6:11, Paul wrote that we should “consider [i.e., reckon, number, think of yourself] yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” In other words, we should think in a new way about who we really are.

When you die, you not only experience resurrection, you get a new name. The name is Forgiven, Redeemed, Acceptable, and Loved. That changes everything about our hidden agendas and our masks. When you’re crucified with Christ . . .

Your Name Is Forgiven 

I once asked a Jewish friend to forgive the church and me for what we did to Jews in the name of Christ. I waited for him to tell me to get lost or, maybe, to forgive me. Instead, he started weeping. I had no idea why and asked him. “Steve,” he said, “I didn’t hear a ‘kicker’ in your remarks. Often people will say something like what you said to me but there is always a kicker. You guys want me to receive Jesus, get saved, or to ask for forgiveness for what ‘we’ did to Jesus. I waited for the kicker and there wasn’t one. Thank you.”

That conversation is one I’ve thought about a lot. One of the most tragic things about the church is that we have become, as it were, a “church of kickers.” It’s the “Of course God loves you . . . but don’t let it go to your head,” “God will forgive you . . . but don’t do it again,” “God’s your loving Father. . . but don’t forget about the discipline,” or “God loves you . . . but that should make a better person.” I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve brought up Jesus and the woman caught in adultery, his love and forgiveness given to her (John 8:1–11), and people will bring in the kicker: “Yeah, but don’t forget that Jesus told her to ‘sin no more.’” It’s not that there isn’t some truth in those statements. But they sometimes make God’s love and forgiveness so conditional that, frankly, I can’t deal with it. What was meant as good news very quickly becomes bad news because of the kicker.

I have an acquaintance in the billboard business. During the “troubles” in Northern Ireland he wanted to do some- thing about the hatred between Catholics and Protestants. Do you know what he did? He bought billboards across Northern Ireland with one message: “I love you! Is that okay?—Jesus.” That was a powerful message and it wasn’t powerful because Jesus said that he loved them. Everybody knows that. It was powerful because there wasn’t a kicker.

You’re forgiven.

I know, I know. Your “Pavlovian” response (and mine) is to wait for the kicker. You can keep on waiting because there isn’t one. It doesn’t matter where you’ve been, who you’re sleeping with, what you’re drinking or smoking, what you think, who you’ve hurt, the games you’re play- ing, the masks you’re wearing, the agendas you’re hiding, or whether or not you get better. When you bring it all to Jesus, you’re forgiven.

Deal with it.

As an aside, the fact that our new name is Forgiven has amazing implications for relationships between Christians and for the masks we wear. The reason Jesus embedded “Forgive us our debts as we forgive those who have sinned against us” in the prayer he taught us is that he knew that without forgiveness at the heart of our relationships, we would continue to play at religion, and never love or be loved.

You can’t forgive until you have been unconditionally forgiven (no kicker) and then you can only love to the degree to which you have been unconditionally forgiven. I will never remove my mask and set aside my agendas as long as I think Christianity is about fixing me and others, building empires, changing the world, making my life count, correct- ing doctrinal truth, promoting programs, raising money, and being nice. It’s not. It’s about the forgiveness of sins. Paul wrote, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1 Timothy 1:15). Paul, your name is “Forgiven.”

If you know Jesus, yours is too.

Are there implications to that? Of course there are . . . sometimes. Does it make you a better person? Of course it does . . . sometimes. Does it make a difference in your relationships? Of course it does . . . sometimes. Does it bring you into the stream of compassion and practical ministry to the world? Of course it does . . . sometimes. Does it give you a “burden for souls”? Of course it does . . . sometimes. And sometimes it doesn’t. That’s not the issue. Your name is “Forgiven.” Rejoice and be glad.

But you have other names too. When you’re crucified with Christ . . .

Your Name Is Redeemed

The word “redeemed” is a very strong word. It means to gain or regain something at a price. The Scripture says that in Christ we have been redeemed “through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us” (Ephesians 1:7–8). Again, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23–24).

There is an old sermon illustration about a boy who worked hours making a small boat. He took it down to the seashore and put it in the water. To his horror, the boat was picked up by a wave and carried out into the ocean, eventually disappearing. It was sad because he had worked so hard and long making the boat. Later he was walking by a pawn- shop and saw his lost boat in the shop window. He told the pawnbroker that it was his boat but the pawnbroker said, “It may have been yours, but it’s mine now. If you want it back, you’ll have to pay for it like anybody else.”

The boy worked all summer. He mowed lawns, babysat, and walked dogs to get enough money to buy back his boat. When he had enough, the boy went back to the pawnshop and purchased it. As he walked out of the shop he was heard to say, looking at his boat, “Little boat, I made you, I lost you, I found you, I bought you back, and now you’re mine, all mine.”

That’s what happened to us. God said, “I made you, I lost you, I found you, I bought you back, and now you’re mine.” But being his isn’t just about ownership; it’s about being adopted by a father who is rich, generous, and kind. The Bible says that he “has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption . . .” (Colossians 1:13– 14). Again, the Scripture says that God has sent the Spirit of Jesus into our hearts, causing us to cry out, “Abba Father.” “So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God” (Galatians 4:6–7).

I’m often asked what I do. I never know exactly what to say. Sometimes I say that I’m a preacher, or clergyman, or pastor, or professor, or writer, or broadcaster. There are times when I say that I’m a “religious professional” who “works for God.” A friend of mine told me to stop saying that: “When you work for someone, you have a job as long as there is work to do and you do it well enough to please the boss. But when the day’s work is over, you leave and go back to the house you paid for with the money you earned. Steve, you don’t work for God. You’re his son. When the day is over, you go up to the big house where you live. Try to remember that.”

I do. My name is “Redeemed.” That’s your name too.

But you have other names as well, because when you’re crucified with Christ . . .

Your Name Is Acceptable 

Most Christians have a handle on the forgiveness thing. You’re forgiven and then you work hard to be good. It’s all about pleasing God, being faithful, and trying your best to be obedient. It’s hard but we love to quote that “in Christ we can do all things.” In other words, a Christian is for- given and then he or she becomes better and better every day in every way.

What if I told you that God was already pleased, that he already thinks of you as faithful, and in his eyes you are already obedient? It’s true. The theological word is “imputation” and it is so radical, so amazing, and so unbelievable that I have trouble believing it. But God said it and, unless he’s started lying, it’s true.

The Bible says, “. . . and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ . . .” (Philippians 3:9).

“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3). “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4). “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteous- ness” (Romans 4:5). “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness . . .” (Isaiah 61:10).

When Christ died on the cross, there was a trade. God traded my sin for Christ’s righteousness. I would have settled for forgiveness because that is more than I deserve. The problem with forgiveness is that it can become something similar to a professor who cuts slack for a student. “Okay,” the professor says, “I’m going to overlook your poor work and give you a passing grade, but don’t ask me to continue doing this for you. You are going to have to work harder.” Imputation is far more than that. It’s the trade whereby the professor’s academic record becomes yours.

I went to a banquet once where ties were required. Nobody had told me. A friend of mine saw me outside the banquet hall and said, “Steve, you don’t have a tie. I have an extra one in my room. I’ll be right back.” Two minutes later he handed me a tie. I put it on and was acceptable.

The interesting thing about the tie my friend gave me is that it was his best tie. All evening people said to me, “Nice tie!” Not only was I dressed properly with a tie, I was dressed extravagantly with the best tie in the house.

That’s what God has done to make us “Acceptable.” He’s given us the best clothes in the house, the righteousness of Christ.

In John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Mercy, one of the characters traveling with Christiana, Christian’s wife, laughs in her sleep. Christiana asks Mercy about it and Mercy explains that she had a dream in which she was very convicted about her “hardness of heart.” Then, in her dream, Mercy says a man came and wiped her tears with his handkerchief and dressed her in silver and gold—clothed, as it were, in the righteousness of Christ. Then he takes her to the throne room of a holy God where Mercy hears, “Welcome, daughter!”

That was my experience.

You see, as my friend Rod Rosenbladt, says, “It’s not what’s in your heart, it’s about what is in God’s heart.”1 They told me that God was holy. He is. They said that he was a consuming re. He is. They told me that if I worked at it, studied “to show myself approved,” and if I were faithful and obedient, the holy God would be pleased. They were right. But I just couldn’t do it. Don’t get me wrong, I tried. I really tried hard. My heart and my “clothes” were simply too dirty to get clean. Finally, I gave up and started to walk away.

That’s when I looked down at my new clothes—the righteousness of Christ—and I heard his voice, “Welcome, child! Welcome!”

I laughed too.

But there’s one more name. When you’re crucified with Christ . . .

Your Name Is Loved 

You should meet my wife Anna. She’s a saint. Very few could live with somebody like me. And just so you know, I’m not being “authentic” or “humble” when I say that. It’s the truth. I can be angry and kind in the same sentence, happy and sad in the same hour, and loving and hateful in the same day. I would be bipolar if either my manic state or my depressive state lasted longer. Anna, on the other hand, is the same yesterday, today, and forever. She is a gift from God and an anchor for this crusty old preacher.

I don’t want to get too detailed here (you’re not that safe) but the other day I called home and my wife wasn’t there. I left a message on our answering machine. I don’t even remember what the message was but I’m almost positive that it included the words, “Love you.” I happened to get home before my wife did and listened to the message I’d left. I was shocked. I sounded ticked, upset, and kind of harsh. When I got home, I told Anna that I had listened to my message (the one intended for her). “I sounded very angry in that message . . . and I was wondering if I always sound like that.” She smiled and I knew. “I’m so sorry,” I told her. “I’m going to be a lot kinder than I have been.” She smiled again and then . . .

. . . she gave me a Baby Ruth.

A Baby Ruth?

Yeah, and she’s been doing that for almost all of our adult life. In fact, sometimes I fake bad stuff when I’m hungry, just to get a Baby Ruth. When I yell, forget a birthday or anniversary, do something a preacher ought not do, I get a Baby Ruth. Of course I don’t deserve the Baby Ruth. That’s the point of love. The principle is this: you can’t experience love until it’s given when you don’t deserve it. Everything else is reward.

That’s what God has done. Listen to what Paul writes: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39). I would suggest that those words pretty much cover it. They cover all of our masks and all of our hidden agendas.

God gives out Baby Ruths! Bet nobody ever told you that before.

Behind the Mask

• You’re forgiven without a kicker. Sit with that a moment. What does that mean to/for you? What does God’s forgiveness do to your masks and agendas?
• As a son or daughter, you are “adopted by a father who is rich, generous, and kind.” Do you really believe that? How would you live if you did?
• “It’s all about pleasing God, being faithful, and trying your best to be obedient.” Why doesn’t this work? What is it about instead?
• How does God’s unconditional love cover all your masks and hidden agendas?

—

Steve Brown is a radio broadcaster, author, and the founder of Key Life Network. A former pastor, he also sits on the board of Harvest USA and devotes much of his time to the radio broadcasts Key Life and Steve Brown, Etc.

Excerpted from Steve Brown’s Hidden Agendas: Dropping the Masks That Keep Us Apart. New Growth Press, ©2016. Used by permission.

How Does Your Community Share Meals?

“Jesus didn’t run projects, establish ministries, create programs, or put on events. He ate meals.” – Tim Chester, A Meal With Jesus

Food is significant. Through food, Adam and Eve rebelled. Through food, God grows dependence in the Israelites in the dessert. And through food, Jesus holds up bread and wine during his last meal with his disciples—proclaiming the bread his body and the wine his blood. Food and drink transform into metaphors and tastes of the gospel.

In our efforts to go and make, we often forget that the very places we already inhabit are places that we have been sent with the good news of Jesus

Bread has an association with life that surpasses biblical imagery, but in Christ, it is the sufficient sacrifice. Wine too has gained traction, outside Christianity, as a sign of blessing, goodness, and often associated with blood. However, in Christ, wine becomes the image of blessing, goodness, justification, and cleansing that comes through Jesus’ suffering on our behalf. Jesus chooses a meal for us to remember the gospel. If the gospel forms a community, sharing this gospel feast ought to be as often as we get together. Jesus called us to remember him and his sacrifice for us through a meal. When we eat together, we commune around this truth.

Our Relationship with Eating

Humans have a unique connection with food. We depend on it to survive. We also turn to it for comfort and safety in overindulgence. Food, for some of us, becomes a medium for expressing our creativity, becoming art. Fundamentally, food reminds us of our need for something outside of ourselves. We have to take, receive, and eat to continue moving through this world. Meals are a daily reminder of our common need for God and his faithfulness to provide both physically and spiritually.

Communal Eating

In community, we regularly eat meals together instead of in isolation. At the table, we share our stories, we listen to one another, and we experience grace. The New Testament describes this act as "breaking bread" and invokes a giving and receiving of relationship in the most simple and unspoken of ways. The weekly communal meal is a spiritual discipline.

Through the meal, we engage one another as a family in Christ, and we engage Christ.

The communal meal begins through arrival or gathering. At this moment, everyone’s individual responsibilities, schedules, and to-do lists collide into an expression of community. The worries, struggles, fears, and happy news of each member comes rushing through the door. Your lives are hurried until this point. Your lives are physically separate until this moment. A weekly meal is more than logistics to work out but a spiritual discipline of being united. You are physically bound together by the table you gather around, the complete meal everyone shares in, and under the prayer recognizing God’s grace as you eat.

Through the meal, we engage one another as a family in Christ, and we engage Christ. The weekly meal is a fantastic space to grow in your love for one another. Let the conversations around the dinner table be focused and meaningful. Embrace this moment with honesty. As a leader, spark the conversation to be about more than the movies people watch and the latest sports scores.

Welcome Others to the Gospel Feast

Come, sinners, to the gospel feast; Let every soul be Jesus' guest. Ye need not one be left behind, For God hath bid all humankind. – Charles Wesley

We regularly sing this hymn at Bread&Wine. It is an anthem for us, and the church we aspire to be. A church that welcomes every soul as Jesus' guest into the most meaningful of tables. Our invitation to those in our city is not merely to dinner parties but into the family of God, into union with Christ. As we welcome the poor and powerless into our community meals and as we share the crucial nature of the elements of communion, we realize we are the sinners coming. We are the ones in need of his body and his blood. A community that secludes itself and its dinner table from the outside world will not only struggle to reach their neighbors but will fail to see their need for the Table.

