This is a possible response I could get, when I share where my children are going to school this year. Growing up, I went to a Christian school, that was a Baptist school held in the Baptist church I went to: www.grandviewparkbaptist.org . I loved it; and I believe it was a tool God used greatly in my spiritual and academic development.
As parents, we have had our children in public school, home school, and Christian school. I fully believe that all 3 are options for Christian families, depending on how God is leading them. I have heard the arguments that passionate people have, from each of those perspectives. Our experience has been that God wants us, each year, to go through the process of praying, thinking, studying, talking and waiting until He is ready to let us know. It has been very interesting, as it relates to school, for the 5 years we have been in Ohio.
One of the great blessings for us has been the school that rents space from our church: Westside Christian Academy www.westsideacadey.org It is a non-denominational school, with a classical style of education, and we have really appreciated learning more about that. What really makes it special, in our opinion, is its great leadership and teachers, that care about our children, and care for our families. They are not just out to give our children an excellent education (which we believe they are getting); but they are interested in partnering with us as parents to help our children become devoted followers of Jesus Christ. That is the most important thing to us. Our youngest 3 are blessed, once again, to attend Westside Christian Academy this school year.
Our oldest 2 are entering high school this year. Our desire for them as well is that they would be growing in their walk with Jesus Christ. Could they do this by going to a public school? Of course. They wouldn't have the Christian education or teachers that were trying to help them grow (or allowed to talk about it publicly in class); but that is really the parent's responsibility, not the school. We had our children registered for public school this year, until God opened a door and we determined He was leading us a different direction. We are very thankful for Christian teachers and families who are being salt and light in the public school system.
The school God led us to is close to the other school, which means our church as well. But, it also, is not Baptist. It's Lutheran! Lutheran West High School www.lutheranwest.org is a Christian school, but will certainly be different than WCA or any Baptist school we might send them to. For our family, it seems to be a place where their faith will be challenged, especially as it relates to living out what they believe. I admit, being a Christian school graduate myself, and being around Christian schools all my life, that Christian schools are full of sinners just like public schools. And in some cases, the apathy toward Christ that can be found in Christian schools can be a harder issue for students to work through than if the lines were very clear, as they usually are in a public school. However, we are excited about the leadership at Lutheran West as well, and the Christian teachers that want to create an environment where Christ is honored and followed. Since the details of how we ended up here seem so clear, as coming from God, we are confident that this is the best place for our children to be, at least this year.
So, what is the deal, being Baptist, that we are sending our kids to Lutheran and non-denominational schools? Because it fits with how we see ourselves, and we want our children to see themselves. We have no problem with being in a Baptist church. We hold to the Baptist Distinctives; but since no one really knows what those are, except for Baptist College graduates, we emphasize something much more important. I want to be known, not as a Baptist, but as a follower of Christ. I want our children to identify themselves as followers of Christ, and not answer the question: "hey, I'm Catholic, what are you?" with "I'm a Baptist". Since there are so many kinds of baptists out there, and people only know about Baptists according to the experiences they have had, I am much more interested in them knowing that we follow Jesus Christ and we follow the Word of God. Being in a non-denominational and Lutheran School will help our kids see that there are those in other types of churches that also follow Christ with all of their hearts; and that there are people in all churches and schools, including ours, that are perhaps religious, and may even attend something called Baptist, but are really just following their own desires, not God's.
May God bless these schools, that are a blessing to our family, and may your family be led by God, as is the prayer for ours, to help your children grow in Jesus Christ, and to use whatever educational system you choose, to help in that process!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
YOU FIRST...NO...YOU FIRST- a message
This message was preached on August 2, 2009, at Grace Baptist Church in Westlake, OH. Since we were getting ready to start another season of life groups, we looked, once again, at some one another phrases in the Bible. We looked at what God's Word has to say about loving and honoring one another, and how we can apply that, through small group ministry in our church. This was especially an encouraging message for me, as we heard two testimonies of how God has used other people in our church to be an incredible blessing and help toward spiritual growth, in their lives. To hear their testimonies, you can go to www.gbcwestlake.org chooseto listen to messages on audio and choose this message title:
YOU FIRST…NO…YOU FIRST
Romans 12:10
Please turn in your Bible to Romans 12. If you are using the Bible in front of you, it is page 948.
TESTIMONY: Miriam Boettner
Thank you Miriam. God is doing a lot in Miriam’s life right now, and she has more stories she can tell you about God’s grace in her life. Feel free to ask her. But, I wanted to have Miriam share some of what God is doing, as it relates to how He has used other people to bless and strengthen her faith. It is a great introduction to the passage of Scripture we are looking at this morning. Please follow along, as I read Romans 12, verses 9-18. As I read, try to grasp the intentional emphasis this writer puts on how we are to treat one another:
Romans 12:9-18 – “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
This is the context for the verse we want to concentrate on this morning. Did you notice a theme through these verses? It is all about how we are to respond to one another. There are many one another phrases in the Bible that describe how to glorify God by how we treat each other. This morning, we are going to focus on 2 of those statements; but we will see how these 2 statements are connected to all the other one another issues in this passage.
Did you listen carefully to Miriam’s testimony? Did you hear a theme throughout? It was about what God did, in providing other people in the Christian community, mostly people here at Grace, to care for Miriam’s needs at this stage of her life, in her time of need. Many of you have similar stories. But, what I am going to ask of you now, is to focus on one verse with me, and the two one another statements found in that verse. And then, my prayer for you is that you will take one thing from this message this morning…one truth from God’s Word that you will put into action in your life, to make a difference in your life and in the lives of others.
Romans 12:10 – “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
Let’s take these one at a time. First, in your notes:
Love one another like a brother/sister
“Love one another with brotherly affection”, the Bible says. You might respond to this and say: Greg, believe me, you don’t want me loving others like a brother or sister. Our family is dysfunctional. No one likes each other. And there is not great brotherly, sisterly love in our house. Well, that may be true. But, I am not asking you to make yours or someone else’s bad experience the standard; but I am asking you to make God’s Word the standard. And according to God’s Word, and in God’s family, there is love. The family of God is supposed to love one another no matter what. The brothers and sisters in that family are dedicated to one another like nothing you can experience in any other relationship outside of marriage.
The word love, here in verse 10, is different than the word for love in verse 9. Look at verse 9: “Let love be genuine.” The word translated love here in verse 9 is the Greek word Agape, and it refers to the type of sacrificial love that Jesus Christ had for us when He gave His life for our salvation. It is the highest form of love, that puts aside personal desires, and gives up life for another. But, the word here in verse 10 is the Greek word Philos, from where we get our word: Philadelphia. And Philadelphia is supposed to be what? The city of __________________ ________. That’s right: the city of brotherly love. The reason for that is not because everyone in Philadelphia loves each other and so they named it that. They named it that, hoping that the people who live there would live up to its name. That is what the Greek word means: brotherly love, brotherly affection.
Here is how the Bible knowledge commentary explains this phrase in verse 10: “Love one another with brotherly affection.”: “We are to demonstrate Christ-like love with other followers of Christ. To love one another with brotherly affection is to be wholeheartedly devoted to someone as you would to a close family member.”
Now, again, this is talking about a family type of love that is very close; and healthy. Many of you know what I am talking about. You might have a brother or sister, that you fought with, and argued with , and fought over toys with. And they may have even called you names. But, if someone else messed with your brother or sister, outside the family, they had to deal with you first. You stood up for family, no matter what.
I remember, back in elementary school, I said something that one of the boys in my class didn’t like, as a joke. Just after school ended, I found myself backed up against a wall, with his bigger brother’s hands around my neck. Why? Because the boy shared whatever he thought I said and how it hurt him to his bigger brother, and bigger brother took action to defend his younger brother; regardless of the fights they may have had among themselves.
You see: this is all about the family of God. This is about functioning as God intended: loving one another like family. When people say that blood is thicker than water, they mean that regardless of family problems, you stick with your family, you care for your family, you love your family. “Love one another with brotherly affection.”
The verses surrounding this verse help us understand that a little bit more, of how this can look. These are in your notes:
· Be real
Back to verse 9: “Let your love be genuine.” In a true family, you are real with one another. Listen to how The Message paraphrases this phrase: “Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it.” I like that. It means to be real, be sincere, be genuine. That is what a real family does. If you are going to love one another like a brother/sister, according to God’s standards, you are going to need to be real with each other. You can fake it to strangers, but real family members know if you are being real with them or not. And as you are real with each other, you can love as a family loves. Are you willing to share with others what is really going on in your mind and heart? Are you willing to tell someone else what needs to be said, so that he/she can grow as needed? Only real family members are willing to do these things. Secondly, in order to love one another life a brother/sister, we must:
· Hold tight to what is good
Back to verse 9: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” The Message puts it this way: “Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good.” What does that look like, in terms of loving one another like God’s family? It means you are not going to influence your brother or sister in Christ with anything that would damage or impede their spiritual growth. It means you are going to introduce them to and encourage them to participate in what will help with spiritual growth. This summer, The McMurtrys, a couple in our church that has been a spiritual encouragement to many throughout the years, have been holding a video series on Wednesday nights for parents. Why? Because they have a burden for parents, that they might honor God in their parenting. And because of their love for parents in our church, they have offered something that is good: a series that teaches biblical principles of parenting. To show brotherly affection toward one another includes holding tight to what is good in God’s eyes. Thirdly:
· Tell it like it is
Family members can do that, like no one else can. You know your family loves you, so when they say something that is hard to hear, it is easier to accept it from someone who you know has loved you from the beginning. That is the way it should be in families. And in the family of God, it is important that we show true brotherly affection by telling one another the truth, no matter how difficult it is. We do this because we know it is best for that person’s spiritual growth.