Make Meals Meaningful

• Ask each other how the week is going and expect long, honest answers.
• Ask everyone a common question that will lead to deeper understanding of each other: What is your favorite summer memory from childhood? Or how do you prepare for the Christmas holidays?
• Ask about how each person is processing the sermon from Sunday, or about the service that was done as a group the week before, circle back to past hardships people have shared.
• Simple things to like what are you thankful for today. What was the hardest part of your day today?
• You could also have a person or couple in the “spotlight” where they can share in more depth their story, current spot in life, and what they are going through with the community having the chance to pray for them.

Reflections

• How does your community share meals?
• How can you eat with glad and generous hearts?
• How can you remember Christ as you eat?
• How can the gospel become clearer as you share a meal with folks?
• How often should you get together to share a meal during the week?
• How does your community remember Jesus in these meals?
• Most people eat twenty-one meals a week, how could anyone in your community share at least one of them with others?

—

Brad Watson (@bradawatson) serves as a pastor of Bread&Wine Communities where he develops and teaches leaders how to form communities that love God and serve the city. Brad is the author of Raised?, Called Together: A Guide to Forming Missional Communities, and Sent Together: How the Gospel Sends Leaders to Start Missional Communities. He lives in southeast Portland with his wife and their two daughters. You can read more from Brad at www.bradawatson.com.

Mission as an Act of Worship

Please enjoy a free excerpt from our next book from Ben Connelly, A Pastor's Guide to Everyday Mission: Navigating the Paradox of Leading God’s People and Pursuing God’s Mission. Releasing at the start of June.

****

John Piper famously begins Let the Nations Be Glad with:

Missions is not the ultimate purpose of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is the fuel and goal in missions. It’s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God’s glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God… But worship is also the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching. You can’t commend what you don’t cherish. Missionaries will never call out, “Let the nations be glad!” who cannot say from the heart, “I rejoice in the Lord… I will be glad and exult in thee, I will sing praise to thy name, O Most High.” Missions begins and ends in worship.

Participating in God’s mission is an act of worship.

“Missions exists because worship doesn’t”

But our participation in his mission is not a man-made response, as if in an attempt to pay a debt to God, a counsel of Christians considered multiple options and landed on missions. Instead, like every other act of worship, this was always part of God’s design. These words are on the last page of Let the Nations Be Glad:

The ultimate goal of God in all of history is to uphold and display his glory for the enjoyment of the redeemed from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. …The church is bound to engage with the Lord of glory in his cause. It is our unspeakable privilege to be caught up with him in the greatest movement in history—the ingathering of the elect from every tribe and language and people and nation.

From Genesis to Revelation, we see God unfolding his story of redemption. And at least from Genesis 12, when God tells Abraham he’ll be blessed in order that “you will be a blessing” (v.1), God involves his people—as inadequate, unskilled, and disobedient as we are—to fulfill that mission. This continues through both Testaments, as God calls both his Old and New Covenant people his “nation of priests.”

Jesus, of course, is the climax of God’s mission. As the ultimate Sent One of the Father, Jesus entered the darkness of this world and pursued the people God sent him to. As the most well-known verse in all the Bible says,

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. – John 3:16–17

And when he returns to the right hand of the Father, the Son promises his followers that the Spirit will come and empower them to continue the same mission he started during his time on earth.

God wants missionaries at the ends of the earth and at the end of the cornfield.

If this is new for you, here are just a few of the clearest biblical passages that display God’s design for his people to serve as his missionaries; to make disciples of those around us:

[God] through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. – 2 Corinthians 5:18–20

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. – 1 Peter 2:9

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me [i.e., Jesus]. 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.” – Matthew 28:18–20

“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” – John 17:15–18

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” – Romans 10:14–15

Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! – Psalm 96:2–3

Ministers, we cannot ignore God’s mission, nor abdicate our pursuit of it, obedience to it, and position in it! Mission is commanded by God. Mission is at the heart of God. Mission is why Jesus came to earth from the right hand of God. Mission is an act of worship to God.

GOD CALLS ALL HIS PEOPLE MISSIONARIES

To be clear, none of the verses above were written exclusively to “paid” ministers. They’re written to every Christ-follower—because God’s call to mission goes far deeper than just those of us who are paid by Christian ministries. On one hand, this is a relief. We’re not in it alone! On the other hand, the fact that God’s mission is shared among his people makes it an even more vital part of our lives. We’re not missionaries because we’re ministers; we’re missionaries because we’re Christians!

MISSION FOR NON-MINISTERS

For the people we lead, their role in life—student, lawyer, mother, teacher, or friend—pales in comparison to the identity that God has given them in the gospel. For example, because of who God is and what he does, every follower of Jesus is a son or daughter and an heir of God; every Christian is also simultaneously a sinner and saint. Non-ministers (in the sense I’m using the term) don’t get to reject those identities when they enter the classroom or courtroom, because their identities are deeper than their roles. In the same way, missionary is part of every Christian’s God-given identity. In Christ, God gives us “the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18); thus, all Christians are part of reconciling the world to God. In 2 Corinthians, God calls us all his “ambassadors” (those sent to a foreign land, representing a dignitary) and, in 1 Peter, “priests” (mediators between God and others). In Acts 2, Jesus sends his people out as his “witnesses.” In Matthew 5, he calls us “salt of the earth” and “light of the world.” Over and over, the Bible shows that God has gloriously woven mission into our very identity in Christ. It goes far deeper than the other roles we may play. Anyone who calls himself or herself a Christian, God calls his missionary.

MISSION FOR MINISTERS

But let’s pull our chairs together, lower our voices, and make sure no one’s listening as we talk honestly. For paid ministers, the hard part of living in the both-and of ministry and mission is this: It’s easy to call on the doctors, lawyers, EMT’s, and pizza deliverers in our ministries to live for God in their careers, but we think we already do, all day everyday day! While it’s easy to call students and retirees to sacrifice and lay down their lives for God, we get paid to do exactly that! The roles that we play are already saturated with Jesus-y things; the tasks we complete involve talking about and modeling godliness. In fact, if we happen to find time for mission in the midst of our consistently-crammed calendars, we may feel that we’re actually stealing time from someone in our ministry. “And those are the people who I should prioritize, right? While mission sounds good biblically, it’s so darn hard. My board’s already breathing down my neck. My people are just so needy.” We couldn’t possibly leave our flock of 99, in pursuit of one lowly lost sheep…could we?

GOD CALLS MINISTERS TO LEAD HIS PEOPLE WHERE THEY SHOULD GO

We’ve all heard the phrase “as goes the leader, so goes the organization.” In more biblical terms, Peter calls ministers to be “among” our people as “examples to the flock” (1 Pt 5:2), and Paul’s leadership involved calling others to “be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). As leaders, we’re called to model for our people, the life we’re calling them to. So here’s the reality for those of us in leadership in Christian groups: as a ministry leader, you must also serve as its lead missionary. If you’re a leader in a church, then you need to lead your people into mission unless you’re content with your church’s growth being primarily by transfer.

If you lead a parachurch organization, then you need to lead your people into mission unless you want to find yourself surrounded with already-Christians. If you’re a leader in any other type of ministry, then you need to lead your people into mission unless you want to wake up one day and realize how insulated your world has become.

Honestly, the few of God’s people he’s entrusted to my inadequate oversight and stewardship are far more likely to go somewhere if I lead them there. Sheep need shepherds; ministries need leaders. And if we’ve taken up the mantle of serving others by leading God’s people, then it’s up to us to lead them where they need to go. Whatever other titles, roles, and duties we may have, if we believe that all Christians are called to “go and make disciples,” we must first embrace that part of the gospel DNA that runs through our own God-given blood: We are missionaries. Then, as leaders of other gospel-formed missionaries, we must step into the title, role, and duties of being lead missionaries of our organizations.

IT’S NOT AS HARD AS YOU THINK

Next, we dive into the deep end of this issue, lay a biblical foundation, and will be awakened to the reasons many ministers neglect a life of mission. This truth may leave some of you feeling godly conviction. It may, however, leave you feeling guilty or shameful and unsure of what to do.

Any feeling of inadequacy, guilt, or weakness is simply a glimpse of the biblical reality for every minister. So if you feel regret for your lack of pursuit of God’s mission, the gospel encourages you. The Apostle Paul—arguably the greatest missionary ever—says:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. … Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. – 2 Corinthians 12:9; 3:5–6

If you’re feeling unsure of what to do or the next step to take, then know that the rest of the book is devoted to helping you. In the remainder of this guide, you will consider biblical principles, heart postures, and practical ideas to weave God’s call to mission into the chaotic tapestry of vocational ministry. But it’s not as hard as you may think.

You likely know someone whom God has given the gift of evangelism—he’s the one who can make friends with a Buckingham Palace guard; she’s the one whose very presence seems to make people fall to their knees and declare their need for Jesus. Praise God for giving that gift to some of his people—but it’s not required to be a missionary. To some of his people, God has given the gift of evangelism, but to all of his people, he’s given the mission of making disciples. As the lead missionary in your ministry, you don’t have to be “that guy” or “that gal” to lead others to make disciples. There are no specific traits, Myers-Briggs types, or DISC profile necessary to lead your organization to live out our missionary identity in Christ. It’s not as hard as you may think.

In fact, the first requirement for being a lead missionary is the first requirement for most of a life of following Jesus: love.

Subscribe to our newsletter for fresh articles, free resources, and updates on our ministry.

—

Ben Connelly, his wife Jess, and their daughters Charlotte and Maggie live in Fort Worth, TX. He started and now co-pastors The City Church, part of the Acts29 network and Soma family of churches. Ben is also co-author of A Field Guide for Everyday Mission (Moody Publishers, 2014). With degrees from Baylor University and Dallas Theological Seminary, Ben teaches public speaking at TCU, writes for various publications, trains folks across the country, and blogs in spurts at benconnelly.net. Twitter: @connellyben.

4 Considerations for Small Town Mission

  Editor: We are excited to announce our newest GCD Book title Small Town Mission: A Guide for Mission-Driven Communities written by Aaron Morrow. You can buy for your Kindle today. It will be available in paperback shortly.

Small Town Mission is a practical guide for gospel-centered mission in small towns. If you haven't noticed, people who live in small towns have limited options for restaurants, shopping, and books about mission. Small towns desperately need normal, everyday people like farmers, factory workers, teachers, secretaries, and small business owners who think and act like missionaries to reach their friends, neighbors, co-workers, and extended families for Christ. This book aims to help local churches in small towns do that. After all, mission isn’t just something that must be prioritized globally and in big cities; it must also be prioritized locally and in small towns.

***

“I really like it, but it’s just different in some ways.”

Michelle and Karina were second-grade teachers in town. Todaythey were grading their second-quarter papers together in the empty teacher’s lounge. They often chatted there and had gotten to know each other quickly from being on the same teaching team at school. They also went to the same church, which was a few minutes down the road. Michelle had just asked Karina how their town compared to the place where Karina had just moved from a few months earlier.

“I bet the grocery store is a lot less crowded than the big city you moved from,” said Michelle.

“Yeah, but I think some of the differences go beyond just the population,” Karina explained. “Even being a Christian is different in some ways, as weird as that sounds.”

“What do you mean?” asked Michelle, as she leaned in with interest.

“Well,” she answered, “in my last church they really emphasized that if you’re a Christian then you’re a missionary wherever you are, like here at school. I don’t know how to put it into words, but there are just some things about living and working in this small town that confuse me when it comes to being a missionary.”

“Tell me more about it,” Michelle asked as she grabbed another stack of papers to grade.

Karina was on to something. Significant differences exist between small towns and larger cities when it comes to being on mission. Below are four factors that significantly affect mission in small towns. Some of these have a positive effect on mission; others, a negative effect. This list isn’t comprehensive, but it’s a good starting point for analyzing and discussing the unique factors that affect mission in a small town.

Factor #1: Religious Non-Christians

Not many people in small towns are atheists, Muslim, or new agers. Instead, small towns tend to be loaded with religious non-Christians. They may not go to church very often, but they generally believe that God exists and the Bible probably has something to say about him. Small towns tend to attract and retain people who are more traditional in their outlook on life compared to those in larger cities.

Religious non-Christians are generally receptive to talking about God and church but it’s fair to say that they are also inoculated against the gospel. When a person is inoculated they receive a vaccine that is a weak strain of a virus. The body’s immune system then proceeds to adapt so that when it comes in contact with the real strain of the virus, it can easily fight it off. Similarly, religious non-Christians grow up in churches that give them a weak strain of the gospel and, consequently, they build up an immunity to the real gospel. That’s why conversations with them about the gospel and faith often end with them nodding their head in agreement with everything you say, even though they don’t truly understand what you’re talking about.

Practical Advice

Mission can never be done in the absence of prayer, but you’ll especially realize this when you’re on mission to religious non-Christians in a small town. Patience, taking a long-term approach to mission, is important. You won’t typically see many “microwave” conversions among religious non-Christians; instead, you’ll usually see “crockpot” conversions because it typically takes a long time for them to realize they have a weak strain of the gospel. But take heart, because the Holy Spirit is sovereign over the crockpot! This is why it’s wise to avoid relying too much on short presentations of the gospel. More often than not, mission among religious non-Christians takes extended examinations of the lordship of Christ and the nature of the gospel before those concepts start to click in a meaningful way. This is why you should consider inviting people to your church, your small group, or to go through an extended one-on-one or couple-to-couple evangelistic Bible study. As we discussed in chapter 7, people are often starving for a place to belong before they believe. This belonging kind of environment should be a safe place for religious non-Christians to enter into community and see—up close and personal—how their weak strain of the gospel contrasts with the power and abundant life of the true gospel.

Religious non-Christians also tend to have a high regard for the Bible. That’s why they’re generally not freaked out by opening the Bible at church, reading it in small group, or talking about it casually. However, even though they have a high regard for the Bible, the vast majority of them don’t know what it says because they’ve rarely been encouraged to read it for themselves. Therefore, don’t be afraid to conversationally use Scripture to discuss the gospel and faith. You’ll be surprised at how effective this is!

Factor #2: Change and Conformity

For a variety of reasons, people in small towns are not typically open to change in comparison to people who live in larger cities. But this isn’t necessarily bad, because when people actually do change, they aren’t likely to change back to their old ways. This is often the case when someone becomes a Christian in a small town: they aren’t likely to turn their back on Jesus after they’ve switched their allegiance to him. Similarly, the lack of change in small towns often leads to a high degree of conformity. For better or worse, there is a relatively narrow range of acceptable behaviors, choices, and ideas that people are generally expected to adhere to in a small town. And the smaller a town is the narrower the range! For people who have odd personalities or embrace non-traditional behaviors, it’s often difficult to be respected in the goldfish bowl of a small town. In fact, Christians like this might even have a reputation that is ultimately at odds with their mission.

Practical Advice

A veteran pastor in a small town once told me, “You can’t be weird in a small town. You need to be normal. You can’t scare people and expect to advance the gospel. You can maybe get away with being weird in Seattle or Chicago and still be great at evangelism but that doesn’t work in a small town.” If you think this might describe you, I would suggest talking with your pastor or a trusted friend and get their advice so that mission can advance your spheres of influence.

Factor #3: Reputations Are Hard to Shake

It’s often said that newspapers in small towns don’t report the news, they confirm the news. That’s because people know who you are and there are parts of your life that are common knowledge around town (which wouldn’t be the case in a larger city). In fact, many people who live in small towns end up being celebrities without trying, and for all the wrong reasons. Even your police record will be common knowledge because all the citations are listed in the newspaper! For better or worse, people tend to know about the details and integrity of your marriage, family, and business. That’s why reputations are hard to shake in small towns and they tend to follow us around like our shadows.

Practical Advice

Again, for better or worse, the reputation of the gospel is strongly tied to the reputation of our marriage, family, and business. This is especially true in a small town. This reality can be a helpful asset to your mission, or an incredible liability. If you are committed to being on mission in your town, it might be helpful to sit down with your pastor or a trusted friend and reverse-engineer your marriage, family, and business. In other words, if you want the reputation of your marriage, family, and business to point to the gospel, then you’ll need to decide on the series of steps you may need to take to make that happen. However, as you go through this process, don’t accidentally make your reputation into an idol. If you do, you probably won’t take meaningful risks for the gospel, because your deepest desire will be to protect your reputation instead of advancing the mission. —

Aaron Morrow (M.A. Moody Bible Institute) is one of the pastors of River City Church in Dubuque, Iowa, which was planted in 2016. He and his wife Becky have three daughters named Leah, Maggie, and Gracie.

How The Lord’s Prayer Transformed My Heart

For most of my Christian life, prayer has been more of a duty than a joy. Maybe you are like me and have had these kinds of thoughts while praying:

• Hmmm…That didn’t take very long, I must be doing something wrong, what else can I say?
• I know God wants to hear my thoughts but I feel guilty asking for so many things.
• Wait… Shouldn’t I pray for some missionaries or something?
• Ohhh… I’m sure I have sin to confess but I’m running short on time, I’ll deal with that next time.
• If God knows what I need before I ask him, why do I need to pray?
• Oh ya, I remember hearing that I should pray for my child’s future spouse, I guess I’ll do that now.
• What was that formula for prayer again? Adoration, Confession, Supplication….I know I am missing one…
• I really love my friends, I guess I should pray for them right, ok, what do they need?
• Wait…Did I just fall asleep again?

Prayer is hard. It’s hard work to prioritize your schedule. It’s challenging to quiet your phone and your mind. Even after you have persevered and have managed to sit down and get quiet before the Lord, a million uninvited thoughts plow through your mind. Prayer is difficult. It’s an ongoing battle to stay focused. Especially when little people are poking their fingers under your bedroom door and begging for juice.

I believe Jesus understood our difficulties with prayer and that is why he said, “When you pray, pray like this” (Matt 6:9) …he actually meant it.

For a year now I have been using the Lords Prayer as the template for my daily prayers. It has been a huge blessing and revolutionized my prayer life. As I lie down in my quiet place, I take time to meditate on each word of the Lord’s Prayer. As I focus on a word it primes the pump, so to speak, and prayer begins to flow. As I follow the format of the Lords's prayer I am led through the progression of the gospel. Each statement brilliantly flows into the next. My prayer resounds as a glorious symphony of worship, gratitude, repentance, and surrender. My heart overflows with joy as my life is laid bare in surrender before him.

Also, if I happen to loose my train of thought or get interrupted, I can recall the last phrase I focused on and more easily get back on track.

I am grateful that Holy Spirit has helped me take Jesus’ words about prayer to heart. The drudgery has vanished and joy has emerged. This prayer has given me a humble confidence as I pray, because I know that if I am following Jesus example I am doing it right. It is amazing what happens when we actually listen and obey Jesus words.

Walking through the Prayer

Great spiritual teachers throughout the centuries have taught that the first thing you should do when you start to pray is stop. Put your hand over your mouth and pause. Be still for a moment, reflect, and remind yourself who it is that you are approaching. Perhaps, this would be a good practice for us.

"But if you want to make contact with God, and if you want to feel His everlasting arms about you, put your hand upon your mouth for a moment. Recollection! Just stop for a moment and remind yourself of what you are about to do." – David Martyn Lloyd-Jones 

Below I will offer a brief summary of the significance of each phrase in the prayer then offer a sample of what praying that phrase with it in mind might look like.

OUR

“Ours” reminds me that I am not an only child but part of God’s eternal family.

God, I praise you because you have chosen a family for yourself and have rescued us out of the kingdom of darkness. Thank you that I am one of your children, even though I am rebellious and didn’t want to be saved, you pursued me still. God, I look forward to the day when your family will live together, with pure hearts, on the new earth with you.

FATHER

“Father” reminds me that God is my real and better father.

God, I praise you because you will never disappoint me, loose your cool with me, or fail to teach me an important lesson. God, you are my real father, you designed me before time began. You know the number of hairs on my head. You know me better than I know myself, you even know my words before I speak them.

IN HEAVEN

“In Heaven” reminds me how massive God is.

God, you are my father and you sit enthroned above the earth. You have stretched out the night sky like a curtain and hold the oceans in the palm of your hand. Father, you designed the universe and spoke it into existence. Your wisdom and knowledge is unfathomable. You formed the intricacies of my D.N.A as well as galaxies, upon galaxies, upon galaxies. Father, you are all knowing, all powerful, and perfectly good. You are the only one who is completely trustworthy. There is no one greater than you and no one can thwart your plans.

HALLOWED BE THY NAME

WHOA! By the time I get to this line I want to shout.

God, may your greatness be echoed throughout the universe. May you receive the fame and praise and honor you deserve. Father, I look forward to the day when every knee will bow before Jesus and confess that he is Lord, for your glory and fame.

YOUR KINGDOM COME

“Your kingdom come” reminds me that life on earth right now is the opposite of your kingdom. All creation is broken and there is tremendous suffering because of the fall. It is horrendous and God’s heart is broken.

Father, send Jesus back to earth. Please send him now to put things right again. Come Jesus, so that justice may be served and you will get the praise you deserve. Please come so that my rebellious heart will be made right. Please come so that death, suffering, and rebellion against you will come to an end. Father I look forward to the day when Jesus crushes Satan, when the hearts of your people are made perfect and the earth is made new. I look forward to the time when we will be together in joyous obedience under your gracious and generous reign.

YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” reminds me that God’s timing for Jesus’ return is perfect and that there is still more work that needs to be done.

Father, I ask that your will be done on earth. That your people will be transformed by the power of the gospel. That your people will love and serve you, that the church will become a great light and the lost will see you and desire to know you. Lord, lead us to the people in our city whose hearts have been softened by your Spirit. So that they may hear the good news that their sins can be forgiven. I ask that gospel-centered churches would be planted across Alaska and around the world. Please, raise up faithful gospel-centered elders to lead your people. Father, help me to be obedient and be a good steward of all that you have entrusted to me. Empower me by your Spirit, help me to be pure in heart, and live out your will on earth.

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD

“Give us this day our daily bread” reminds me that it seems silly now to ask my all powerful, all knowing, and good Father for anything. My small needs suddenly appear trivial. But God tells us to present our concerns to him, so I will.

Oh Father, may my deepest desire be to do your will. Would that be my sustenance to obey you. Father, I ask that you will provide for our medical expenses. I trust your ways. Father, I ask that you will keep our cars running. We depend on you for everything. Father, I ask that my children’s heart’s will be miraculously transformed by the power of the gospel. I commit them into your hands. Father, you are the one who owns all things and you know what I need even before I ask. I trust my needs to your wisdom.

AND FORGIVE US OUR SINS

“And forgive us our sins” reminds me how desperately I need a savior, suddenly the depth of my sin is overwhelming.

Father, my heart is darker than I can ever imagine. Please show me where I have disobeyed you today? Show me my patterns of sin that I am blinded to. Oh,God my sins of omission our fathomless. I admit that I have failed to steward every deed, thought, word, possession, and relationship for your glory today. Father, I praise you because my life is hidden in Christ and when you look at me you see Jesus. Otherwise, I could not stand before you.

AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO HAVE SINNED AGAINST US

“As we forgive those who have sinned against us” reminds me of how much I have been forgiven by God. In light of that, how can I not forgive others who sin against me?

Father, show me if there is anyone who I am bitter or angry against. I forgive them. I can’t hold it against them. You hold nothing against me.

LEAD US THROUGH TEMPTATION

“Lead us through temptation” reminds me how weak and vulnerable I am to deception.

Father, lead me through the temptation to make much of myself. Father, lead me through the temptation to find the good life outside of you. Father lead me through my love of comfort, show me where I am deceived, and how your ways are better. Thank you for your faithfulness in leading me through past temptations. I praise you Jesus because you were tempted in every way just like me, but you did not sin!

DELIVER US FROM EVIL

“Deliver us from evil” reminds me that we live in the already and not yet. We live between D-day and V-day. Jesus has secured the victory, but the battle still rages on.

Father, I live in a fallen world, please protect my family. Protect us from the attacks of the evil one. Protect us from the evil actions of others. Protect us from sickness and disease. Protect us from natural disasters. Please protect our hearts, bodies, home, property, and online presence. Father, I surrender to your will and your ways. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

—

Tracy Richardson (@alaskagospelgrl) serves at Radiant Church in Fairbanks, Alaskaas the Church Planters Wife. She loves to study scripture, throw parties, and run trails. She has a B.S.S. in Fine Art and Literature. She is also Mamma Bear to two wild cubs.

Don’t Lose Heart

My friend didn’t believe me anymore. What I had been telling her for months about the offer of forgiveness from Jesus seemed like foolishness to her and she wanted us to stop talking about it. Another woman blamed me for what happened with our mutual friend. Our friend had made some choices which landed her in drug rehab. If I was truly serving Jesus and serving our friend, I would have stopped her, the woman said. I should have seen it coming, she thought.

The influence I was seeking to have with a group of women was unwanted and they let me know. My thoughts on the Scriptures simply didn’t fit with theirs. Their solution was for me to change my views to ones that would make them feel comfortable.

My courage wavered. I felt like I had lost. I counted questions and doubts instead of sheep as I tried to fall asleep. I knew what was true, but the discouragement was hard to shake that week.

Don’t Lose Heart

“We don’t become discouraged,” said a man who had it far worse than I did.

The people he’d shared the gospel with and led to faith in Jesus were questioning his ministry.With the influx of influence by other famous pastors, he seemed like a small fish. Those he had loved and shepherded questioned his ministry credentials. Was he truly qualified? Why wasn’t he more successful? If he was a good minister and God was happy with him, they reasoned, then he should have more followers and more resources at his disposal and a lot less suffering.

Yet, in response to these detractors, Paul said “Therefore having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart” (2 Cor. 4:1).

In the face of his circumstances, Paul responded in 2 Corinthians by saying that his ministry is not about him or how others evaluate him but about God and his work. Paul’s credentials don’t matter. Instead, the transformation that comes from knowing Jesus is the proof of the message. (2 Cor. 3:2) Moreover, how people respond to Paul’s message of the gospel is not in his hands. They aren’t responding to him, but to Jesus Christ himself.  So he isn’t worried about whether or not he’s successful enough for them. It is God’s evaluation that counts and he’s the one who calls Paul to suffer for the sake of the gospel.

In spite of this criticism, Paul won’t change his message. He does not change God’s word to make it more palatable (2 Cor. 4:2). Rather, he states the truth and has no reservations. If we don’t hear, there’s a reason, he says. And that reason lies in our hearts, not the message. Because something has to happen for us to really get the gospel. Something in our hearts changes for this message to take root. We need light.

Hearts Need Light, Not Us

God who said “Let light shine out of darkness” must say it again (2 Cor. 4:6). In the darkness before creation, God spoke and brought something from nothing. He brought life from death and void. He brought light into darkness, so in the same way, he shines light into hearts. He brings light so that we would see that the knowledge of God’s glory is in Jesus Christ; he gives light for us to see the message of the gospel. When he does this, he’s truly doing a recreation act in our hearts. Dark, dead hearts see the light and are transformed.

It’s like the canal that runs through the center of an old city in Croatia where I used to live. The canal looks lovely with floating boats and scattered bridges, but when you look down into it, you realize it is the origin of the smell you were avoiding. Its dark waters betray what may be flowing through it. When you hear it’s named the Dead Canal in the local language, it changes your perspective. It’s dark and dead—just like the hard, blind hearts before God speaks into them. That’s what the disappointed women in my week didn’t know or had forgotten—hearts need light to see the message of the gospel. That was why Paul’s ministry was not as successful as the Corinthians thought it should be—hearts need light to see the message of the gospel. It is true and it can be depressing. However, if you look up the hill behind the same Croatian city, you see the headwaters of the very canal flowing down next to the ancient castle, clear and full of light and vitality. It is a picture of hope, because that contrast is the change God makes in people. He moves our hearts from dead and dark to alive and light—by his work and not the work of any person.