Hebrews 10:24 – “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.”
The word translated “stir up” can also be translated “spur”. It means to be a positive irritant, in someone else’s life, for the purpose of leading them toward loving right and doing right – spiritual growth! No one enjoys having people talk to them about negative things they need to change or confronting them with a problem. But, the fact is, that we all have problems, sins, temptations in our lives that need to be confronted and corrected. and we have to have some people who care enough for us, who are willing to “stir us up”, irritate us for good, be a brother or sister to us in telling us like it is.
This passage of Scripture in Romans 12 affords us a great illustration of this:
Romans 12:14- “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”
Romans 12:17 – “Repay no one evil for evil…”
Romans 12:19,20 – “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of god, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink…”
Romans 12:21 – “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Think about this…one of the most difficult things for all of us to overcome is the fact that we get hurt by other people. Not usually physically, but emotionally and otherwise, people hurt each other all the time. When others hurt us, we naturally want to have revenge on them, although it may be displayed in different ways. For some, we have revenge by isolating ourselves and ignoring them. Some of us have revenge by treating them differently, since we are so hurt. Some of have revenge by gossiping, or by developing a bitter heart; or with angry words, or some other type of action that will help us get back at that person. No matter how you go about it, it is wrong and against God’s Word.
So, God has given us other brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, to tell us like it is: the truth about our hurt and our desire for revenge. Only true family members are usually willing to get this personal and dive into this kind of area of sensitivity. You see…to love with brotherly affection, means that you are willing to sit down with a brother or sister in Christ, and tell them like it is:
“___________________, you sound to me like you bitterness in your heart toward _________________. The way you are talking about him, and the way you are acting, looks to me like you are trying to exact revenge on your own, because of how he hurt you.” Now, that is not easy to say; or to deal with the possible response. Only someone who really cares for you is willing to be that direct and love you through it. But, that is part of what it means to love with brotherly affection, to love one another like a brother/sister. There is one more here:
Romans 12:15 – “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”
To love one another like a brother/sister is to:
· Share in the joys and sorrows
Because people are selfish by nature, they unfortunately do the opposite sometimes. When someone they know is rejoicing, they get jealous or bitter or critical. A co-worker gets a promotion, and instead of rejoicing with them, we say: “I deserved that promotion more; If they only knew what she was like…just the other day she…; he only got the promotion because he sucks up to the boss…brown-noser!”
Or, instead of weeping with those that weep, we selfishly respond with arrogance or apathy. Someone is weeping over the fact that one of their adult children is not walking with God. But instead of weeping with them, we might not really care since it has nothing to do with us, so we are apathetic, not really caring to understand their pain. Or worse yet, we demonstrate arrogance and condemnation with a comment such as: Well, they didn’t really bring their kids up that well anyway. What do they expect? If they would have sent their kids to the kind of school we did, or if they would have followed the parenting videos we did, or…
That’s not what true family does! True family, those who are loving with brotherly affection, are going to do their best to fully understand what you are going through. They may not be able to fully understand, but they are going to feel the joy or feel the pain. I go through this all of the time as a pastor. Much of what people share with me is something I may not fully understand because I haven’t experienced it to the extent they have. But, what I can do is try to share in the excitement they have or the sorrow. That is something that all of us can strive to do. True family does this. This is what God asks each of us to do. I know this happens all the time here at Grace; but if we became known as the church that loved each other in this way, we wouldn’t be able to keep people from streaming in here, even if we tried. People everywhere are looking for the kind of family that will Be real; hold tight to what is good; tell it like it is; and share in the joys and sorrows!
We all need people with whom we can grow and share our lives. There is coming an opportunity for all of you women who are here today. You will be seeing it in the bulletin starting next Sunday and you will hear an announcement on the 16th. On Friday, August 21st, you will all be invited to a meeting for women, where you will talk about and hear about opportunities to grow with other women, through the study and application of God’s Word. This would be a great application of today’s message, for you women to attend that meeting and consider how you can be a part of helping others grow in their faith, as well as growing yourself!
But, before we look at one more one another statement in Romans 12, let me share with you an all church application for every adult that attends Grace.
Our younger children, in Step Up, that is meeting right now, have small groups every Sunday, where a caring adult helps them apply to their own lives what they just heard taught in the large group. Our teens, throughout times of the year, have small groups on Wednesday nights, as a caring adult helps them apply to their lives, the teaching that they just heard in youth group. And, for 3 years now, every adult, who attends Grace, has had the opportunity that our children have: to be in a small group, where we are cared for, and where we can discuss how to apply what we are learning from the Word of God on Sunday mornings. We call them LIFE GROUPS. It is the small group ministry we offer here at Grace to everyone 18 or older. I would like for you to consider being a part of one this next season, which begins in September.
Even if you have had a bad experience, for some reason, in a small group somewhere, I encourage you to participate. Andy Stanley, a pastor in Georgia, likes to say: I know you’ve tried a group and didn’t like it. Have you ever had a bad haircut? Did you NEVER get another one? Ever had a bad doctor? Did you never go again?” Give God another opportunity to use a small group in your life; and to be used by God to encourage others.
Our life groups meet mostly in homes throughout our surrounding communities. Most meet on Sunday nights and some meet during the week. Some meet twice a month and some 3 times a month. All the groups discuss the morning message, looking for ways to apply God’s truth to their everyday lives, and be accountable to others for it. This year, there may be some groups that study something else that might really fit their particular group, but still key in on how God’s truth applies to their lives. We keep the groups small, 12, maybe up to 14 people at the most, so that everyone has a chance to participate, be known, and cared for.
Most groups have a fellowship time around food, a prayer time, so that your joys and sorrows can be shared and prayed for by the group; and the discussion time, to think about how to put into action the truths of God’s Word. Many groups truly care for one another, which means stepping forward to help with needs that arise. You already heard that testimony from Miriam earlier. But, before we consider one more one another statement, I have asked Dave Vet to come and share with you how God has used life groups in his life. Dave and his family are moving to Florida this week, and it is not surprising that life groups is one of the things he will miss most: let’s listen:
TESTIMONY: Dave Vet
One of the things we offered this past life group season, for those meeting 3 times a month, was life stories. It was the most enjoyable and beneficial thing for me as well, in my life group. I learned things about others and shared things from my life, that are normally kept personal. But, it was a safe place to be real, to be transparent, and to share how God has worked in my life. And when we share that deeply, guess what God does…He normally uses what we share to challenge and encourage others who hear our story. And when we share the truths of our lives, the good and the bad, we tend to grow very close, very fast. It is amazing! That is what we hope for our life groups this year.
There is one more one another statement I want us to consider from Romans 12:10. Look at it again with me: “Love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor.” “Outdo one another in showing honor.” This is an interesting one! Not only are we supposed to love one another like a brother/sister, but we are to:
Put others first
Sounds good doesn’t it? It might even sound easy; but all of us, if we were to be honest this morning, would have to admit that it is not easy…at all. Our human nature tells us to put ourselves first…always. But God tells us to put each other first. “Outdo one another in showing honor.”
I am a competitive person by nature. Recently, I was walking a hiking trail with Teresa and some friends. I asked them how quickly they thought we could run over rough terrain, for 2 miles on that trail. Then, later, going up a rocky, narrow path, I told them we could play “king of the mountain” and see who could push their way to the top first. Teresa turns to me at that point and says: Everything is a competition to you, isn’t it? And I said: I guess you’re right!
Ever since I was a young boy, pretty much everything I did had to do with competition. I love it. I was recently playing a board game with my 10 and 8 year old son and daughters, and when they would talk about winning, I caught myself thinking: I’m going to win…in fact, I’m going to crush you little one. I guess I am competitive.
In this verse, God is telling us to be competitive, but not in the normal sense. He is telling us to be competitive by OUTDOING each other in the way that we honor one another, care for one another, putting each other first. When was the last time you sought to outdo someone else in a way that truly benefit that person, and not you?
The Message paraphrases Romans 12:10 this way: “Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.”
No one wants to be second fiddle, because first fiddle gets all the attention. But, if we are going to obey God and live in biblical community, we are going to put others first. This includes doing things for others that we might not particularly like to do, or even want to do. It might mean setting aside our personal preferences, in honor of others. The second phrase, about showing honor, could be seen as a practical application for the first phrase. In other words to show honor to one another is physical demonstration of the kind of devoted love that comes in the family of God, fueled by the love of Jesus Christ.
Here are a few things that the Bible tells us this means. In your notes:
· Be humble
Romans 12:16 – “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited.”
To put others first, we have to humble ourselves, like Jesus did. We have to understand that every other person is also God’s creation, and regardless of the details, we are no better than they are. By looking out for others, even those not blessed as much as us, allows us to humbly put them first. It takes humility to live in harmony with those who seem to be hard to live with. It takes humility to love and serve those who don’t seem to deserve it. The Apostle Paul said it this way:
Philippians 2:3 – “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
In his commentary on Romans, Leon Morris writes: “To honor is not to flatter, to give hypocritical praise in hope of having the compliment returned or of gaining favor with the one honored. Again, the very opposite is in mind. To honor is to show genuine appreciation and admiration for one another in the family of God. We are to be quick to show respect, quick to acknowledge the accomplishments of others, quick to demonstrate genuine love by not being jealous or envious, which have no part of love.”
Not only must we be humble, but we must:
· Follow Jesus’ example
Jesus explained this biblical principle to His followers this way, giving Himself as the greatest example of this. When have you outdone someone else in showing honor to them? Jesus showed us the way. He gave us the greatest honor, by laying down His life. We didn’t deserve it. We didn’t earn it. He put us first.