Reminding Our Hearts

By God’s mercy, he’s given his people the ministry of proclaiming Jesus. But when “success” seems as far away as Croatia, we don’t give up. No matter what others say about our achievements, our tactics, or our message, we recognize the transformation people need is not in our power to give. It’s not the message that needs to change.

While there are discouraging weeks, in this ministry there is great hope. Even when they don’t believe us. Even in the face of criticism. Even when we’ve seem to have lost. Why? Because God still shines light into hearts. He still opens eyes. He still builds his church. We don’t lose heart. We continue to proclaim Jesus, for he is the one with the power to transform. And he has promised that he will.

—

Taylor Turkington has worked for a church in the Portland area for the last six years, teaching, discipling, and training. She loves being involved in the equipping and encouraging of people for the work God has given them. Before her church life, Taylor worked as a missionary in Eastern Europe and graduated from Western Seminary with a M.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies. Currently, Taylor is a student at Western in the D.Min. program. She loves teaching the Bible, and speaks at seminars, retreats, and conferences. Taylor is a co-founder and co-director of the Verity Fellowship.

Originally appeared at The Verity Fellowship, “Don’t Lose Heart.” Used with permission.

Why Are We Chasing?

“I wonder whether, in ages of promiscuity, many a virginity has not been lost less in obedience to Venus than in obedience to the lure of the caucus. For, of course, when promiscuity is the fashion, the chaste are outsiders.” – C. S. Lewis, “The Inner Ring”

Each of us have a core status that we long to achieve or earn and the pursuit of that status drives us in just about everything we do. These statuses become for us what Lewis called “The Inner Ring”—a small, selective, elite society of people who have become a clique of which we yearn to belong. Those societies don’t have to be recognized globally or at the highest level, but they do have to be recognized within our own spheres of local life. For each of us the allure of acceptance, applause, authority, or abundance is a siren call for our lives to chase and do all we can to achieve the societal connection of that particular Inner Ring.

But why do we chase these things? In short, we’ve made fundamental exchanges that have generated consequences that are ultimately killing us. These exchanges are not only true universally for all of humanity, but they are seen specifically in each of our lives. No one is exempt from the “Great Exchanges” that we have made and no one is exempt from reaping the consequences of those exchanges, yet it is those very exchanges that have left us hungry for the achievement of being part of the Inner Ring. Let me detail three exchanges that we have made and the way they have left us pursuing Inner Rings.

From Imago Dei to Imago Stati

The first exchange came at the hands of our first parents, Adam and Eve, and has been a consequential exchange that you and I make daily. We have traded our identity in God for an identity in our status. Genesis 1-3 spells out this exchange.

In the beginning God creates and makes all things in the universe for his glory. He is the Creator and the King and all things are made good in his sight. Nothing is out of place, nothing out of alignment, all things are identified properly and beautifully. Even humanity is created and called “very good” (Gen. 1:31). Yet what makes the creation of male and female unique is the nature of their creation and relationship with God. God himself declares that humanity were created “in his own image” (Gen. 1:27). Beyond resembling God in terms of his dominion over all things being made in the image of God means that humanity was created in relationship with God. Just as God exists completely in relationship with and to himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit so humanity was created to bear God’s likeness in community with one another and live in perpetual relational union with him. The imago Dei marks humanity as representatives of God and relationally close to God. In the beginning, we were made to bear the identity of belonging to and with God. Nothing else in all creation bore that mark.

The exchange came, however, with the crafty serpent’s deceit. Instead of our first parents understanding their identity as being representatives and relationally unified with God, they were led to believe they were not unique to God—that they were instead lacking something of God’s image in their lives, namely his moral capacity to “know good and evil” (Gen. 3:4). What Satan deceived our first parents into believing was that a unique relationship with God was less desirable than obtaining a shared status with God. At the moment they believed that lie, the pursuit of an Inner Ring began. No longer did they love the imago Dei (image of God) they were created in, now they longed for the imago Stati (image of Status) that they did not yet possess.

The fallout from this exchange was nothing less than death. Their capacity to attain the Inner Ring they so desperately longed for was impossible. Instead of becoming like God, as the serpent had promised, they became disenfranchised from God. The relationship was broken and the imago Dei was, as John Calvin puts it “erased.”

Humanity had lost their original relationship and reality.

It’s because of this exchange, from relationship to status, that all of us live in the pursuit of Inner Rings. Our original relationship has been lost and now to find worth, value, and identity we chase the status symbols of the Inner Ring. Instead of existing as beings with value, dignity, and worth we’ve become creatures who chase after the status we do not have. Exchange number one is the exchange of identity through a relationship to identity in a status. It’s death for each of us.

From Provision to Performance

The second exchange we made was the exchange from the provision God had for us to the posture of earning our own way. We exchanged God’s riches to find and fix ourselves on our own accomplishments. Again, Genesis 1-3 demonstrates the template of this exchange.

According to Scripture, God’s creation of the universe wasn’t to set it up as a empty, desolate environment that would grow and be cultivated into maturity. He created a mature world with mature plants, mature animals, mature human beings and placed our first parents into a luscious and beautifully abundant Garden. Adam and Eve lacked absolutely nothing. They had all the provision of food, shelter, abundance, and pleasure they could ask for. Nothing was missing.

Yet the Deceiver came and sought to convince us otherwise. Our first parents were told that God was holding back, that his love for them was inadequate and insufficient. More so his provision of wisdom and knowledge was incomplete. What God was doing was not providing for them, but withholding the very things they needed to make it in the world. The lie was sown and we believed it!

We believed that God’s good provision wasn’t sufficient for the long-haul. We looked at the options; either we could rest in God’s perfect timing and provision for us or try to provide for ourselves more completely. We chose to earn rather than receive. Humanity decided in that Garden and every day since then that our best step forward is to pursue and perform to earn a status, rather than enjoy the provision of everything from God’s generous and gracious hand. We’ve chosen to earn our identity rather that receive and live in the provision that God has for us.

Imagine after working a full 10-hour shift you head home from your job. On the way home, you stop at a favorite restaurant to buy take-out for your family to enjoy. You stop at the florist and pick up a beautiful bouquet of flowers to bless and encourage her as well. You stop at the Redbox and pick up that movie your children have been longing to see. You head home to bless your family. However, when you get home you notice a line of cars out front of your house. People are walking in and out with various things. One person walks out with your television, another with your children’s favorite toy. Someone has a plate of grilled chicken and green beans. As you rush into the house you find your wife with a distant look on her face. “What are you doing?” you ask. “Well,” she says, “I really don’t like the way you’ve been providing for us, in fact I think we can do it better ourselves.” And with that your favorite chair is hoisted out by another unsuspecting couple looting your possessions. Everything is for sale.

That is the kind of folly that we have embraced. Instead of enjoying and trusting God’s good and faithful provision for us, we’ve turned into performers trying to earn our way forward. We’ve jumped out of the identity given to us as God’s people into the pursuit of making a name for ourselves. We’ve rejected the faithful provision of God’s hand for us and have decided to earn our own way forward. What God said through Jeremiah certainly is true of us, “My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jer. 2:13).

From Common to Exclusive

If the reason why we pursue Inner Rings and the societal acceptance they bring comes from an exchange of our identity and our provision, we are in pretty bad shape. However, the hole we have dug down for ourselves is deeper still. The first two exchanges are enough to destroy us, yet there is a third. It is the exchange of the common for the delight of the exclusive.

What did Adam and Eve have in the Garden? They had identity, they had provision, and they had community. They related perfectly with God and with one another. They enjoyed perfect unity, harmony, joy, delight, compatibility, and acceptance with God and with one another. It is readily apparent that our first parents enjoyed and held all things in common together. Nothing divided them or their relationship with God. This is the essence and origin of the word “community”—common. Humanity was designed and created to be a common people.

Yet the seduction of Satan was great. The common wasn’t the best or most beautiful for the world. God was holding out. He was holding back. He was being exclusive. He was being the “One Percenter” hoarding the wealth to himself while Adam and Eve were left to lack and not possess. Satan’s attack hits right at God’s exclusivity. “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?’” By twisting God’s words he created the tension of common and exclusive. As Eve responds, she affirms the provision of God, “We may eat of fruit of the trees in the garden” but also identifies where God has exercised his exclusive rights. “You shall not eat of this of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden” (Gen. 3:3). Humanity lives in the common, but God deals with the exclusive.

Humanity’s exchange on that day has broken our community. In trading the sacred commonality of life together in an attempt to possess the exclusive reality of God, we’ve been at each others throats ever since. The entire race fell into corruption and decay when that exchange was made. No longer was there unity; disunity prevailed. In shame, our parents hid from God and one another embarrassed by the nakedness their sin brought. Adam shifted the blame to God and his wife for his sin. A curse of death fell upon the human race.

Now—let me absolutely clear—God is an exclusive being, one of a kind in the entire universe, and he is good and right. He alone is worthy of all power, glory, authority, splendor, and majesty. He is wholly other than us. No one can attain to his greatness and glory and no one can possess his majesty. The very word “holy” which describes who God is throughout Scripture (see Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8) is loaded with the sense of God’s unique rarity and exclusivity. He in no way is evil, unjust, or malicious in withholding things from us. He is God; we are not. And yet, just as God is exclusive in his nature, he also exists eternally in perfect community. His creation of humanity was creation of us into common unity with him.

The Fall came for us in our exchange. We desired the exclusivity of God for ourselves. We were seduced into thinking our common unity as human beings was worthless. Satan created an evil dualism that we follow to this day. He appealed to fear of being an outsider, not having, and not being part of the exclusive club who possess “the knowledge of good and evil.” The serpent attacked the idea of the common and elevated the exclusive. We traded the joy of community as people made in the image of God for the pursuit of God’s exclusivity as God.

Inner Rings Crafted

I am sure that as Tolkien and Lewis sat around a table at The Eagle and Child pub in Oxford they shared thoughts of the pursuit together. One crafted a legendary tale in which the pursuit of the Inner Ring became a pursuit of The One Ring. The other saw it lived out in every life as men and women traded the identity they were created to posses for the status they sought to obtain. He saw it as we traded the good provision of God for the enticing self-reliant attempts to earn our own way. It showed up in our rejection of the common beauty of one another for the prestige of being one of the few.

In the beginning, there were no Inner Rings. We were created perfectly in community with God and with others. We enjoyed the security and comfort of full and abundant provision. We were children loved and accepted by God. The reality is that we were part of the greatest community, the greatest Inner Ring; God’s special and uniquely imprinted creation. And, in a moment, we gave it up for a lie. We bought the myth that we didn’t have enough; that there were Inner Rings left for us to obtain. As soon as we bought that lie we fell immediately into the Pursuit. We’ve been chasing “The Precious” ever since.

—

Jeremy Writebol (@jwritebol) has been training leaders in the church for over fourteen years. He is the author of everPresent: How the Gospel Relocates Us in the Present (GCD Books, 2014) and writes at jwritebol.net. He is the pastor of Woodside Bible Church’s Plymouth, MI campus.

Good News in a Bad News World

If you only spend a few moments watching or reading the news, it's obvious that the world no longer resembles the peaceful reality of Eden. Death, destruction, famine, hatred, greed, and brokenness are not the exception today, they are the norm. They are so common that these things are sometimes described as inevitable or expected. No one expects life to be perfect or to go on forever—but we know, in our core, it should not be this way. Doesn’t it all seem out of place and unnatural? (Guess what? It is.) How did everything get this way? We find our answer in Genesis 3.

Satan, the enemy of God disguised as a serpent, challenges God’s command to stay away from the tree. He asks Eve, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” (Gen. 3:1). We see later in the Bible that Satan likes to twist God’s words (Matt. 4:1-11). He convinces Adam and Eve that God is a liar, and that God is holding out on them. He convinced them that God doesn’t want them to be like him, so he tells them to stay away from the tree (Gen. 3:3-6).

After being tempted by Satan, our ancient parents ate the fruit, immediately noticed that they were naked, and hid from God. They were ashamed. They were self-conscious. They were scared. They had disobeyed their Creator, and they knew it. They handed over their God-given responsibility to God’s great Enemy.

This was the first sin.

Sin, Death, and the Bad News of the Garden

Sin can be described as anything (whether in thoughts, actions, or attitudes) that does not express or conform to the holy character of God as expressed in his moral law. Sin is rebellion against God, first and foremost. Some say that to sin means to “miss the mark.” When we sin, we don’t just miss the mark—we point the bow in the other direction and shoot into the sky. Sin causes us to “fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23) and leaves us under God’s wrath (Rom. 1:18). It doesn’t just cause division between people or cause us a little more trouble that we’d like; it brings division between people and life, and because of sin, death is now something we all must deal with.

Sin is bad news, and the creator of all bad news in the world.

The gut-wrenching stories we see on the news every night are an integral part of living in a world infected by sin. But sin also brings division between God and people. We see this immediately when Adam and Eve were taken out of the Garden of Eden because of their sin against God. Their perfect relationship with him was damaged from then on out (Gen. 3:16-19). This left mankind freefalling toward utter destruction.

Not only were Adam and Eve punished for their sin, but the consequences of their rulebreaking affects every person born afterward. They passed the nature of sin to their children and it’s been passed along ever since. The Apostle Paul says that “just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” and that “one trespass led to condemnation for all men” (Rom. 5:12-19).

Sin runs in the family. Sin is a disease that would make the bubonic plague blush. Sin is deadly, in every sense of the word. It’s the real Black Death. It brings not only physical death, but also spiritual death.

Our bodies are buried in the ground, but even worse, souls without Christ are banished to Hell, a place of torment and never-ending separation from God (Matt. 25:46; Jude 1:7; Rev. 21:8). As Scripture tells us, physical death can and will be defeated, but spiritual death lasts into eternity. Adam and Eve, and all of us, were made to live forever with God. Now, we all are sentenced to death from the very start apart from his forgiveness (Rom. 3:9-18; 6:23).

We need to be delivered from sin and its effects. The apostle Paul felt the soul-crushing burden of sin, and he wanted to be done with it. “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 7:23–25).

Good News in a Bad News World

But there’s good news in this bad news world. Deliverance from sin, the undoing of Satan’s work in the Garden of Eden, is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. As John says, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). Simply put: Jesus came to conquer Satan and restore the world to its rightful King.