Mark 10:43-45 – “…But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus’ followers were struggling mightily with putting others first. They were all about being the greatest themselves. But, Jesus was teaching them that true greatness was all about putting others first, and He shared with them, even before he did it, that He, the Son of Man, the Son of God, was going to show the ultimate example by dying for them.
In commenting on this phrase in Romans 12:10 – “Outdo one another in sowing honor”, William Barclay writes:
“Genuine love for others in our common family in Christ will incite us to “give preference to one another” or to “take the lead” in honoring the other before any honor comes our way…We are not strangers; but brothers and sisters, with our one Father, God. Rights and privileges and prestige make it difficult to give each other priority in honor in our churches.”
SO WHAT is your NEXT STEP?
Everyone has next steps to take, in trying to grow in faith and honor God in their lives. What is your next step? Can I encourage you to think, pray and then write an answer here, at the bottom of your outline? Maybe you don’t have to think about it. You already know, based on God’s Word this morning, the specific thing God is asking you to do. But, if not, are you willing to take some time to consider it? Ask God to help you know what He wants you to do in response. One of my suggestions is that you consider being a part of life groups for this season. If you have already been a part, consider doing it again, maybe even leading one; or at least committing yourself to applying these biblical principles as a part of one.
***The men are now going to hand a sheet of paper out to all of you. If you are 18 or older, make sure you take one. I am going to ask that you fill this out and let us know of your interest in life groups. Even if you are not sure you want to be a part of them; or if you have reservations or questions, please fill it out so we might be able to help you know whether or not life groups are for you. [pass them out]
It is our belief that every person needs other people in their lives, in order to be all God wants them to be. In “The All-Better Book”, there are questions that were asked to young children, and then their answers were recorded. One of the questions was this:
With billions of people in the world, somebody should be able to figure out a system where no one is lonely. What do you suggest? This is what some children said:
· Kalani – Age 8: “People should find lonely people and ask their name and address. Then ask people who aren’t lonely their name and address. When you have an even amount of each, assign lonely and not lonely people together in the newspaper.”
· Max – Age 9: “Make food that talks to you when you eat. For instance it could say, ‘How you doing?’ or ‘What happened to you?’”
· Matt – Age 8: “We could get people a pet or a husband or a wife, and take them places.”
· Brian – Age 8: “Sing a song. Stomp your feet. Read a book. Sometimes I think no one loves me, so I do one of these.”
Those are great suggestions, but God has a better one: He gave us each other. We call it a biblical community…a group of people who love God and are committed to one another. God did not mean for us to live in isolation.
There is a fascinating study that is continuing to this day called the “Alameda County Study” in California. The study is headed by a social scientist and has been going on for more than a decade, tracking the lives of 7000 people. This study found that the most isolated people are three times more likely to die than those with strong relational connections. Catch this – people with bad health habits – smoke, have poor eating habits, wrestle with obesity, abuse alcohol – poor health habits but strong social ties, live significantly longer than people who have great individualistic health habits but are isolated. In other words – it is better to eat Twinkies with good friends than to eat broccoli alone! Scientifically true!
Here at Grace, it is our desire that every person would take these biblical instructions to heart, and on their own, show love and honor to one another. But, it is important, that as a church, we have some type of ministry that allows for everyone who desires, to be a part of a small group of people, that are specifically meeting for these purposes. That is why we have a ministry called LIFE GROUP.
Pastor Bill Hybels said: “There is a certain level of spirituality that can only be obtained through small communities of people functioning biblically.”
That is what we are after. We aren’t there yet. We aren’t perfect; but we are striving to be a church that has small groups where true, intimate, biblical community is taking place. I would like for you to consider being a part of making that happen here at Grace.
Explain card
Give time to fill out and silently pray
Ask them to stand; and when the service is over, to leave their cards on their seats, or place them in the box labeled life groups at the welcome center table
Let’s close with the song of worship we began with this morning: Jesus Thank You. As we consider the incredible demonstration of love He showed us, that saved those of us who have trusted in Him, we are reminded of the example of love He has left for us to follow.
YOU FIRST…NO…YOU FIRST
Romans 12:10
Please turn in your Bible to Romans 12. If you are using the Bible in front of you, it is page 948.
TESTIMONY: Miriam Boettner
Thank you Miriam. God is doing a lot in Miriam’s life right now, and she has more stories she can tell you about God’s grace in her life. Feel free to ask her. But, I wanted to have Miriam share some of what God is doing, as it relates to how He has used other people to bless and strengthen her faith. It is a great introduction to the passage of Scripture we are looking at this morning. Please follow along, as I read Romans 12, verses 9-18. As I read, try to grasp the intentional emphasis this writer puts on how we are to treat one another:
Romans 12:9-18 – “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
This is the context for the verse we want to concentrate on this morning. Did you notice a theme through these verses? It is all about how we are to respond to one another. There are many one another phrases in the Bible that describe how to glorify God by how we treat each other. This morning, we are going to focus on 2 of those statements; but we will see how these 2 statements are connected to all the other one another issues in this passage.
Did you listen carefully to Miriam’s testimony? Did you hear a theme throughout? It was about what God did, in providing other people in the Christian community, mostly people here at Grace, to care for Miriam’s needs at this stage of her life, in her time of need. Many of you have similar stories. But, what I am going to ask of you now, is to focus on one verse with me, and the two one another statements found in that verse. And then, my prayer for you is that you will take one thing from this message this morning…one truth from God’s Word that you will put into action in your life, to make a difference in your life and in the lives of others.
Romans 12:10 – “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
Let’s take these one at a time. First, in your notes:
Love one another like a brother/sister
“Love one another with brotherly affection”, the Bible says. You might respond to this and say: Greg, believe me, you don’t want me loving others like a brother or sister. Our family is dysfunctional. No one likes each other. And there is not great brotherly, sisterly love in our house. Well, that may be true. But, I am not asking you to make yours or someone else’s bad experience the standard; but I am asking you to make God’s Word the standard. And according to God’s Word, and in God’s family, there is love. The family of God is supposed to love one another no matter what. The brothers and sisters in that family are dedicated to one another like nothing you can experience in any other relationship outside of marriage.
The word love, here in verse 10, is different than the word for love in verse 9. Look at verse 9: “Let love be genuine.” The word translated love here in verse 9 is the Greek word Agape, and it refers to the type of sacrificial love that Jesus Christ had for us when He gave His life for our salvation. It is the highest form of love, that puts aside personal desires, and gives up life for another. But, the word here in verse 10 is the Greek word Philos, from where we get our word: Philadelphia. And Philadelphia is supposed to be what? The city of __________________ ________. That’s right: the city of brotherly love. The reason for that is not because everyone in Philadelphia loves each other and so they named it that. They named it that, hoping that the people who live there would live up to its name. That is what the Greek word means: brotherly love, brotherly affection.
Here is how the Bible knowledge commentary explains this phrase in verse 10: “Love one another with brotherly affection.”: “We are to demonstrate Christ-like love with other followers of Christ. To love one another with brotherly affection is to be wholeheartedly devoted to someone as you would to a close family member.”
Now, again, this is talking about a family type of love that is very close; and healthy. Many of you know what I am talking about. You might have a brother or sister, that you fought with, and argued with , and fought over toys with. And they may have even called you names. But, if someone else messed with your brother or sister, outside the family, they had to deal with you first. You stood up for family, no matter what.
I remember, back in elementary school, I said something that one of the boys in my class didn’t like, as a joke. Just after school ended, I found myself backed up against a wall, with his bigger brother’s hands around my neck. Why? Because the boy shared whatever he thought I said and how it hurt him to his bigger brother, and bigger brother took action to defend his younger brother; regardless of the fights they may have had among themselves.
You see: this is all about the family of God. This is about functioning as God intended: loving one another like family. When people say that blood is thicker than water, they mean that regardless of family problems, you stick with your family, you care for your family, you love your family. “Love one another with brotherly affection.”
The verses surrounding this verse help us understand that a little bit more, of how this can look. These are in your notes:
· Be real
Back to verse 9: “Let your love be genuine.” In a true family, you are real with one another. Listen to how The Message paraphrases this phrase: “Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it.” I like that. It means to be real, be sincere, be genuine. That is what a real family does. If you are going to love one another like a brother/sister, according to God’s standards, you are going to need to be real with each other. You can fake it to strangers, but real family members know if you are being real with them or not. And as you are real with each other, you can love as a family loves. Are you willing to share with others what is really going on in your mind and heart? Are you willing to tell someone else what needs to be said, so that he/she can grow as needed? Only real family members are willing to do these things. Secondly, in order to love one another life a brother/sister, we must:
· Hold tight to what is good
Back to verse 9: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” The Message puts it this way: “Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good.” What does that look like, in terms of loving one another like God’s family? It means you are not going to influence your brother or sister in Christ with anything that would damage or impede their spiritual growth. It means you are going to introduce them to and encourage them to participate in what will help with spiritual growth. This summer, The McMurtrys, a couple in our church that has been a spiritual encouragement to many throughout the years, have been holding a video series on Wednesday nights for parents. Why? Because they have a burden for parents, that they might honor God in their parenting. And because of their love for parents in our church, they have offered something that is good: a series that teaches biblical principles of parenting. To show brotherly affection toward one another includes holding tight to what is good in God’s eyes. Thirdly:
· Tell it like it is
Family members can do that, like no one else can. You know your family loves you, so when they say something that is hard to hear, it is easier to accept it from someone who you know has loved you from the beginning. That is the way it should be in families. And in the family of God, it is important that we show true brotherly affection by telling one another the truth, no matter how difficult it is. We do this because we know it is best for that person’s spiritual growth.
Hebrews 10:24 – “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.”
The word translated “stir up” can also be translated “spur”. It means to be a positive irritant, in someone else’s life, for the purpose of leading them toward loving right and doing right – spiritual growth! No one enjoys having people talk to them about negative things they need to change or confronting them with a problem. But, the fact is, that we all have problems, sins, temptations in our lives that need to be confronted and corrected. and we have to have some people who care enough for us, who are willing to “stir us up”, irritate us for good, be a brother or sister to us in telling us like it is.
This passage of Scripture in Romans 12 affords us a great illustration of this:
Romans 12:14- “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”
Romans 12:17 – “Repay no one evil for evil…”
Romans 12:19,20 – “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of god, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink…”
Romans 12:21 – “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Think about this…one of the most difficult things for all of us to overcome is the fact that we get hurt by other people. Not usually physically, but emotionally and otherwise, people hurt each other all the time. When others hurt us, we naturally want to have revenge on them, although it may be displayed in different ways. For some, we have revenge by isolating ourselves and ignoring them. Some of us have revenge by treating them differently, since we are so hurt. Some of have revenge by gossiping, or by developing a bitter heart; or with angry words, or some other type of action that will help us get back at that person. No matter how you go about it, it is wrong and against God’s Word.
So, God has given us other brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, to tell us like it is: the truth about our hurt and our desire for revenge. Only true family members are usually willing to get this personal and dive into this kind of area of sensitivity. You see…to love with brotherly affection, means that you are willing to sit down with a brother or sister in Christ, and tell them like it is:
“___________________, you sound to me like you bitterness in your heart toward _________________. The way you are talking about him, and the way you are acting, looks to me like you are trying to exact revenge on your own, because of how he hurt you.” Now, that is not easy to say; or to deal with the possible response. Only someone who really cares for you is willing to be that direct and love you through it. But, that is part of what it means to love with brotherly affection, to love one another like a brother/sister. There is one more here:
Romans 12:15 – “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”
To love one another like a brother/sister is to:
· Share in the joys and sorrows
Because people are selfish by nature, they unfortunately do the opposite sometimes. When someone they know is rejoicing, they get jealous or bitter or critical. A co-worker gets a promotion, and instead of rejoicing with them, we say: “I deserved that promotion more; If they only knew what she was like…just the other day she…; he only got the promotion because he sucks up to the boss…brown-noser!”
Or, instead of weeping with those that weep, we selfishly respond with arrogance or apathy. Someone is weeping over the fact that one of their adult children is not walking with God. But instead of weeping with them, we might not really care since it has nothing to do with us, so we are apathetic, not really caring to understand their pain. Or worse yet, we demonstrate arrogance and condemnation with a comment such as: Well, they didn’t really bring their kids up that well anyway. What do they expect? If they would have sent their kids to the kind of school we did, or if they would have followed the parenting videos we did, or…
That’s not what true family does! True family, those who are loving with brotherly affection, are going to do their best to fully understand what you are going through. They may not be able to fully understand, but they are going to feel the joy or feel the pain. I go through this all of the time as a pastor. Much of what people share with me is something I may not fully understand because I haven’t experienced it to the extent they have. But, what I can do is try to share in the excitement they have or the sorrow. That is something that all of us can strive to do. True family does this. This is what God asks each of us to do. I know this happens all the time here at Grace; but if we became known as the church that loved each other in this way, we wouldn’t be able to keep people from streaming in here, even if we tried. People everywhere are looking for the kind of family that will Be real; hold tight to what is good; tell it like it is; and share in the joys and sorrows!
We all need people with whom we can grow and share our lives. There is coming an opportunity for all of you women who are here today. You will be seeing it in the bulletin starting next Sunday and you will hear an announcement on the 16th. On Friday, August 21st, you will all be invited to a meeting for women, where you will talk about and hear about opportunities to grow with other women, through the study and application of God’s Word. This would be a great application of today’s message, for you women to attend that meeting and consider how you can be a part of helping others grow in their faith, as well as growing yourself!
But, before we look at one more one another statement in Romans 12, let me share with you an all church application for every adult that attends Grace.
Our younger children, in Step Up, that is meeting right now, have small groups every Sunday, where a caring adult helps them apply to their own lives what they just heard taught in the large group. Our teens, throughout times of the year, have small groups on Wednesday nights, as a caring adult helps them apply to their lives, the teaching that they just heard in youth group. And, for 3 years now, every adult, who attends Grace, has had the opportunity that our children have: to be in a small group, where we are cared for, and where we can discuss how to apply what we are learning from the Word of God on Sunday mornings. We call them LIFE GROUPS. It is the small group ministry we offer here at Grace to everyone 18 or older. I would like for you to consider being a part of one this next season, which begins in September.
Even if you have had a bad experience, for some reason, in a small group somewhere, I encourage you to participate. Andy Stanley, a pastor in Georgia, likes to say: I know you’ve tried a group and didn’t like it. Have you ever had a bad haircut? Did you NEVER get another one? Ever had a bad doctor? Did you never go again?” Give God another opportunity to use a small group in your life; and to be used by God to encourage others.
Our life groups meet mostly in homes throughout our surrounding communities. Most meet on Sunday nights and some meet during the week. Some meet twice a month and some 3 times a month. All the groups discuss the morning message, looking for ways to apply God’s truth to their everyday lives, and be accountable to others for it. This year, there may be some groups that study something else that might really fit their particular group, but still key in on how God’s truth applies to their lives. We keep the groups small, 12, maybe up to 14 people at the most, so that everyone has a chance to participate, be known, and cared for.
Most groups have a fellowship time around food, a prayer time, so that your joys and sorrows can be shared and prayed for by the group; and the discussion time, to think about how to put into action the truths of God’s Word. Many groups truly care for one another, which means stepping forward to help with needs that arise. You already heard that testimony from Miriam earlier. But, before we consider one more one another statement, I have asked Dave Vet to come and share with you how God has used life groups in his life. Dave and his family are moving to Florida this week, and it is not surprising that life groups is one of the things he will miss most: let’s listen:
TESTIMONY: Dave Vet
One of the things we offered this past life group season, for those meeting 3 times a month, was life stories. It was the most enjoyable and beneficial thing for me as well, in my life group. I learned things about others and shared things from my life, that are normally kept personal. But, it was a safe place to be real, to be transparent, and to share how God has worked in my life. And when we share that deeply, guess what God does…He normally uses what we share to challenge and encourage others who hear our story. And when we share the truths of our lives, the good and the bad, we tend to grow very close, very fast. It is amazing! That is what we hope for our life groups this year.
There is one more one another statement I want us to consider from Romans 12:10. Look at it again with me: “Love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor.” “Outdo one another in showing honor.” This is an interesting one! Not only are we supposed to love one another like a brother/sister, but we are to:
Put others first
Sounds good doesn’t it? It might even sound easy; but all of us, if we were to be honest this morning, would have to admit that it is not easy…at all. Our human nature tells us to put ourselves first…always. But God tells us to put each other first. “Outdo one another in showing honor.”
I am a competitive person by nature. Recently, I was walking a hiking trail with Teresa and some friends. I asked them how quickly they thought we could run over rough terrain, for 2 miles on that trail. Then, later, going up a rocky, narrow path, I told them we could play “king of the mountain” and see who could push their way to the top first. Teresa turns to me at that point and says: Everything is a competition to you, isn’t it? And I said: I guess you’re right!
Ever since I was a young boy, pretty much everything I did had to do with competition. I love it. I was recently playing a board game with my 10 and 8 year old son and daughters, and when they would talk about winning, I caught myself thinking: I’m going to win…in fact, I’m going to crush you little one. I guess I am competitive.
In this verse, God is telling us to be competitive, but not in the normal sense. He is telling us to be competitive by OUTDOING each other in the way that we honor one another, care for one another, putting each other first. When was the last time you sought to outdo someone else in a way that truly benefit that person, and not you?
The Message paraphrases Romans 12:10 this way: “Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.”
No one wants to be second fiddle, because first fiddle gets all the attention. But, if we are going to obey God and live in biblical community, we are going to put others first. This includes doing things for others that we might not particularly like to do, or even want to do. It might mean setting aside our personal preferences, in honor of others. The second phrase, about showing honor, could be seen as a practical application for the first phrase. In other words to show honor to one another is physical demonstration of the kind of devoted love that comes in the family of God, fueled by the love of Jesus Christ.
Here are a few things that the Bible tells us this means. In your notes:
· Be humble
Romans 12:16 – “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited.”
To put others first, we have to humble ourselves, like Jesus did. We have to understand that every other person is also God’s creation, and regardless of the details, we are no better than they are. By looking out for others, even those not blessed as much as us, allows us to humbly put them first. It takes humility to live in harmony with those who seem to be hard to live with. It takes humility to love and serve those who don’t seem to deserve it. The Apostle Paul said it this way:
Philippians 2:3 – “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
In his commentary on Romans, Leon Morris writes: “To honor is not to flatter, to give hypocritical praise in hope of having the compliment returned or of gaining favor with the one honored. Again, the very opposite is in mind. To honor is to show genuine appreciation and admiration for one another in the family of God. We are to be quick to show respect, quick to acknowledge the accomplishments of others, quick to demonstrate genuine love by not being jealous or envious, which have no part of love.”
Not only must we be humble, but we must:
· Follow Jesus’ example
Jesus explained this biblical principle to His followers this way, giving Himself as the greatest example of this. When have you outdone someone else in showing honor to them? Jesus showed us the way. He gave us the greatest honor, by laying down His life. We didn’t deserve it. We didn’t earn it. He put us first.