Jesus is the most important person that lives—and ever will. He sits alive today in the heavenly places as the Cosmic King, inviting sinners to repent and place their complete trust in him for the forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life.

It's all about Jesus. This Galilean carpenter is the hope of the world. The entire plan of God (Gal. 4:4-5), the whole swing of the Scriptures (John 5:39), and the sum of human history all lands squarely—like nails ripping through flesh, bone, and wood—on Jesus (Eph. 1:10). All things belong to Jesus, and all things were created by Jesus (Col. 1:15). And right now, all things are held together by Jesus, from Haley's Comet to the micro-skin-flake falling from your fingernail, Jesus is in control. “In him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17) and, "he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Heb. 1:3).

Is that your Christ? Do you have towering thoughts about the Lord Jesus, or are they reduced to a first-century Israelite who had a knack for healing and preaching? “Who is Jesus?” isn’t the mega-stumper question on the SAT. This isn’t the dreaded pop quiz question that you know you studied but can’t remember. This is eternity. This is your life now and your life to come.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus asked his disciples this very question. “Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say that the Son of Man is?' And they said, 'Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?'"(Matt. 16:13–15). Is Jesus just a teacher? Is Jesus just a healer? A popular prophet? Captain of the fib team?

Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). So, what then? Who is this man?

Like the great C. S. Lewis said,

Socrates did not claim to be Zeus, nor the Buddha to be Bramah, nor Mohammed to be Allah. That sort of claim occurs only in Our Lord and in admitted quacks or lunatics. I agree that we don’t ‘demand crystal perfection in other men’, nor do we find it. But if there is one Man in whom we do find it, and if that one Man also claims to be more than man, what then?

The quest for the Biblical Jesus is of first importance. We can be like Adam and Eve and run away to a substitute, or we can be like Peter and stumble our way toward him.

—

Brandon D. Smith works with the Holman Christian Standard Bible and teaches theology at various schools. He is also co-author of Rooted: Theology for Growing Christians. You can follow him on Twitter.

J.A. Medders is the Lead Pastor of Redeemer Church in Tomball, TX. He and Natalie have two kids, Ivy and Oliver. Jeff digs caffeinated drinks, books, and the Triune God. He blogs at www.jamedders.com and tweets from @mrmedders. Jeff’s first book, Gospel-Formed: Living a Grace-Addicted, Truth-Filled, Jesus-Exalting Life, released this November from Kregel.

This is an excerpt from Rooted: Theology for Growing Christians by J. A. Medders and Brandon D. Smith. Get it on Amazon here.

An Interview with Joey Shaw, Author of All Authority

"When we are at the end of our wits with suffering, or when we feel entirely useless in shame, depression, and insecurity, or when we fight the hoards of Satan's army in temptation, let us be comforted that the Spirit intercedes for us in the theater of our hearts, and Christ intercedes for us in the theater of Heaven." — Joey Shaw, All Authority: How the Authority of Christ Upholds the Great Commission

CHELSEA VAUGHN: Being a mission pastor, you have to be strategic, yet in your book you don't hide your dependence on the Holy Spirit. When did you begin to see the connection between dependence and strategy?

Joey Shaw: At the intersection between strategy in human decision making and dependence on the supernatural God is the person of the Holy Spirit. In my view, dependence on the Holy Spirit empowers careful planning and effective execution of a strategy. Some people think that dependence on the Holy Spirit somehow works against, side steps, or intervenes on strategic thinking.

But the Bible teaches otherwise. The Bible calls the kinds of decision making that pleases God “wisdom”. “Wisdom” means being both strategic and dependent on God. “Wisdom” sums up strategic, insightful, and maturity in perspective. Consider Eph. 5:15-16: "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” “Look carefully” means diligently, accurately, precisely, thoroughly. Further, think about the phrase “making the best use of the time”. The greek term implies buying things when there is scarcity. No one believes that we should go to the supermarket and buy our food without some kind of a “plan”, or some “strategic” frame of mind.

I’ve learned from the Scripture and from experience that dependence on the Holy Spirit is demonstrated through hard work, not in the absence of it. The Holy Spirit empowers our hard work. Consider the apostle Paul’s testimony of working hard: "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” (1 Cor. 15:10) Paul worked hard according to the grace of God worked out in his life and ministry by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit works in both spontaneity and intentionality. He comes both when planned (e.g., when you share the gospel, do you not plan on the Holy Spirit empowering the Word?) and when unplanned. Just because an action is spontaneous does not make it more or less spiritual. Intentionality and spirituality do not work against each other. Rather, intentionality is a characteristic of mature spirituality, as it displays wisdom.

Consider the apostle Paul’s use of “skilled master builder” in 1 Cor. 3:10: “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.” Paul is thoughtful about how he works. He knows his role. He knows his goals. And to accomplish his goals he aims to be a “skilled master builder”. He calls on others who build on his foundation to “take care how he builds upon it.” Every builder knows that they must employ strategy to properly and effectively use their resources in order to achieve their goals.

Of course, we need to be ever aware of the deception that the better our strategy alone the better the product. Strategic decisions may lead to productivity, but it is the Holy Spirit of God alone who can produce God-magnifying fruitfulness.

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. – Psalms 127:1-2

CV: You must have a fervent prayer life if you can live believing in Christ's authority with freedom. Tell us the story of how and when your prayer life changed.

JS: Years ago, I preached a short sermon from Jn. 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” As I studied for the sermon, I was profoundly impacted by the truth that it is God alone who produces fruit and that our “strategy” for obtaining that fruit is abiding in Christ. After working through the text, I had to repent for aiming at being productive in my own power, rather than aiming at being fruitful in Christ’s power. That fundamental change in me instantly matured my prayer life. I realized that my prayer life is the proof of the extent of my dependency on God. I saw that I could only bear fruit while abiding in the one who has all authority and power: the Lord Jesus.

CV: I love your use of poetry, what do you hope readers will gain from this unique addition to a book on the great commission?

JS: I hope that the poetry in my book complements the narrative like a musical soundtrack complements a movie. A musical soundtrack elevates our senses and affections while we watch the movie play out; so I hope my poetry elevates your senses and affections while you work through the book. I say in my book, "Poetry is, for me, a way to express the inexpressible and lead others to do the same. It gives me a taste of the food that only the saints at the feast of heaven eat.” (Pg. 6)

CV: The poem in "Go Therefore” (p. 66) was stunning. What lead you to write this?

Though few around observe your labor,

Christ sees all—the best and least.

One day those few you sought with vigor,

Will sing with you at the Feast.

JS: I wrote this poem specifically for a missionary family serving in the inner regions of China. Most of their ministry is unseen by their family, their global Christian fellowship, and even their local church. In this kind of context, it can be tempting to feel forgotten, isolated, and alone. So I wrote a poem to remind them that they are never forgotten, never isolated, and never alone. Not only that, they will see the fruit of their labor one day. One day, King Jesus will welcome them alongside His ransomed people from their host people group—all who are Christ’s among them!—and they will live forever in fullness of joy with Christ in God.

CV: The concept you've implemented within The Stone's mission structure is unlike anything I have seen. How do you suggest people discern which position they're called to (i.e., Goer, Sender, Mobilizer)? Do you think these positions often interchange?

JS: I suggest people discern if they are called to be a “Goer,” “Sender,” or “Mobilizer” the same way that they discern God’s will for all their particular decisions not specifically spoken to in the Bible. That is, they should discern this through listening to their “spiritual gut”, through the counsel of their biblical community, through analysis of their circumstances, and ultimately and supremely, through submissive study of God’s Word, the Bible. I’ve written extensively on these variables in a series on “how to discern God’s will”, which you can find here.

People can learn more about how we at The Austin Stone Community Church engage in God’s mission among unreached peoples here.

—

Chelsea Vaughn (@chelsea725) has served a ministry she helped start in the DFW Metroplex since she graduated from college. She received her undergraduate degree at Dallas Baptist University in Communication Theory. She does freelance writing, editing, and speaking for various organizations…

Longing for My Real Home

After two years of focused theological study I realized my soul needed a good story. It’s not that I don’t love reading theology, but during this season I wanted something different to stir my heart. I knew any old story wouldn’t work; no, it was time for a fairy tale.What better fairy tale than C.S. Lewis’ classic masterpiece The Chronicles of Narnia to awaken my heart? As a child, I never read The Chronicles of Narnia. As a matter of fact, I never read fairy tales. Much like Lucy Barfield, Lewis’ granddaughter, I had outgrown fairy tales all too quickly. Thus, his words to Lucy in his dedication were all too timely, “But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” That day had finally come for me. Little did I know how deeply I would be impressed by this fairy tale and the truths it directed me towards.

In The Chronicles of Narnia, I quickly discovered a world so magical and captivating that adequately explaining the impression it had upon me is difficult. It’s like a delicious secret only to be savored by those who have taken the journey through Lewis’ fairy tale, by those who have stared Aslan in the eyes. I could give excerpt after excerpt that resonated with my soul, but seven articles couldn’t contain them all. Perhaps the words found within those excerpts should be reserved for persons brave enough to take their own journey into Narnia.

Instead I will present two overarching reasons why this series of books left a profound impression upon me and why I am convinced that every person—young and old—should read The Chronicles of Narnia to drive them towards maturity as a disciple.

The Depiction of Aslan Directs Your Heart Towards Christ

The way in which Lewis portrays Aslan is glorious! He first appears on the scene as the One who sings Narnia into existence. The reader discovers he is a Lion, but no ordinary lion. His mane is like gold, his eyes radiant energy, his voice causes the ground to shake and tremble. He is resplendent and terrifying and wonderful all at once! Children can know him intimately and yet he is mysterious beyond the magician’s knowledge. He is always at work, but he never does the same thing twice. He can defeat his enemies with a single paw, but walks willingly to his own death. The reader understands that when you come face to face with Aslan you forget about everything else.

Magical Lions don’t exist. Yet, there is a true story about a real Lion that this one points us to. Lewis draws so heavily from the biblical depiction of Jesus when forming Aslan’s character, I could not help but think of Jesus as I read about the Great Lion. The parallels are striking. Every time Aslan appears on the page and does what only Aslan can do, your heart is directed toward the true Lion, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who has done what only he can do (Rev. 5:1-14).

My affections were stirred afresh for Jesus in wonderful, childlike ways during my time in Narnia. I was reminded that I serve a King who isn’t safe, who isn’t tame, but is good beyond comprehension. It brought to remembrance my own story of encountering the Lion for the first time and all of the adventures that have ensued since. It softened my heart towards Jesus and his perfect work on my behalf. Essentially, I found that reading about Aslan presented me with wonderful opportunities to meditate upon Christ.

The Depiction of Narnia Directs Your Heart Towards the Eternal

From the creation of Narnia in book one until the revealing of the “real Narnia” in book seven I was enamored with this land. Narnia—the land Aslan sang into existence, the land where children rule as kings and queens, and the land that houses talking beasts. Oh Narnia! How I loved your hospitable beavers and friendly fauns. How I longed to partake of a hot meal by Mrs. Beaver or witness a sunset laced with colors seen only in Narnia.

Something about Narnia in all seven books points you towards the eternal. It causes you to long for something transcendent, something more. Yet, in book seven, when the old Narnia gives way to the real Narnia, the words of the Unicorn are piercing, “I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now.”

As I read those words, I felt hot tears fill my eyes which splashed onto the page. The unicorns words resonated with my own longing for my true home. I, like so many of you, know what it’s like to feel out of place while searching for satisfaction in a fallen world. I know what it’s like to long for my real country, my real home.

These words reminded me that one day I’ll close my eyes for a final time and open them to discover that I have finally come home, finally arrived at the land I have looked for all my life. So often we are afraid of death, terrified of eternity, and anxious about the unknown, but we must remember that our future land is not unknown. It’s home! It’s the land we’ve longed for all along! Thus, this fairy tale directs us forward towards the true reality we will one day experience in Jesus’ consummated kingdom.

Lasting Impressions

Narnia made a lasting impression on me at a mature level, but that doesn’t mean it’s reserved for adults. If you are a parent, I encourage you to read this series to your children at the appropriate age and use it as a springboard to talk about Jesus and eternity. It gives children a framework in which they can think about Christ and the new heaven and earth in a way that is real and concrete to them. Even if they don’t understand all of the implications Lewis is making, the idea of this glorious Lion living in a perfect land will stay with them until one day (just like Lucy and me) they will return to savor the parallels more fully. May you and your family grow in your love for Jesus and his eternal kingdom as you read The Chronicles of Narnia together!

—

Whitney Woollard is passionate about equipping others to read and study God’s Word well resulting maturing affection for Christ and his glorious gospel message. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Biblical Studies from Moody Bible Institute and a Masters of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies from Western Seminary. Whitney and her husband Neal currently live in Portland, OR where they call Hinson Baptist Church home. Visit her writing homepage whitneywoollard.com.

Paying it Forward

Once we start to realize that discipleship is an everyday, all-of-life process for our own lives, we’re halfway to understanding God’s call. The other half of that call is seen most clearly in the great commission, where God calls his people—all his people—to “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” (Matt. 28:19-20). Part of our own discipleship is “paying it forward”: seeing God not only work in us, for our own discipleship, but also seeing him work through us, for others’ discipleship. In fact, the Apostle Paul tells us that a primary way we grow into maturity in Christ is through “speaking the truth in love” to and with each other (Eph 4:16). God didn’t design discipleship to primarily happen alone. All-of-life discipleship—learning to follow, trust, and obey Jesus in the everyday stuff of life, and training others to do the same—requires submitting to and obeying God’s Word in three key environments: life on life, life in community, and life on mission.

LIFE ON LIFE

God’s means of your growth, redemption, and restoration is others in your life who are committed to bringing your brokenness out into the open and bringing the gospel of Jesus to bear on it. The layers with which we’ve covered ourselves have to be pulled back, and we can’t do that kind of work alone. We have to get close. We have to be seen and known. This is what we call life-on-life discipleship—life that is lived up close so that we are visible and accessible to one another, so that others can gently peel back the layers and join us in our restoration.