Mark 10:43-45 – “…But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus’ followers were struggling mightily with putting others first. They were all about being the greatest themselves. But, Jesus was teaching them that true greatness was all about putting others first, and He shared with them, even before he did it, that He, the Son of Man, the Son of God, was going to show the ultimate example by dying for them.
In commenting on this phrase in Romans 12:10 – “Outdo one another in sowing honor”, William Barclay writes:
“Genuine love for others in our common family in Christ will incite us to “give preference to one another” or to “take the lead” in honoring the other before any honor comes our way…We are not strangers; but brothers and sisters, with our one Father, God. Rights and privileges and prestige make it difficult to give each other priority in honor in our churches.”
SO WHAT is your NEXT STEP?
Everyone has next steps to take, in trying to grow in faith and honor God in their lives. What is your next step? Can I encourage you to think, pray and then write an answer here, at the bottom of your outline? Maybe you don’t have to think about it. You already know, based on God’s Word this morning, the specific thing God is asking you to do. But, if not, are you willing to take some time to consider it? Ask God to help you know what He wants you to do in response. One of my suggestions is that you consider being a part of life groups for this season. If you have already been a part, consider doing it again, maybe even leading one; or at least committing yourself to applying these biblical principles as a part of one.
***The men are now going to hand a sheet of paper out to all of you. If you are 18 or older, make sure you take one. I am going to ask that you fill this out and let us know of your interest in life groups. Even if you are not sure you want to be a part of them; or if you have reservations or questions, please fill it out so we might be able to help you know whether or not life groups are for you. [pass them out]
It is our belief that every person needs other people in their lives, in order to be all God wants them to be. In “The All-Better Book”, there are questions that were asked to young children, and then their answers were recorded. One of the questions was this:
With billions of people in the world, somebody should be able to figure out a system where no one is lonely. What do you suggest? This is what some children said:
· Kalani – Age 8: “People should find lonely people and ask their name and address. Then ask people who aren’t lonely their name and address. When you have an even amount of each, assign lonely and not lonely people together in the newspaper.”
· Max – Age 9: “Make food that talks to you when you eat. For instance it could say, ‘How you doing?’ or ‘What happened to you?’”
· Matt – Age 8: “We could get people a pet or a husband or a wife, and take them places.”
· Brian – Age 8: “Sing a song. Stomp your feet. Read a book. Sometimes I think no one loves me, so I do one of these.”
Those are great suggestions, but God has a better one: He gave us each other. We call it a biblical community…a group of people who love God and are committed to one another. God did not mean for us to live in isolation.
There is a fascinating study that is continuing to this day called the “Alameda County Study” in California. The study is headed by a social scientist and has been going on for more than a decade, tracking the lives of 7000 people. This study found that the most isolated people are three times more likely to die than those with strong relational connections. Catch this – people with bad health habits – smoke, have poor eating habits, wrestle with obesity, abuse alcohol – poor health habits but strong social ties, live significantly longer than people who have great individualistic health habits but are isolated. In other words – it is better to eat Twinkies with good friends than to eat broccoli alone! Scientifically true!
Here at Grace, it is our desire that every person would take these biblical instructions to heart, and on their own, show love and honor to one another. But, it is important, that as a church, we have some type of ministry that allows for everyone who desires, to be a part of a small group of people, that are specifically meeting for these purposes. That is why we have a ministry called LIFE GROUP.
Pastor Bill Hybels said: “There is a certain level of spirituality that can only be obtained through small communities of people functioning biblically.”
That is what we are after. We aren’t there yet. We aren’t perfect; but we are striving to be a church that has small groups where true, intimate, biblical community is taking place. I would like for you to consider being a part of making that happen here at Grace.
Explain card
Give time to fill out and silently pray
Ask them to stand; and when the service is over, to leave their cards on their seats, or place them in the box labeled life groups at the welcome center table
Let’s close with the song of worship we began with this morning: Jesus Thank You. As we consider the incredible demonstration of love He showed us, that saved those of us who have trusted in Him, we are reminded of the example of love He has left for us to follow.
Friday, August 14, 2009
LIFE IS LIKE A MOUNTAIN
I was thinking about this the other day as my family and my sister-in-law's family, climbed Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire. Last year, while we were here, was the first time, we all went hiking together, and it was so much fun (for some of us), that we decided to do it again; but this time, we encouraged (forced) the rest of the family to come. O.k., it wasn't exactly forced. The children were told (by whom, I'm not telling) that if they hiked up the mountain with us, they could stay up until midnight and go with us after the hike to get ice cream. Needless to say, a few of them didn't make it up the mountain, but still stayed up until midnight and ate ice cream (please don't flood me with responses about our lack of parenting skills!) Nine of us did make it to the top, taking one of the intermediate trails (The Old Dublin Trail). It is a steady climb up, the trails are not very smooth, and there ends up being quite a bit of rock climbing (the fun part!) We beat our time getting up the mountain by about 15 minutes, doing it in about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Coming down the mountain took only 1 hour and 15 minutes, after we hung out at the top for a while, and took a well deserved snack and water break.
There are some things I learned, or was reminded of, that were obvious, but hard none the less: I'm getting older, by the second, and that fact seems to be more evident when I'm climbing a mountain; in trying to be gentlemanly and all of that, I volunteered to carry the backpack full of water bottles and food, to the top - not realizing that the extra weight on the back would making jumping up and down rocks, and treading some narrow, root covered trails, a little more painful and trying (Did I mention I think I almost pulled my back out and almost sprained an ankle? are you crying for me?) I felt my knee and "heard" it say to me several times: "Greg, if you don't stop stressing me so much, with all of your weight, the backpack weight and traversing these hills and rocks, I'm going to give out on you - don't test me!" I decided to ignore my knee and carry on (oh, the ignorance of youth). Coming back down the mountain, which should have been easy, since it was "down", was a huge challenge for me (especially my aforementioned knee), since I had to be careful not lose control and start rolling down the mountain trail. I felt more stress trying to stop myself from going too fast than I did trying to climb up the rocks and roots.
As I was on my way down the mountain, I did have a lot of time to reflect on the spiritual picture that climbing a mountain gives us. Life is a lot like mountain climbing. There is the incredible challenge before us, an uncertain aspect of it, some pain is likely, and yet the hope of reaching the top keeps us going. It is about taking one small step at a time. Sometimes that step is on even, smooth ground (very rarely it seems); and many times, those steps must be taken going up hill, over uneven ground, on roots and over rocks. Sometimes, we can run free, or just sit and enjoy the view; but at other times, we must carefully step, lest we become careless and really get hurt, or worse yet, run right off the mountain! There is a mental aspect involved in mountain climbing, and in life, that is crucial. If we are not focused, we can easily be distracted and not take our next steps; or we can become so discouraged that we become "paralyzed" or even take steps backwards (sometimes even choosing to walk in the opposite direction, completely defeated). There is also the aspect of doing the climb with other people. Sometimes those people can discourage us or pull us down with them. Sometimes, those people can encourage us and help us on the journey. And each of us needs to decide what kind of fellow journeyman we are going to be: either pulling others down on their journey or helping them along. I wonder how others view me, in this regard.
The spiritual application, for me, was pretty pointed: There is joy and beauty and exciting aspects of this Christian life, and there are tough, discouraging, challenging aspects as well. There is the sure hope that the top of the mountain exists and that I will eventually get there; and there is the uncertainty of how long it will take and what my experience will be, exactly, along the way. I feel, lately, like I have been climbing up some steep rocks, not sure at what moment, I would slide down and get hurt. I was challenged, as I thought and prayed about this, to just take one step at a time, looking for the right trail, even if it takes longer, and means I will need to slow down in order to take others with me. I was challenged to remember to enjoy the journey and not just think about how great the destination will be. This is where I am and what I learned on my trip up and down the mountain. So, I learned something on my family vacation: go figure. Does that make it tax deductible?
All in all, it was an enjoyable experience; although my sister-in-law's car battery was dead when we finished, and since we didn't bring jumper cables and we were in the middle of "nowhere" (at least it seemed that way), we were stranded for another hour plus, waiting for AAA, when we were all ready to "crash" for a nap. Instead, once "jumped", we travelled further from home, to go to "Kimball's farm" for ice cream. As my teenage daughter noted: "it didn't make a whole lot of sense making the reward for climbing a mountain and getting good exercise - eating ice cream, gaining back all the lost calories,and then staying up until midnight,putting extra stress on an exhausted body." Oh well, we never claimed to be the smartest parents around (please note I am deferring some, if not all of the blame to my fellow parents along for the journey!)
Next time you're in New Hampshire and drive by Mount Monadnack (I know what you're thinking!), take some time, climb the mountain; and wherever you may be in your journey at the moment: take the next step!
There are some things I learned, or was reminded of, that were obvious, but hard none the less: I'm getting older, by the second, and that fact seems to be more evident when I'm climbing a mountain; in trying to be gentlemanly and all of that, I volunteered to carry the backpack full of water bottles and food, to the top - not realizing that the extra weight on the back would making jumping up and down rocks, and treading some narrow, root covered trails, a little more painful and trying (Did I mention I think I almost pulled my back out and almost sprained an ankle? are you crying for me?) I felt my knee and "heard" it say to me several times: "Greg, if you don't stop stressing me so much, with all of your weight, the backpack weight and traversing these hills and rocks, I'm going to give out on you - don't test me!" I decided to ignore my knee and carry on (oh, the ignorance of youth). Coming back down the mountain, which should have been easy, since it was "down", was a huge challenge for me (especially my aforementioned knee), since I had to be careful not lose control and start rolling down the mountain trail. I felt more stress trying to stop myself from going too fast than I did trying to climb up the rocks and roots.
As I was on my way down the mountain, I did have a lot of time to reflect on the spiritual picture that climbing a mountain gives us. Life is a lot like mountain climbing. There is the incredible challenge before us, an uncertain aspect of it, some pain is likely, and yet the hope of reaching the top keeps us going. It is about taking one small step at a time. Sometimes that step is on even, smooth ground (very rarely it seems); and many times, those steps must be taken going up hill, over uneven ground, on roots and over rocks. Sometimes, we can run free, or just sit and enjoy the view; but at other times, we must carefully step, lest we become careless and really get hurt, or worse yet, run right off the mountain! There is a mental aspect involved in mountain climbing, and in life, that is crucial. If we are not focused, we can easily be distracted and not take our next steps; or we can become so discouraged that we become "paralyzed" or even take steps backwards (sometimes even choosing to walk in the opposite direction, completely defeated). There is also the aspect of doing the climb with other people. Sometimes those people can discourage us or pull us down with them. Sometimes, those people can encourage us and help us on the journey. And each of us needs to decide what kind of fellow journeyman we are going to be: either pulling others down on their journey or helping them along. I wonder how others view me, in this regard.
The spiritual application, for me, was pretty pointed: There is joy and beauty and exciting aspects of this Christian life, and there are tough, discouraging, challenging aspects as well. There is the sure hope that the top of the mountain exists and that I will eventually get there; and there is the uncertainty of how long it will take and what my experience will be, exactly, along the way. I feel, lately, like I have been climbing up some steep rocks, not sure at what moment, I would slide down and get hurt. I was challenged, as I thought and prayed about this, to just take one step at a time, looking for the right trail, even if it takes longer, and means I will need to slow down in order to take others with me. I was challenged to remember to enjoy the journey and not just think about how great the destination will be. This is where I am and what I learned on my trip up and down the mountain. So, I learned something on my family vacation: go figure. Does that make it tax deductible?
All in all, it was an enjoyable experience; although my sister-in-law's car battery was dead when we finished, and since we didn't bring jumper cables and we were in the middle of "nowhere" (at least it seemed that way), we were stranded for another hour plus, waiting for AAA, when we were all ready to "crash" for a nap. Instead, once "jumped", we travelled further from home, to go to "Kimball's farm" for ice cream. As my teenage daughter noted: "it didn't make a whole lot of sense making the reward for climbing a mountain and getting good exercise - eating ice cream, gaining back all the lost calories,and then staying up until midnight,putting extra stress on an exhausted body." Oh well, we never claimed to be the smartest parents around (please note I am deferring some, if not all of the blame to my fellow parents along for the journey!)
Next time you're in New Hampshire and drive by Mount Monadnack (I know what you're thinking!), take some time, climb the mountain; and wherever you may be in your journey at the moment: take the next step!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Change Your Church For Good: A book review
Change your Church for Good: The Art of Sacred Cow Tipping
By Brad Powell; Thomas Nelson Publishing, 2007.
At the very least, you have to admit that the title is a creative and good one. It is probably one of my favorite book titles. But, at some point, we have to actually read the book, and see if the content is as good as the title! The inside book cover says this about the church that this particular author is pastor of: “Transitioning NorthRidge Church into a thriving congregation, recently named the Midwest’s Fastest Growing Church and One of the Top 50 Most Influential Churches, was hard work but eternally worth it. Through once irrelevant and dying, this church is now reaching thousands of people for Christ and providing the hope of renewal to churches around the world.”
As a pastor, the story of a church making an eternal impact on its world is a story I am very interested in. It is my desire that our church, regardless of size, be a church that is a positive influence in its surrounding communities, for the glory of God. This book is basically the story of NorthRidge Church, formerly Temple Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan. The principles shared are those this pastor discovered along the way, in transitioning his church into one that reached people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Here are my favorite quotes from the book:
“Though churches are in possession of the most profound, exciting, needed, and life-changing truth the world has ever known, the way many of them present this truth is superficial, boring, undesirable, and nonimpacting.” [p.16]
“Any given church is simply a reflection of those who attend. Each church reflects those ideas and principles that the people who attend genuinely value and love.” [p.19]
“I believe that the church is the hope of the world, with this one caveat…when it’s working right.” [p.24]
“I learned that the only way I could effectively lead the church through change was from the bottom…in full recognition of my weakness and inability and complete dependence on Him.” [p.31]
“In fact most of its problems were being caused by a commitment to yesterday’s solutions…All of the methods being used by this church were relevant for an era that no longer existed…Over time, they had allowed their practices to supersede God’s principles.” [p.33,34]
“God wants the church to be authentic. It should be a place where broken people can come in and find help. It should not be a place that forces people to hide their hurts, temptations, addictions, flaws, and problems. It should be a place where they can find grace and healing.” [p.49]
“God intended the church to be relevant, not irrelevant…The church is supposed to be answering the questions about God’s hope that people are asking. But, in most churches, no one’s answering their questions. Generally, they’re wasting time answering questions nobody’s asking.” [p.50]
“The goal of the church should never be to get people to know and fall in love with their religious traditions but to get people to know and fall in love with God.” [p.53]
“His purpose isn’t to protect denominational identity, traditional liturgies, dress codes, musical styles, outdated ministry methods and programs, or particular translations of t eh Bible. His purpose is to seek and save the lost.” [p.57]
“Unfortunately, most churches are organized to serve the interests and well-being of the insiders rather than the outsiders.” [67]
“Most Christians…are trying to keep people from leaving…their churches rather than reaching out to new people…In light of Jesus’ promise (to build His church), what causes His followers and churches to cower in fear of losing people? The only answer is that we aren’t fully trusting or believing Him.” [p.68]
“The truth is that relevance, speaking in the language of the culture, in no way compromises God’s truth. Irrelevance is the compromise.” [p.81]
“As long as the truth remains pure, the delivery method does not matter. It’s the truth that is essential for life.” [p.87]
“As a result of the example of Christ, I strongly believe that it’s up to the mature Christ-followers to sacrifice for the lost, rather than the other way around.” [p.99]
“How sad that people paint their faces, wear bizarre outfits, and make fools out of themselves to support and cheer on their favorite sports team. But when it comes to supporting and celebrating the One who died and then came back from the dead, churches can be so dispassionate.” [p.100]
[quoting a familiar saying] – “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” [p. 1460
“The church should be structured to let leaders lead, not to keep leaders from leading.” [p. 150]
“The only legitimate vision, purpose, and values for a church are those lifted from the pages of the Word of God…Unfortunately, too many churches fall in love with the way they do ministry instead of with the reason they do ministry.” [pg.194,195]
“Yet many are content for church to be everything they want, enjoy, and love, though it offers no genuine help or hope for those broken and hurting people.” [p. 212]
“If the primary services of the church aren’t relevant to outsiders, the church will not grow or reach people. In general, this is the place where change needs to begin.” [p. 228]
“The church needs to be experiencing God in fresh ways – in the now. God hasn’t changed. He is still doing new things and writing new songs. It’s so sad that so many churches refuse to enjoy those things and sing those songs. He’s the same God, but He isn’t always experienced in the same ways.” [p.249]
Although I said these were my favorite quotes, it doesn't necessarily mean that they have no flaws, or that I fully agree with them. They made me think, and pray, and question my own leadership and our own church. I have certainly been a part of churches, where it was all about the insider and much real concern was given toward the outsider, who was unfamiliar with our tradition and terminology.
As far as negatives about the book, I suppose I can say what I say about every other book, that tells a story about their church and then shares priniples that can be applied anywhere. Every church is different; and how God blesses certain principles in one place is not necessarily how He blesses those principles in another. If we try to be just like this church, or any other, for that matter, we would do what this author woudl counsel against. I need to spend some more time, thinking through this story, and its principles, in order to determine where exactly it fits into our present ministry. That has already been a discussion between myself and our other pastor.
One thing that drew my interest, especially to this book and story, was that the church the author was talking about was once a very traditional church, holding onto to the past, and applauded by others. However, they had lost sight of what was most important. It was crucial, in this author's opinion, that a transition had to take place, in order to reach people and glorify God.
I have grown up in and have experienced churches just like this. My desire is that the present church I have the privilege of pastoring, will pursue God's glory, by pursuing people who are not yet His; and sacrifice everything but the truth in order to do it. That is my prayer.
I recommend that every pastor read this book; and use it to discuss their own church, evaluating it based on the Bible, and God's command to "make disciples". It can be a challenging, exciting process. I feel we are going through that right now.
By Brad Powell; Thomas Nelson Publishing, 2007.
At the very least, you have to admit that the title is a creative and good one. It is probably one of my favorite book titles. But, at some point, we have to actually read the book, and see if the content is as good as the title! The inside book cover says this about the church that this particular author is pastor of: “Transitioning NorthRidge Church into a thriving congregation, recently named the Midwest’s Fastest Growing Church and One of the Top 50 Most Influential Churches, was hard work but eternally worth it. Through once irrelevant and dying, this church is now reaching thousands of people for Christ and providing the hope of renewal to churches around the world.”