Jesus lived life with his disciples. He was close enough to really know them. He observed what they believed by watching how they lived. He became closely acquainted with their brokenness so that he could see their wrong thinking, wrong believing, and wrong acting. They were exposed. And as they were exposed, Jesus helped them to be restored.

LIFE IN COMMUNITY

If you look at the life and ministry of Jesus, and subsequently the ministry of the apostle Paul, you certainly would not come to the conclusion that one-on-one discipleship is best. Jesus discipled his followers while they experienced life together in community. We know they “got it” because the story of how they continued to live tells us they were devoted to one another in the day-to-day stuff of everyday life. Jesus’s way of discipleship cannot happen in one-on-one meetings alone.

The church is Jesus’s body. It has many parts, but it is one body, so it takes many of us committed to each other’s development to help us each become more like Jesus ... We all need many people who love Jesus around us to do this. Every person in Christ’s body is meant to work this way. You are meant to play a part in equipping and encouraging others. God intends for all of us to actively engage in disciple-making in light of our unique design so that we both do the work and equip others to do it.

LIFE ON MISSION

Jesus didn’t say, “Show up to class and I will train you.” Nor did he say, “Attend synagogue and that will be sufficient.” No, he called the disciples to join him on the mission (“Follow me”), and while they were on the mission with him, he trained them to be disciple-makers (“I will make you fishers of men”).

In other words, Jesus taught them the basics of making disciples while they were on the mission of making disciples. They could observe everything Jesus said and did. They could see how he rebuked the religious leaders who tried to make it harder for people to come to God. They were able to watch his compassion and care of people being ruined by sin. They couldn’t overlook his willingness to heal and help the broken. And the power he exerted over demons was clearly on display. They listened, watched, and learned in the everyday stuff of life. After a while, he invited them to share in some of the work he was doing. Sure, they messed up, a lot, but he was there to help, to correct, to clean up—to train them—while they were on his mission. They were in a disciple-making residency with Jesus.

After the disciples had spent time watching, learning, and practicing under Jesus’s watchful eye, he sent them out to begin to practice what he had taught them. He did not send them out alone; they went together. Then they returned and reported to Jesus what they had experienced. All did not go perfectly. So he trained them in the areas of their weaknesses and failures. He did this kind of ongoing training with them for more than three years. As a result, when he finally ascended to heaven, they had been prepared to fulfill the mission. The best training for mission happens while on mission.

MISSIONAL COMMUNITIES

The necessity of these three environments is the basis for what are commonly called “missional communities”: the Christian life—and the gospel identities and rhythms we’ll start to consider next week—cannot be lived alone, nor can it be carried out as one person among several dozen or a few thousand, which is the context of many American church gatherings. Instead, the best venue for living as disciples of Jesus happens in the context of a few other disciples, mutually committed to growing each other’s lives and faith, pursuing God’s mission together.

Missional communities are not programs of a church; missional communities are the Church.In other words, the way God intends his people to live and thrive as disciples of Jesus is in the context of a community, growing in the gospel and on mission together. It’s in this type of community that life on life, life in community, and life on mission discipleship most easily happen.

—

Jeff Vanderstelt is the visionary leader of the Soma Family of Churches and the lead teaching pastor of Doxa Church in Bellevue, Washington. Vanderstelt is the author of Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life. He and Jayne, his wife of 22 years, have three children; Haylee, Caleb and Maggie. 

Ben Connelly started and now co-pastors The City Church, part of the Acts 29 network and Soma Family of Churches. He is the co-author of A Field Guide for Everyday Mission (Moody Publishers) and also leads church planting for the Soma Family in North America. Connelly, his wife Jess and their kiddos Charlotte, Maggie and Travis live in Fort Worth, TX.

Jeff Vanderstelt and Ben Connelly. Saturate Field Guide: Principles & Practices For Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life. Saturate, ©2016. Used by permission.

The New Commandment and the Community It Creates

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” — John 13:34-35

In John 13-17, the Apostle paints the most beautiful picture of a missional community meal. Jesus serves and cleans his disciples feet to show that they are his friends and not his servants. He prays for his disciples and the impact they will make on the world. The whole occasion is filled with God’s love for this random band of brothers and the world they are sent to love.

In this passage, Jesus offers the clearest picture of a community centered on him. I wish every missional community meal in my home was like this. The disciples were together because Christ had interrupted their lives. The benchmark for acceptance into this community was allowing Jesus to wash and serve each of them. They were free to ask questions and to err; however, they were graciously turned towards God, his love, and his purpose in this world.

The command Jesus gives in this moment must not be ignored: love one-another.Each of them loved Jesus and were loved by Jesus. But that night there were questions hanging in the air: Would that love for and from Jesus change the way they loved each other? Would they become a unified family in Christ? Or, would they settle for isolated expressions of faith? These same commands and questions hang over our communities. So ask yourself, Will the love that each of you have received from Christ spill over into love for one-another?

Jesus doesn’t allow for an ambiguous definition of love. He makes clear what it means to love one-another: “There is not greater love than this, than to give one’s life for a friend” (Jn. 15:13). We must love one-another with the same kind of love God demonstrated to us: one rooted in sacrificial service. Jesus makes clear this is the only way to be his disciple. “This is how everyone will know you are my disciples” (Jn. 13:35). The mark of being a follower of Jesus isn’t prayer, meditation, knowledge, or musical tastes, rather it’s love for one-another.

Jesus is emphatic with this implication of the gospel. Anyone who receives the love of God will love their fellow disciple. He repeats the command over and over through the evening. We love God and love one another because Christ loved us.

Missional Communities must actively grow in their love for one-another. A missional community is a family more than it is a team. We live the gospel by loving one-another. This is biblical community.

Learning to Enter Community

In our culture, we call a group of people who care for one-another a community. Broken families, codependent relationships, and an epidemic of loneliness have created a ravenous hunger for community in this generation. This is what we long for in and outside of the church. Community has become something we consume to meet our needs, not an act of loving others.

Our desire and attempts at filling our needs through community has clouded our understanding of what community is. To understand what true community is we must clear the deck of all the things community isn’t, or rather, the way we attempt to consume community.

Missional Community Isn’t:

• A Social Club—centered on your relational and social needs.
• A Counseling Group—centered on your emotional needs.
• A Social Service Group—centered on your need to change the world.
• A Neighborhood Association—centered on your neighborhood.
• An Affinity Group—centered on your stage of life and preferences.
• An Event or Meeting—centered on a convenient time-slot.

To enter into true community, our desire to use community to meet our needs must be surrendered. Community cannot meet the needs you are seeking to gain from it. Turn those desires to God instead of community. Dietrich Bonhoeffer clarifies this well, “Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate.”

Growing in Our Love as Family

The dominate metaphor for Christian community throughout the New Testament is family. God is father: We are adopted by him through Christ, we are brothers and sisters, we are heirs, and we have received every spiritual blessing. From Abraham onward, God’s purposes of blessing and salvation are worked out through a family. From Jesus’ death and resurrection onward, the Church becomes a diverse family belonging to a community that belongs to God. The family of God is characterized by the Father, who is loving, compassionate, gracious, merciful, patient, and just. Those who have been adopted into salvation are no longer orphans because of sin, but belong because of God’s love.

It is from this place of experience and knowledge of divine love that anyone is able to love others within community. We receive grace, so that we can extend grace to our brothers in Christ. It is from knowing God’s patience and mercy, that we live patiently and mercifully with our family. Christian community is authentic, generous, and caring because God is truth, grace, and love.

This sort of family is not an ideal we must realize, but a reality we participate in because of God’s work through us in Christ. Instead of finding our motivation in our own prescribed needs and desires, we cling to loving one other because we have received God’s love. Christian community is one of consistent and mutual extension of grace, truth, faith, hope, and love not for the sake of receiving it but from the joy of giving.

Growing in Love by Giving Yourself

Within this familial community, each of the “one another commands” makes sense:

• Comfort one another (2 Cor. 13:11)
• Agree with one another (2 Cor. 13:11)
• Live in peace with one another (2 Cor. 13:11)
• Greet one another (2 Cor. 13:11)
• Bear one another’s burdens—which in context refers to confronting sin and being burdened for the sinful brother (Gal. 6:2)
• Bear with one another (Eph. 4:2)
• Encourage one another (1 Thess. 5:11)
• Build one another up (1 Thess. 5:11)
• Do not grumble against one another (James 5:9)
• Do not speak evil against one another (James 4:11)

Through these “one-another’s” we become family in experience. These command are the process and action toward an authentic life of community where people care for one another. They are also commands that say unequivocally that community is a place of giving of your self.

Being a member of God’s family requires death to self. You must die. Community is costly. As the Apostle Paul write in Colossians 3:9, put off the old self:

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. — Colossians 3:9-11

Paul is telling us exactly the way toward familial community: become new through God and be formed in the image of God. Now, all of this sounds very utopian and pleasant. Who wouldn’t want to be “fixed” and experience a caring and authentic community where your burdens are carried, you are not alone, and you are known? We all would, but a community like this is costly. It requires a death to you. It requires leaving your identity—what you do, what you have, where you came from.

In the place of this dying self, you must cling to the new self which is being formed by God in his own image. They way toward an authentic community is God recreating us. In Christ, we are not known by our culture, ethnicity, status, or resources. Those labels do not fit within a missional community, because we are all defined by Christ. He is recreating every aspect of our hearts.

Paul, then, describes the cost and fruit of this new identity in Christ:

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. — Colossians 3:12-17

We exchange our self-interest, self-definition, and approval seeking lives for one where we know we are approved of and chosen by God. The new life is one in community where we live with pure and loved hearts. Now we clothe our lives with kindness and humility! This is how we bear with one another, how we forgive one another: by being made new by God, by receiving new hearts of compassion.

Paul then points to a key pillar of community: forgiveness. We must not hold grudges, judge others, snicker behind others’ backs, hold their problems over them, or force them to earn our acceptance through right living. No, we don’t get to do any of those things and we shouldn’t want to. Instead we must forgive.

How can we forgive? We have been forgiven. Or, in other words, we received compassion from God who did not snicker at us or make us earn his approval. With a first hand knowledge of this kind of acceptance, welcome, and forgiveness, we must extend it to others. This will stretch us.

The pattern of life in this world is to use others’ mistakes, errors, and missteps against them and for ourselves. Our sins define us and their sins define them. However, in Christ, we are defined by the love God poured out on us to forgive us our sins. We are defined by that love. This love rules in community. This love overcomes burdens. This truth brings peace amidst all kinds of suffering. This grace produces thankful hearts. This is the love of Jesus. Paul says that this love rules community (1 Cor. 13).

You could sum up all of the one-another commands in the New Testament into this one: love one another. But what kind of love? The greatest kind of love: sacrificial. The love exemplified by Jesus on the cross, where he gave his entire self. On the cross, we see the love that is required within his community. We see on the cross the commandment lived out. Jesus doesn’t ask us to live out an ideal for our sake, or require us to do something he does not do. Jesus calls us to be conformed into the image of the Creator. To be like Jesus is to love like he loved and to extend that love to the ones he chose to love. This is why we love one another. What are the implications of letting this love rule our hearts as we live alongside others?

• We don’t give from the margins.
• We don’t give from convenience.
• We don’t give from comfort.
• We don’t give our left-overs.
• We don’t give from insecurity.

Rather we . . .

• We give ourselves with joy.
• We give ourselves with generosity.
• We give ourselves with truth.
• We give ourselves with humility.
• We give ourselves with forgiveness.
• We give ourselves with confidence, not allowing our community to live in sin, worship idols, and disregard Jesus as savior.
• We give because God gave Christ.
• We love because Christ loved us.

This is the type of familial community our souls actually crave. This is the only expectation big enough for lasting community.

—

Brad Watson (@bradawatson) serves as a pastor of Bread&Wine Communities where he develops and teaches leaders how to form communities that love God and serve the city. Brad is the author of Raised?, Called Together: A Guide to Forming Missional Communities, and Sent Together: How the Gospel Sends Leaders to Start Missional Communities. He lives in southeast Portland with his wife and their two daughters. You can read more from Brad at www.bradawatson.com.

10¢ Moments; $10 Conversations

Small talk is one of my least favorite things ever. Most introverts like myself say they don’t like small talk because it forces them to step out of their shell and talk to people. They want to do as little talking as possible, especially about nominal matters like the weather. That’s part of the reason I don’t enjoy it, but there’s another reason. I find it difficult and even frustrating. Small talk, at its core, is a way for us to talk without asking or listening. Take this popular scenario for example. Chris walks into church and see Bill. Bill says, “Hey, Chris! How’s it going?” Chris, without hesitating, rattles off a, “Fine, how are you, Bill?” Bill wastes no time in replying that he is “fine” as well and asks how Chris’ wife is. “She’s doing well,” Chris responds and he returns the question to Bill. “The wife is good.” Chris and Bill do this tennis match of shallow interrogation for a few minutes, covering wife, kids, job, and remarkably, like we’re back in the Garden of Eden, it’s all good!

Have you been in this kind of exchange this week? I have. There is a “fine” syndrome we all fall into when small talk arises. Why do we do this? In Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands, Paul Tripp, counselor and pastor, addresses why he thinks we, especially as Christians, get “trapped in the casual.” He cites many reasons—busyness, feeling alone in struggles, and being blinded by our sin. But the biggest reason according to Tripp is that we get trapped because no one asks.

Tripp suggests that if we were more intentional in engaging others, we would find that everything is not fine. While it’s easy for Chris to say everything is great to Bill, he’d love to be encouraged by Bill to not lose heart at his job, or to be encouraged in his strained and depleting relationship with his wife and kids. In short, people fall into pits because we don’t take the time to ask if they need rescuing before its too late.

Fixing this will not be an easy, but we must, so that our conversations are more edifying than shop talk about a sports team. To borrow another concept from Tripp, we oftentimes have “10-cent moments,” short encounters with those around us and we must be a people who learn how to have “10-dollar conversations” in these short moments. How can we make our conversations with others more valuable?

Realizing Our Ministry

As Christians, we are called to people with names, faces, and souls. In the workplace, many of us are often crunching numbers, working with inanimate products, or using machinery. But this is not the case in personal ministry and discipleship. We are in the business of caring for souls. C.S. Lewis gets to the heart of the weightiness of caring for people:

There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously - no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption.^[1]

We should aspire to have valuable conversations because we deal with valuable people.Eternal souls, extraordinary beings created in God’s image. As we walk into a conversation, this must be our mindset. It’s crucial to disciple people well.

Asking Carefully

As Tripp showed us earlier, one of the biggest reasons we get “trapped in the casual” is because no one makes the effort to truly ask how we are and what’s really going on. We don’t want to be imposing, asking what we don’t need to know, but people are likely willing to open up to us if we give them the green light to through careful question asking. One simple way to do this is to ask the person responding with fine “Are you really?” Few expect this question and it also conveys a genuine desire to know how they truly are.

Careful question asking in disciple-making can take many forms. Maybe we ask for people to define their terms. A “huge fight” may mean something different to you than to them. Ask people how they responded when they share conflicts and situations with you. Ask them, most importantly, why they responded that particular way. These kinds of probing questions get to the heart of people and are where are gospel opportunities arise. This is where we get to discover what’s resonating in the hearts of those who need our encouragement and wisdom. 

Listening Intentionally

We can know who people are and ask careful questions, but if we do not take the time to listen with intentionality, we have likely missed our chance to disciple people well. We cannot disciple people well if we do not know how we need to disciple them and our chance to find out the “how” is found in listening well. “There’s a lot of difference between listening and hearing,” as G.K. Chesterton reminds us, and as Jesus models for us in Scripture.

Jesus, the one man who did not need to listen because he knew everything, made time to listen to so many people, even people against him like the Pharisees. He had every right and ability to build his ministry on giving answers, but he spent most of his time asking questions. Jesus took time to listen to the woman at the well, the woman who touched his garment, and the men on the road to Emmaus. And how much more time did he spend listening intentionally to his disciples? Not only was Jesus a great listener; he was a master at making “10-dollar conversations" out of every "10-cent moment" he found himself in.

How can we do the same? The next time you find yourself with a Bill or a Chris in a “10-cent moment,” try something different than small talk. Try going deeper. Remember the weightiness of people. Remember how much good you could do someone by asking careful questions and listening with intentionality. It could be the most powerful disciple-making tool in your belt.

^[1] C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory (HarperOne, 2001), pp. 45-46.

—

Zach Barnhart (@zachbarnhart) currently serves as a church planting intern with Fellowship Church in Knoxville, Tennessee and is pursuing pastoral ministry. He is a college graduate from Middle Tennessee State University and lives in Knoxville with his wife, Hannah. He is a blogger, contributor to For The Church and Servants of Grace, and manages a devotional/podcast at Cultivated.

Living as the New Covenant Temple

Temple language and activity saturate the New Testament, following in the footsteps of the Old Testament. Somewhat surprisingly, much of this temple imagery is not primarily concerned with Herod’s stunning Second Temple makeover, but rather, with the New Covenant Temple (NCT hereafter) that Jesus was building. NCT imagery was important for the New Testament authors and their community, and therefore, such imagery should also be enriching for the Church today.

NEW COVENANT TEMPLE IMAGERY

According to the New Testament’s NCT imagery, Jesus is the NCT (John 2:21), the cornerstone (Matt. 21:42, Eph. 2:20), and the high priest (Heb. 4:14, 10:21). The curtain is Jesus’ flesh (Heb. 10:20). Jesus is the atonement (1 Jn. 2:2, Rom. 3:25).

The foundation for this new temple is made up of the apostles and the prophets (Eph. 2:20, Rev. 21:14). The pillars are James, Cephas, John, and the one who conquers (Gal. 2:9, Rev. 3:12). The saints are the living stones being indwelt and built together by the Spirit (1 Pet. 2:5, Eph. 2:22). The saints are also the priests (1 Pet. 2:5, 9). The lives of the saints are daily sacrifices (Rom. 12:1).

Holy living, sacrificial giving, and the prayers of the saints are the daily incense (2 Cor. 2:14-16, Philip. 4:18, Rev. 5:8). The Holy of Holies is heaven (Heb. 4:14, 8:1). The Holy Place is the Church on earth (1 Cor. 3:16-17, 2 Cor. 6:16, Eph. 2:22). Ministry is care for (or cultivtion of) the saints, and expanding the reach of the earthly Holy Place (Acts 14:27, 1 Cor. 16:9, Rev. 3:8).

Therefore, the Holy of Holies in heaven and the Holy Place on earth are one temple, but YHWH’s people are still awaiting the final “summarization” in Christ (Eph. 1:10). The NCT is already a present reality, and it is the true temple, but it has not yet reached its full consummation (Rev. 21-22).

JESUS OR THE CHURCH?

But is Jesus still the NCT or is it the Church or is it both? As observed above, the language used for the NCT is remarkably consistent, but a few issues do exist: namely, distinguishing between the NCT imagery used for the body of Jesus, the Universal Church, and the local church.

When Jesus walked upon the earth, the Gospel of John viewed Him as the locus of the presence of God on earth (John 1:14, 18). Therefore, Jesus was the true temple, and He transcended the Second Temple and all other temples. The Spirit was at work in the formation of the Old Covenant Temple, and the Spirit brought about the formation of Jesus as the temple (Matt. 1:18, Rom. 8:11).

After Jesus’ ascension, the Spirit was sent to build the NCT that Jesus founded on earth: the Lord’s community, which is the Universal Church. The Universal Church is made up of local churches, which are being joined together as the one NCT by the Spirit (Eph. 2:21-22).

As high priest, Jesus offered final atonement for His people through His death outside the city (Heb. 13:12, Lev. 16). Jesus now continues to span the gap between heaven and earth by constantly mediating for His followers and by allowing their prayers to be pleasing incense before the Father (Rev. 5:8). Jesus is a perfect high priest, and His people will never be guilty of sin because of Him (Lev. 4:3-12, Eph. 3:12).

Jesus’ continual presence in the heavenly Holy of Holies assures His people of their covenant status: which has always been a cause for great joy and trembling (Lev. 9:23-24). Also, as Josephus pointed out, the materials of the garments for the high priest were similar to the materials used to build the tabernacle. In other words, by representing Israel to YHWH and by representing YHWH to Israel, the fully clothed high priest becomes a microcosm of the tabernacle/temple.

Therefore, in one sense, Jesus is still the NCT, and one can only be part of the NCT by being in Jesus through the new creation of the Spirit. In another sense, Jesus is the high priest within the NCT, which is made up of the heavenly Holy of Holies and the earthly Holy Place, and He mediates between God the Father and His people. To put it another way, Jesus is a high priest who never takes off His high priestly garments. Through the Holy Spirit, the saints will one day be the high priests and the completed temple where God’s presence rests (Rev. 22:3-4, Exod. 28:36-38).

ALREADY AND NOT YET

The already/not yet temple that Jesus founded will one day be consummated as a fulfilled and improved Eden. In the end, through the Spirit’s power and the return of the true king, the current Holy Place will be unveiled as the newly created Holy of Holies (Rev. 21:16). The Book of Revelation seems to present this process in the following way: as the saints of the earthly, “already” Holy Place die, they are assimilated into the “not yet” Holy of Holies that is being prepared in a heavenly bridal dressing room until the king returns.

When He returns in His glory, then the Bride (the Church) will be revealed from heaven for the final consummation of the kingdom of God and the NCT. When YHWH fully indwells the New Jerusalem—the newly created Holy of Holies, the primary dwelling of His presence—then His people will be able to fully enjoy YHWH’s glory. They will serve in His presence as Christ Jesus, the current high priest, perpetually does. YHWH’s people will be both temple and high priest.

The foundation has been laid, the building has begun, and its completion is imminent, but the king has yet to bring the work to fruition. In the meantime, the Church-under-construction is the official place of God’s presence on earth.

A MORAL EXHORTATION FOR HOLY LIVING

In the “already,” New Testament authors employ NCT imagery to admonish their readers to live wholly consecrated lives to YHWH. As the Holy Place of the NCT, the Church is the locus of God’s presence on earth under the New Covenant, and one’s actions have extra weight when they are performed in the temple. Through the presence and work of the Holy Spirit, the Church’s character should mirror YHWH’s.

Following are two key passages that connect NCT language and holy living.

In 1 Pet. 2:1-12, Peter sandwiches his moral exhortations around obvious NCT language. Jesus is the “living stone,” and those who believe on him become as “living stones” being built into a spiritual house and a holy priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5). Peter then clarifies the building plan for these living stones by quoting from Isa. 28:16, Ps. 118:22, and Isa. 8:14 in succession: they are not just being built up as any other house, they are being built up as the NCT. Their priesthood is not only holy (2:5), but also royal (2:9), therefore, they must keep away from passions of the flesh.

In 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1, Paul begins by listing several dichotomies for why members of the Corinthian church should not be unequally yoked with unbelievers (6:14-16a). His closing dichotomy is between the temple of God and idols. Since the holy and living God dwells in the Church, the members of the Church should take every precaution in order to be holy. God’s presence is a great promise, but his presence should also create a healthy fear among his people (2 Cor. 7:1). The Church is the official place on earth where YHWH is worshipped, and all other temples, religions, and gods are treason. Therefore, individual believers should be characterized by their consecration to YHWH.

ESCHATOLOGICAL HOPE FOR SACRIFICIAL LIVING

The NCT’s “not yet” aspects help to provide the hope needed by YHWH’s people in order to live as sacrifices in two ways: (1) expanding the sacred space of the earthly Holy Place (evangelism), and (2) caring for the NCT on earth (building up other saints, i.e. sanctification).

The Holy Spirit not only binds the Church together as the NCT’s Holy Place, but also empowers the Church to continue Christ Jesus’ mission to reconcile creation through sacrificial love (2 Cor. 5:16-6:13).In other words, YHWH’s reconciled sacred space is expanded through the Spirit-empowered sacrifice of his people. YHWH’s priests are to serve by being living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1).

Similar to Hezekiah in 2 Chr. 29:3-19, YHWH opens doors (temple doors) to potential sacred space, and he bids his priests to enter and to serve, trusting that he will provide what they need in difficult circumstances (Rev. 3:8). Those who conquer, by the empowerment of the Spirit, will be made pillars in the temple of God and will have the name of the New Jerusalem and Jesus written on them (Rev. 3:12).

The hope of being part of the future consummation of the NCT should drive the Church to sacrifice for those in need as the Lord leads. The Church as the NCT on earth has a mission to reclaim creation as sacred space for YHWH, but – at the same time, as the NCT on earth—the Church must also allocate appropriate energies inwardly as well.

Not only is the Church part of the expansion of the NCT’s Holy Place through sacrificial living, but also, the Spirit uses the members of the Church to build itself up (1 Cor. 14:12). The Church should continually care for its members, for in doing so, the Church is actually caring for the hallmark of Jesus’ kingdom: YHWH’s NCT. Until the king returns, the Church should be more dedicated to the NCT than the faithful Davidic kings of the past were to the OCT because she knows that in caring for herself, she is a partaking in YHWH’s work and mission on earth. YHWH will bring it to completion (Philip. 1:6).

All in all, the Church should emphasize both (1) holiness for its members in order to be a pure and spotless Bride, and (2) sacrificial living to expand and care for the NCT on earth. The Spirit is once again making a new creation as the dwelling place of God—through the Church—as the NCT is being expanded and built up. The final consummation is coming, and the NCT eagerly awaits its rest in the undisputed coronation of Christ.

CONCLUSION

The New Testament authors employed NCT imagery throughout the New Testament in order to morally exhort the Church to holiness and to provide eschatological hope for sacrificial living. The New Testament authors believed that this language was especially effective because it accurately described the current inaugurated eschatology of God’s kingdom, and how humanity was being reconciled to its creator.

The Church’s privilege of being the NCT has many theological implications: it is the official place to worship YHWH, the sign to all of YHWH’s enemies that they stand no chance (Eph. 3:10), and the community where humanity is beginning to realize its goal. The NCT and the kingdom of God are both “already but not yet,” which will not be fully consummated until Christ Jesus returns.

Come Lord Jesus!

—

Timothy Rucker earned a Th.M. degree from Western Seminary. He currently lives in the Tampa Bay Area with his family, where he worships with and serves the congregation of Keene Terrace Baptist Church

Cross-posted from Western Seminary's Transformed blog as part of a partnership. Adapted from Living as the New Covenant Temple - Part 1 & Part 2

A Guide for Discipling Believers One-on-One

You know John. God did a great work in John’s life after graduation from high school. He had been a typically rebellious teenager who had heard the gospel but was not truly converted. But God, in His kindness, reclaimed John’s prodigal life and brought Him to a point of repentance and faith in his college years. He immediately connected with a group of Christians from the local church adjacent to his home and poured himself into its ministry. His life was marked by an insatiable hunger for the Word, a longing for relationships with other Christians, a humble desire to serve, and a genuine pursuit of a life that honored God.

Before long John found himself overseeing a group of middle-school boys and assuming increasing levels of leadership within the church. While John was honored to be asked to lead, he knew that there was a problem.

He had never been discipled.

Sure, he attended the church service each week, went to the classes offered by the church, and occasionally listened to his favorite preacher via podcast. However, no one assumed spiritual responsibility for him or walked with him through a process of understanding and applying the gospel to his life. Even worse, he was now being asked to make disciples without having been discipled himself.

John felt trapped. He knew that he was ill-equipped for the task. It was exposing all sorts of sin in his heart and he knew that he lacked the maturity and training necessary to lead well. Not only that, but the stress of leadership in the church was having a negative impact on his family. On most days, he masked this insecurity behind sheer, white-knuckled will power. He worked hard and pretended that he knew what he was doing. But he didn’t. And he, his family, and the church were suffering as a result.

The church felt trapped, too. The pastor was busy and the never-ending needs of the church always seemed to crowd out meaningful time to train John. And what’s worse, he really didn’t have a good plan for discipling guys like John anyway. He had never been discipled either. So, on a good week he might share a meal with John and ask how he was doing or give him a book that had proved valuable in his own ministry. What else could he do? The only other option was to send him off to seminary and run the risk of never seeing him again. Young leaders were too rare and too valuable to the church to make this choice.