As a pastor, the story of a church making an eternal impact on its world is a story I am very interested in. It is my desire that our church, regardless of size, be a church that is a positive influence in its surrounding communities, for the glory of God. This book is basically the story of NorthRidge Church, formerly Temple Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan. The principles shared are those this pastor discovered along the way, in transitioning his church into one that reached people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Here are my favorite quotes from the book:
“Though churches are in possession of the most profound, exciting, needed, and life-changing truth the world has ever known, the way many of them present this truth is superficial, boring, undesirable, and nonimpacting.” [p.16]
“Any given church is simply a reflection of those who attend. Each church reflects those ideas and principles that the people who attend genuinely value and love.” [p.19]
“I believe that the church is the hope of the world, with this one caveat…when it’s working right.” [p.24]
“I learned that the only way I could effectively lead the church through change was from the bottom…in full recognition of my weakness and inability and complete dependence on Him.” [p.31]
“In fact most of its problems were being caused by a commitment to yesterday’s solutions…All of the methods being used by this church were relevant for an era that no longer existed…Over time, they had allowed their practices to supersede God’s principles.” [p.33,34]
“God wants the church to be authentic. It should be a place where broken people can come in and find help. It should not be a place that forces people to hide their hurts, temptations, addictions, flaws, and problems. It should be a place where they can find grace and healing.” [p.49]
“God intended the church to be relevant, not irrelevant…The church is supposed to be answering the questions about God’s hope that people are asking. But, in most churches, no one’s answering their questions. Generally, they’re wasting time answering questions nobody’s asking.” [p.50]
“The goal of the church should never be to get people to know and fall in love with their religious traditions but to get people to know and fall in love with God.” [p.53]
“His purpose isn’t to protect denominational identity, traditional liturgies, dress codes, musical styles, outdated ministry methods and programs, or particular translations of t eh Bible. His purpose is to seek and save the lost.” [p.57]
“Unfortunately, most churches are organized to serve the interests and well-being of the insiders rather than the outsiders.” [67]
“Most Christians…are trying to keep people from leaving…their churches rather than reaching out to new people…In light of Jesus’ promise (to build His church), what causes His followers and churches to cower in fear of losing people? The only answer is that we aren’t fully trusting or believing Him.” [p.68]
“The truth is that relevance, speaking in the language of the culture, in no way compromises God’s truth. Irrelevance is the compromise.” [p.81]
“As long as the truth remains pure, the delivery method does not matter. It’s the truth that is essential for life.” [p.87]
“As a result of the example of Christ, I strongly believe that it’s up to the mature Christ-followers to sacrifice for the lost, rather than the other way around.” [p.99]
“How sad that people paint their faces, wear bizarre outfits, and make fools out of themselves to support and cheer on their favorite sports team. But when it comes to supporting and celebrating the One who died and then came back from the dead, churches can be so dispassionate.” [p.100]
[quoting a familiar saying] – “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” [p. 1460
“The church should be structured to let leaders lead, not to keep leaders from leading.” [p. 150]
“The only legitimate vision, purpose, and values for a church are those lifted from the pages of the Word of God…Unfortunately, too many churches fall in love with the way they do ministry instead of with the reason they do ministry.” [pg.194,195]
“Yet many are content for church to be everything they want, enjoy, and love, though it offers no genuine help or hope for those broken and hurting people.” [p. 212]
“If the primary services of the church aren’t relevant to outsiders, the church will not grow or reach people. In general, this is the place where change needs to begin.” [p. 228]
“The church needs to be experiencing God in fresh ways – in the now. God hasn’t changed. He is still doing new things and writing new songs. It’s so sad that so many churches refuse to enjoy those things and sing those songs. He’s the same God, but He isn’t always experienced in the same ways.” [p.249]
Although I said these were my favorite quotes, it doesn't necessarily mean that they have no flaws, or that I fully agree with them. They made me think, and pray, and question my own leadership and our own church. I have certainly been a part of churches, where it was all about the insider and much real concern was given toward the outsider, who was unfamiliar with our tradition and terminology.
As far as negatives about the book, I suppose I can say what I say about every other book, that tells a story about their church and then shares priniples that can be applied anywhere. Every church is different; and how God blesses certain principles in one place is not necessarily how He blesses those principles in another. If we try to be just like this church, or any other, for that matter, we would do what this author woudl counsel against. I need to spend some more time, thinking through this story, and its principles, in order to determine where exactly it fits into our present ministry. That has already been a discussion between myself and our other pastor.
One thing that drew my interest, especially to this book and story, was that the church the author was talking about was once a very traditional church, holding onto to the past, and applauded by others. However, they had lost sight of what was most important. It was crucial, in this author's opinion, that a transition had to take place, in order to reach people and glorify God.
I have grown up in and have experienced churches just like this. My desire is that the present church I have the privilege of pastoring, will pursue God's glory, by pursuing people who are not yet His; and sacrifice everything but the truth in order to do it. That is my prayer.
I recommend that every pastor read this book; and use it to discuss their own church, evaluating it based on the Bible, and God's command to "make disciples". It can be a challenging, exciting process. I feel we are going through that right now.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Pop Goes The Church - a book review
Pop Goes The Church by Tim Stevens
Power Publishing - 2008
The back cover says it this way: "Pop Goes the Church will open your mind to church in a way that breaks down walls, engages the culture and speaks to a generation that needs to hear good news." Another writer that I enjoy, Craig Groeschel, wrote this on the back cover about this book: "Stevens writes with a sense of urgency that will inspire your ministry to an authentic and relevant presentation of God's transforming Word." The author, Stevens, that Groeschel refers to is a high school friend of mine (hopefully still a friend after this review), Tim Stevens. Tim reminds me that he came to my school in 2nd grade. We parted ways after high school, but have had contact with one another and have seen one another through the years. I had the chance to stop through Granger, Indiana, visit his church, and spend time with his family just a couple months ago. Tim is the executive pastor of Granger Church in Granger, Indiana. I have been to church services and seminars there; and greatly appreciate Tim's heart for ministry.
I am not a professional book reviewer, but I do enjoy books; and this gives me an opportunity to think more about what I have read. I admitted to Tim that his book was my "bathroom book" for quite a while. I am always reading several books at a time; but normally I have one book that sits in my office bathroom; and when I visit there (visits seem to be more frequent with my advancing age), I read a little from the book. I also admit that the only reason I heard about and purchased the book, is because I know Tim and count him as a friend. If you are my friend and write a book, I promise to buy yours as well! My brother, David, who is a pastor of an exciting, growing church in Rochester, NY, is mentioned twice in the book (p.13, 210,211), so that gains my interest as well. I am mentioned once in the book, somewhat generically, but not really in a positive way. So, if you want more information about that, you will have to read the book for yourself!
A few of my favorite quotes from the book:
"I fear it is because we are too busy answering questions no one is asking" [p.25]
"It is about getting out of our holy huddles, turning around and looking real people right in the eyes, seeing the lives they live and the problems they encounter (as messy and unholy as they might be). [p.39]
"The problem is we have no memory of what it is not to know. And so our churches, led by people plagued with the curse of knowledge, provide experiences and design services that feel right to people. who know stuff but totally miss the boat when it comes to people who don't." [p.46]
"It seems as if every week I receive an opportunity by e-mail to boycott this, petition that, sign a covenant, or let a business know my Christian beliefs about its product. honestly, these types of activities make me sick. Those businesses and organizations we want to boycott are being run and led by people - human beings - with families and kids and lives and choices. We may was well say to them, 'Go to hell because I don't give a rip about your eternity. Just stay away from me and my family and out of our picket-fence-protected homes.' Our actions are perceived as holier than thous, and they put us in the category of all Christians are the same." [p.70]
"So we can celebrate the art - knowing it came from the skills, intelligence, and creativity of a being fashioned by God himself. We can also celebrate the content of much of the art in the world today art that reflects a real search and longing for that which is right and true. Like Paul speaking to the Athenians, we can say, I see you are seeking God. Let me tell you more about this God you seek." [p.86]
"Here is the bottom line: Pe0ple have needs (Translated: They itch). If you can help meet those needs (Tranaslated: Scratch the itch), you will gain an audience who will be open to the rest of the truth of scripture." [p.117]
"Jesus learned from his pop culture, found purpose in a secular image, and redeemed the culture by giving it new spiritual meaning." [p.129] "...He went to parties, drank wine, and was seen with the most dishonest and deceptive people in the community." [p.132]
"If you want to begin to engage the culture in your church, you should start studying the culture." [p.166]
A few of the things I had questions about:
"Frustration Sets In" [pgs. 36-38] : Here, Tim talks about his frustration with the church he grew up in. Thing is, I grew up in that same church and really struggled with the things he said. He might be right, that only 2 adults accepted Christ and that the church was not effective in the community; but I want to believe that he is wrong.
"And so the world passes by, never hearing how much theymatter to God." [p.79]: This statement was made after mentioning that many churches did not use the DaVinci Code or Spider-Man 3 movies as themes in their services, when they were popular. I am o.k. with churches, such as Tim's, that choose to use movie clips and themes as a bridge to the gospel; but I'm not sure I agree with the implication, that my church, and others who don't use these things, are then completely unable to communicate God's love to our world.
"And to keep our kids away from society, we send them to a Chrsitian school with Christian teachers and Christian friends so they can learn the Christan way to read, write, and add. Two things happen when we do this. First, we remove our influence from the world...The second thing that happens when we try to make our entire lives Christian is that we fail to teach our kids (or learn ourselves) how to be discerning...So when we do interact with someone outside our Chrsitian bubble, we come off as fanatical or wierd - worse yet, as superior and judgmental." [pgs.91.92]: Hopefully, Tim is just talking about those who are completely extreme. Although I believe every family can choose whether to home school, or send their kids to public or private schools, I do not believe that those who choose a Christian school are removing themselves from influencing the world. In many cases, they are being prepared to have an incredible, godly influence on our world. The same could be said for Christian parents who educated their kids at home, in a completely "Christian way". Regardless of where we send our kids to school, every Chrsitian parent has the responsiblity to train their children in God's ways; and to make sure that theyare exposed to the peopel in our world that we are called to love and communicate the gospel to. These do not have to be mutually exclusive things.