Our churches are filled with people like John. They love Jesus and the church, and they are looking to the church for discipleship. They are not all college aged men. Some are teenage girls, some business professionals, and some elderly church members. They need the church to create a intentional plan to take new converts and disciple them towards maturity and leadership in the church. This task is not optional for the church. Paul reminded Timothy that his task was to take “the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others (2 Tim 2:2).” Churches have a responsibility to create a culture of disciple-making and multiplication.

The church desperately needs an intentional plan for taking new believers, discipling them to maturity, and entrusting them with intentional leadership within God’s church.

If the task of discipleship is neglected the results are predictable. The developing disciples will have to do the following things on their own:

• Understand the gospel message and how it shapes their own spiritual formation;
• Apply the gospel to their lives and the lives of others through intentional disciple-making;
• Develop the fruit of the Spirit and the character of a leader in the church;
• Learn how to practice key spiritual disciplines and grow in the grace and knowledge of God;
• Make key life decisions, such as a spouse or a career;
• Join a healthy church and become a meaningful member;
• Discern their own gifting and calling;
• Find a leadership role that fits that gifting and calling;
• Learn how to care for fallen and broken people.

This is a weighty task that cannot be accomplished through simply shuffling people off to a new class in hopes that they will grow. More often than not the potential disciple will end up frustrated, burned-out, and stagnant in their own spiritual formation, because they are being asked to do in isolation what is meant to be done in the community of the church.

Churches who lack a strategy for disciple-making and leadership development will also have to do the following in isolation:

• See a host of their members fall away due to sin or neglect that results from a lack of maturity;
• Lament the lack of trained and skilled leaders for the ministries that God has entrusted to the church; such as, small group leaders, Sunday School teachers, or future staff members;
• Depend on classes and programs to do the arduous work of disciple-making;
• See new believers come to faith in Christ and yet lack any strategy for nurturing them to maturity;
• Fail to equip the church to do their most important task – make disciples;
• Place people in leadership roles that may exceed their maturity;
• Determine a good fit for staff positions in the church based on a resume alone;
• Depend on seminaries or parachurch agencies to train its leaders in the hopes that this feeder system will consistently produce enough leaders for the church’s needs;
• Remove leaders whose calling, character, or competence do not match the leadership needs to which they are called.

The result is wasted potential, immature church attendees, poorly led churches, and thousands of unreached men, women, and children littering our nation. The surpassing riches of God’s grace in the gospel, and the vast lostness of the world, compel the church to reproduce theologically robust, missionally active, and Spirit-led disciples (Eph 2:6-10). The development and deployment of future disciples in the church and for the church is vital for the church to thrive in the coming generation. This is a stewardship that we must not neglect.

Churches can train leaders—but most need tools to aid them in this task. Aspire is written in an effort to not only motivate churches to engage in this vital work but also to provide them with the basic framework for developing disciples and leaders in their context. There is no such thing as a plug-and-play model. What works for us in Greenville, SC may not work exactly the same way in an urban context on the West coast. Aspire can, however, provide a vital tool to mobilize the church to implement a pathway for discipleship that uses the tools provided here and yet supplements and applies these ideas with additional resources that are needed in their context.

—

Matt Rogers is the pastor of The Church at Cherrydale in Greenville, South Carolina. He and his wife, Sarah, have three daughters, Corrie, Avery, and Willa and a son, Hudson. Matt holds a Master of Arts in counseling from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary as well as a Master of Divinity and a PhD  from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Matt writes and speaks for throughout the United States on discipleship, church planting, and missions. Find Matt online at www.mattrogers.bio or follow him on Twitter @mattrogers_

Adapted with permission from Aspire: Part One: Transformed by the Gospel. Receive a discount on orders of 10 or more here. Aspire is a 15-week study, written in two parts, designed to be used to disciple believers in the local church. Each week's study combines rich theological content and clear practical application in a journal-based format. Ideal for one-on-one discipleship relationships, Aspire guides believers toward life-long transformation.

The Righteousness Ladder

Most Christians, at some point in life, will stop and wonder whether or not they believe enough or have faith strong enough. What brings this doubt?

• Life just hurts. Have you been in a place when you could swear there was a steady beeping sound just before a load of grief or stress was dumped on your head? During these times, we are prone to wonder where we had fallen short of God's expectations, searching high and low for to uncover the area of life that still is not sufficiently yielded.
• I have sinned. We have relationships that need constant attention, but inevitably we come short of what is required of us, or we cross a line that should never be crossed. Someone is wronged at our hand. When the fault comes to light, confession and repentance are needed to bring that relationship back into working order. In order to inhibit or prevent another occurrence, we put in place preventive maintenance measures.
• I want to please God. There are times when we want God to work in and through us, so that the change might be palpable. We yearn for those things that just feel right—or as right as they can be in this world—and show to us that we can be satisfied with the results. We determine that this a good time to get more serious and to be “holy in all your conduct” (1 Pt. 1:15).

In each of these three scenarios, we resolve to double down on our efforts to close the distance between ourselves and the Lord through a regimen of spiritual disciplines (Bible study, prayer, and good works). We seek, through sheer determination, to work our way into God's good graces. There is one problem: that approach does not work. The work has already been completed. What do I mean?

People get into their heads that they can be made right before God by doing the right things in the right way and some have enough foresight to recognize that all this effort may be really hard work. Actually, it is impossible—and that is a good thing. We tend to perform these in order to show our stuff or to gain approval. Either way the object of attention is me. I am the focal point, and I will get the credit with God for all this effort. The issue is that our righteousness cannot be worked out in that way. Our righteousness was never to be attained by works, but by faith.

We like a challenge to prove ourselves, and some will accept the extreme to prove something can be done. Paul wrote to the church in Rome about the effort:

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” (that is, to bring Christ down) or “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim). – Romans 10:5-8

All of us want to work our way up the righteousness ladder: “If only I could do this,” or “If only I could do that.” We will go to almost any extent, even to go on some great trek to find Jesus, so He can do something for me. Paul says that none of this is necessary. God cannot be found through a mighty undertaking to find Christ, because He accomplished the undertaking for us. Jesus cannot be brought up from the grave to do something: having been given as the only acceptable sacrifice for our sin, He was raised for our justification (Rom 4:25). Neither can He be brought down from heaven: He is ascended, ever making intercession (Isa 53:12; Heb 7:25).

Jesus has died, risen, and ascended to the right hand of the majesty on high (Heb 1:3). Because He has finished the necessary work, our part is just to believe and confess it. No amount of effort can earn what has already been earned by the Lord Jesus.

“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” —1 John 10:9-11

One might think, “This is all fine and good for the one who has never believed before, but I've been a Christian for some time now. How does this apply to me and wanting to grow in Christ?” The answer is the same: You cannot gain ground in your righteousness by your works.

The spiritual disciplines mentioned earlier are not our measuring stick of progress. Neither are they our path to attain more of Christ. Scripture, prayer, and good works are all gifts of God. Scripture reveals the Lord of heaven and earth, Creator of all things, and His work of redemption to purchase for Himself a people. Prayer is given that we might communicate rightly with the Lord of glory. Good works are given so that we might walk in them, and that those who see will give glory to God. When we take these and turn them into a tool to gain more of Christ, we turn the gifts into works and tell the Lord that we will finish what was left undone for our growth.

The good news is that Christ died for our sins—all sin past, present, and future—was buried, and rose again according to the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:3-4). He appeared before God on our behalf only once to put away sin by Himself (Heb 9:24-26). Because of this we are lavished with wondrous benefits (Eph 1:3-14). Let's rest in all that and not try to add to it.

—

Steve Bricker is from Cedar Rapids, IA, where he shares his life with his wife of 35 years, Sandi. A software developer by training, he has a M.A. in Theological Studies from Faith Evangelical Seminary, Tacoma, WA. His main interests are Biblical Theology and Church History. He is active at Maranatha Bible Church through leading Bible studies and small groups and serving on the deacon board. In addition, Steve writes at What Accords with Sound Doctrine.

How Does God Use His Word in Our Lives?

Trudy and Tony were referred to you from another church. You’ve never met them before today. They’ve come to you after already having seen a divorce attorney. Trudy tells you that she is “100% motivated to be in counseling” and “desperately wanting to see our marriage saved.” Tony is meeting with you because he feels it’s his obligation to “make one more attempt to save this marriage.” What do Trudy and Tony need from you first? Do they need truth—scriptural insight about sacrificial love applied to their marital relationship? Or, do they need love—to connect with you and to build a relationship with you so that they are ready to hear truth from you?

Which is most important in biblical counseling? Is the ministry of the Word primary and loving relationships secondary? Or, is the relationship central and you need to wait to share truth until you’ve established a trusting relationship?

Are these even the right questions? Does Scripture divide truth from relationship in ministry? Does the Bible rank truth and love? Wouldn’t that be somewhat like asking, “Which counselor is least effective, the one who ignores the greatest commandment to love God and others, or the one who ignores commands to counsel from the Word?”

The Bible never pits truth against love. It never lays them out on a gradation or ranking system.The Bible presents equal couplets: truth/love, Scripture/soul, Bible/relationship, and truth/grace.   

Just the UPS Delivery Man?

And yet we’re forced to ponder these questions about truth and love every time we minister to others. I was forced to ponder the issue again recently when I listened to an excellent closing session at a biblical counseling conference. The message was biblical, relevant, and powerful. The wise, godly speaker wrapped the entire message around the theme that the power in our ministry comes solely from the power inherent in God’s Word.

His concluding illustration put an exclamation point on his theme as he shared about the Christmas present he purchased for his daughter. The gift arrived two days before Christmas, delivered by the UPS guy. The speaker’s daughter, hearing the UPS truck pull into the driveway, bolted to the door to meet the delivery man. She snatched the package from his hands and raced to place it under the tree, not the least bit focused on the UPS delivery guy. The speaker concluded with the phrase, “We’re just the UPS delivery guy. The real gift, the great present is the Word that we deliver. We’re just the UPS delivery guy!”

I joined the crowd in “Amening!” I loved the illustration. I got the theme—the power is in the Word of God!

More Than Just the UPS Delivery Guy

But later that evening, I started asking myself: Is that the complete biblical picture? Don’t we always say that God calls us to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), to make our love abound in knowledge and depth of insight (Phil. 1:9-11), and to share not only the gospel but our very own souls (1 Thess. 2:8)? Does the Bible really teach that only the message matters, or does it teach that the messenger’s character and relationship to the hearer also matter greatly?

Once these questions started whirring through my mind, I couldn’t sleep. Thinking about sharing Scripture and our soul, I turned to 1 Thessalonians 2. As I read those twenty verses, five biblical portraits of the biblical counselor emerged from the pages. I saw then what I share with you now:

Biblical counseling involves gospel conversations where we engage in soul-to-soul relationships as brothers, mothers, fathers, children, and mentors who relate Christ’s gospel story to our friends’ daily stories.

God calls us to love well and wisely. That’s why, in biblical counseling, we must weave together in our ministries what is always united in God’s Word—truth and love, which is comprehensive biblical wisdom and compassionate Christlike care. Biblical counseling is not either/or: either be a brilliant but uncaring soul physician, or be a loving but unwise spiritual friend. God calls us to be wise and loving biblical counselors.

We are more than just the UPS delivery guy. According to 1 Thessalonians 2, God calls us to share his Word with the love of a brother, mother, father, child, and mentor. This is vital to our ministries today, just as it was vital to Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica. Based upon 1 Thessalonians 2:2-3, 5-6, commentator Leon Morris notes that:

It is clear from the epistle that Paul had been accused of insincerity. His enemies said that he was more concerned to make money out of his converts than to present true teaching. The accusation would be made easier in virtue of the well-known fact that itinerant preachers concerned only to feather their own nests were common in those days. Paul was being represented as nothing more than another of this class of preaching vagrants.

Morris goes on to explain that in Paul’s day:

Holy men of all creeds and countries, popular philosophers, magicians, astrologers, crack-pots, and cranks; the sincere and the spurious, the righteous and the rogue, swindlers and saints, jostled and clamored for the attention of the credulous and the skeptical.

The Message and the Messenger

That’s why the unity of Scripture and soul and truth and relationship was so vital to Paul. In writing to the Thessalonians, Paul is saying, “You doubt my credentials? Then be a good Berean who examines the message and the messenger—what I say, who I am, and how I relate to you.” It’s the identical message that Paul sends to every young minister anywhere. If you want to validate your ministry, then “watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim. 4:16, emphasis mine).

Paul writes 1 Thessalonians 2 to affirm his ministry as from God and to affirm the nature of all ministry from God by modeling the sharing of Scripture and soul, by embodying truth in love. It is God’s plan to use his Word powerfully when we share it truthfully and lovingly—like a brother, mother, father, child, and mentor.

The Rest of the Story: Ministering to Trudy and Tony 

What Trudy and Tony need from you is truth and love. They need scriptural insight about sacrificial love applied to their relationship in the context of a family relationship where you share Scripture and your soul as a brother, mother, father, child, and mentor.

What does that mean? What does that look like? In my next two posts for Gospel-Centered Discipleship, we’ll explore in greater detail Paul’s practical teaching from 1 Thessalonians about 5 Portraits of Gospel-Centered Counseling.

—

Dr. Robert W. Kellemen: Bob is the Vice President for Institutional Development and Chair of the Biblical Counseling Department at Crossroads Bible College, the Founder and CEO of RPM Ministries, and served for five years as the founding Executive Director of the Biblical Counseling Coalition. For seventeen years Bob served as the founding Chairman of and Professor in the MA in Christian Counseling and Discipleship department at Capital Bible Seminary. Bob pastored for 15 years and has trained pastors and counselors for three decades. Bob earned his BA in Pastoral Ministry from Baptist Bible College (PA), his Th.M. in Theology and Biblical Counseling from Grace Theological Seminary, and his Ph.D. in Counselor Education from Kent State University. Bob and his wife, Shirley, have been married for thirty-five years; they have two adult children, Josh and Marie, one daughter-in-law, Andi, and three granddaughters: Naomi, Penelope, and Phoebe. Dr. Kellemen is the author of thirteen books including Gospel-Centered Counseling and Gospel Conversations.