On pages 92,93, Tim gives a quote from a blogger, about his experience at a U2 concert, who said: "I was amazed at how often I felt the presence of God in the arena." The reason he felt God, was because Bono kept referring to "the Almighty" and he "began singing 'hallelujah' over and over again." Just after this, Craig Detweiler is quoted as saying: "It is easy to identify what's wrong with Eminem, but finding what's right, identifying and understanding what millions of teens connect with, takes much more work." [p.93]: As I read these quotes and many like it in the book, I kept thinking of my own experience and the experiences of many others, who have endulged in pop culture at times, and found themselves thinking the opposite of what God asks us to think in Philippians 4:8. Do we have to fill our minds and hearts, and those of our children, with ungodly images and words, in order to understand that there is sin and searching in the hearts of people who do not yet know God?
"I think if every married couple watched this movie together, it would create space for conversation about their commitment to each other. They might reflect on boundaries that will protect their marriage from a bad choice made in a moment of weakness." [p.102]: The movie Tim was referring to was "Unfaithful". I, unfortunately, watched this movie several years ago, and I would never suggest anyone watch this movie, let alone a couple for the purpose of "creating space for conversation about their commitment". The movie, in my opinion, glamorizes adultery, makes it look exciting, and includes at least partial nudity (I can't fully remember - I don't want to). In my opinion, the movie has more potential to destroy a marriage than it does heal one. I might be wrong; but I doubt it. I believe there are better ways to help couples communicate and consider their commitment than to have them watch this kind of movie. Am I too narrow, out of touch, seen as uncaring? So be it.
Conclusion: I was encouraged by this book, as I know Tim, and as I see his church, and others, doing whatever they can, in order to get the good news of Jesus Christ to our world today. Even if I woudln't do it in exactly the same way, it encourages me even more to know that God is using many different people, in many different methods, to do what He said he would do: build His church. I am also greatly challenged by the book, as it has caused me to rethink my own attitudes and actions concerning the things Tim writes about. I don't pretend to have arrived or to have it all right. I am wrong all the time. It is good for me to read books like this and and consider that I might need to make changes. As I tell everyone with any book that I read or recommend: "I don't expect myself or you to agree with everything that is written, in any book, by any author." I recommend, however, that you read Tim's book: Pop Goes the Church, and hopefully be encouraged and challenged, as I was.
Power Publishing - 2008
The back cover says it this way: "Pop Goes the Church will open your mind to church in a way that breaks down walls, engages the culture and speaks to a generation that needs to hear good news." Another writer that I enjoy, Craig Groeschel, wrote this on the back cover about this book: "Stevens writes with a sense of urgency that will inspire your ministry to an authentic and relevant presentation of God's transforming Word." The author, Stevens, that Groeschel refers to is a high school friend of mine (hopefully still a friend after this review), Tim Stevens. Tim reminds me that he came to my school in 2nd grade. We parted ways after high school, but have had contact with one another and have seen one another through the years. I had the chance to stop through Granger, Indiana, visit his church, and spend time with his family just a couple months ago. Tim is the executive pastor of Granger Church in Granger, Indiana. I have been to church services and seminars there; and greatly appreciate Tim's heart for ministry.
I am not a professional book reviewer, but I do enjoy books; and this gives me an opportunity to think more about what I have read. I admitted to Tim that his book was my "bathroom book" for quite a while. I am always reading several books at a time; but normally I have one book that sits in my office bathroom; and when I visit there (visits seem to be more frequent with my advancing age), I read a little from the book. I also admit that the only reason I heard about and purchased the book, is because I know Tim and count him as a friend. If you are my friend and write a book, I promise to buy yours as well! My brother, David, who is a pastor of an exciting, growing church in Rochester, NY, is mentioned twice in the book (p.13, 210,211), so that gains my interest as well. I am mentioned once in the book, somewhat generically, but not really in a positive way. So, if you want more information about that, you will have to read the book for yourself!
A few of my favorite quotes from the book:
"I fear it is because we are too busy answering questions no one is asking" [p.25]
"It is about getting out of our holy huddles, turning around and looking real people right in the eyes, seeing the lives they live and the problems they encounter (as messy and unholy as they might be). [p.39]
"The problem is we have no memory of what it is not to know. And so our churches, led by people plagued with the curse of knowledge, provide experiences and design services that feel right to people. who know stuff but totally miss the boat when it comes to people who don't." [p.46]
"It seems as if every week I receive an opportunity by e-mail to boycott this, petition that, sign a covenant, or let a business know my Christian beliefs about its product. honestly, these types of activities make me sick. Those businesses and organizations we want to boycott are being run and led by people - human beings - with families and kids and lives and choices. We may was well say to them, 'Go to hell because I don't give a rip about your eternity. Just stay away from me and my family and out of our picket-fence-protected homes.' Our actions are perceived as holier than thous, and they put us in the category of all Christians are the same." [p.70]
"So we can celebrate the art - knowing it came from the skills, intelligence, and creativity of a being fashioned by God himself. We can also celebrate the content of much of the art in the world today art that reflects a real search and longing for that which is right and true. Like Paul speaking to the Athenians, we can say, I see you are seeking God. Let me tell you more about this God you seek." [p.86]
"Here is the bottom line: Pe0ple have needs (Translated: They itch). If you can help meet those needs (Tranaslated: Scratch the itch), you will gain an audience who will be open to the rest of the truth of scripture." [p.117]
"Jesus learned from his pop culture, found purpose in a secular image, and redeemed the culture by giving it new spiritual meaning." [p.129] "...He went to parties, drank wine, and was seen with the most dishonest and deceptive people in the community." [p.132]
"If you want to begin to engage the culture in your church, you should start studying the culture." [p.166]
A few of the things I had questions about:
"Frustration Sets In" [pgs. 36-38] : Here, Tim talks about his frustration with the church he grew up in. Thing is, I grew up in that same church and really struggled with the things he said. He might be right, that only 2 adults accepted Christ and that the church was not effective in the community; but I want to believe that he is wrong.
"And so the world passes by, never hearing how much theymatter to God." [p.79]: This statement was made after mentioning that many churches did not use the DaVinci Code or Spider-Man 3 movies as themes in their services, when they were popular. I am o.k. with churches, such as Tim's, that choose to use movie clips and themes as a bridge to the gospel; but I'm not sure I agree with the implication, that my church, and others who don't use these things, are then completely unable to communicate God's love to our world.
"And to keep our kids away from society, we send them to a Chrsitian school with Christian teachers and Christian friends so they can learn the Christan way to read, write, and add. Two things happen when we do this. First, we remove our influence from the world...The second thing that happens when we try to make our entire lives Christian is that we fail to teach our kids (or learn ourselves) how to be discerning...So when we do interact with someone outside our Chrsitian bubble, we come off as fanatical or wierd - worse yet, as superior and judgmental." [pgs.91.92]: Hopefully, Tim is just talking about those who are completely extreme. Although I believe every family can choose whether to home school, or send their kids to public or private schools, I do not believe that those who choose a Christian school are removing themselves from influencing the world. In many cases, they are being prepared to have an incredible, godly influence on our world. The same could be said for Christian parents who educated their kids at home, in a completely "Christian way". Regardless of where we send our kids to school, every Chrsitian parent has the responsiblity to train their children in God's ways; and to make sure that theyare exposed to the peopel in our world that we are called to love and communicate the gospel to. These do not have to be mutually exclusive things.
On pages 92,93, Tim gives a quote from a blogger, about his experience at a U2 concert, who said: "I was amazed at how often I felt the presence of God in the arena." The reason he felt God, was because Bono kept referring to "the Almighty" and he "began singing 'hallelujah' over and over again." Just after this, Craig Detweiler is quoted as saying: "It is easy to identify what's wrong with Eminem, but finding what's right, identifying and understanding what millions of teens connect with, takes much more work." [p.93]: As I read these quotes and many like it in the book, I kept thinking of my own experience and the experiences of many others, who have endulged in pop culture at times, and found themselves thinking the opposite of what God asks us to think in Philippians 4:8. Do we have to fill our minds and hearts, and those of our children, with ungodly images and words, in order to understand that there is sin and searching in the hearts of people who do not yet know God?
"I think if every married couple watched this movie together, it would create space for conversation about their commitment to each other. They might reflect on boundaries that will protect their marriage from a bad choice made in a moment of weakness." [p.102]: The movie Tim was referring to was "Unfaithful". I, unfortunately, watched this movie several years ago, and I would never suggest anyone watch this movie, let alone a couple for the purpose of "creating space for conversation about their commitment". The movie, in my opinion, glamorizes adultery, makes it look exciting, and includes at least partial nudity (I can't fully remember - I don't want to). In my opinion, the movie has more potential to destroy a marriage than it does heal one. I might be wrong; but I doubt it. I believe there are better ways to help couples communicate and consider their commitment than to have them watch this kind of movie. Am I too narrow, out of touch, seen as uncaring? So be it.
Conclusion: I was encouraged by this book, as I know Tim, and as I see his church, and others, doing whatever they can, in order to get the good news of Jesus Christ to our world today. Even if I woudln't do it in exactly the same way, it encourages me even more to know that God is using many different people, in many different methods, to do what He said he would do: build His church. I am also greatly challenged by the book, as it has caused me to rethink my own attitudes and actions concerning the things Tim writes about. I don't pretend to have arrived or to have it all right. I am wrong all the time. It is good for me to read books like this and and consider that I might need to make changes. As I tell everyone with any book that I read or recommend: "I don't expect myself or you to agree with everything that is written, in any book, by any author." I recommend, however, that you read Tim's book: Pop Goes the Church, and hopefully be encouraged and challenged, as I was.
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