Re-discovering our mission

Burned the candle last night outlining my next sermon series in the book of acts titled, "Re-discovering our mission." Over the past year of my life God has had me in a very interesting process of considering what the point of church is. When I say church, I mean the program based, Sunday morning service, construct we call church. As a church planter it's an important and interesting question to entertain.

Like so many planters I set out to be something different than everything else out there. Not that everything else out there is bad, but I think everyone who sets out to create desire that it be unique, one of kind, or at least fill a gap. We want to believe there is a point to the efforts, sacrifice and dreaming that comes along with starting something new from nothing.

Ironically, in church planting the accepted formula for success is simply one that leads us down a path to becoming the very thing we didn't want to be... the same old thing. Let's face it, how much difference is there really in the American church today? Not much. Different songs, service order, sermon style, etc. The most, "unique," churches are the ones that are seen as cutting edge, or highly technological. What makes that different?

Here is my point. Through the past few months, I have begun to see a different church emerge in the pages of Acts, that has caused me to ask,

"If the church is meant to reflect the heart of Christ, what should it look like?"

The book of Acts is simply stories of the apostles faithfulness to the mission that Jesus gave them when He left the earth, and empowered them with the holy spirit. His instructions were clear in the final days he had withe them

"Feed my sheep."

"Go make disciples"

"Bear witness to the gospel"

These words have nothing to do with church, especially not the brand that we immediately think of when we hear the word church.

Really what happened in the book of Acts is, people unified around a mission by the power of the Holy Spirit, and it was explosive. As a result of the centrality of the mission in individual lives, that mission spread corporately resulting in the start up of the local church. IN fact there are places in Acts where it seemed the formation of the local church might get in the way of mission and the apostles worked to protect from that.

The appointing of the first church leaders in Acts 6 is a great example of that. The congregation was growing, and there was no one to take care of the needs of the people, so Peter and John appointed people to do so for what? To expand church attendance? No, so they wouldn't have to waste there time on less important things.

They got it! Mission came first!

The truth is, the church as we see it, was never supposed to be what we have made it into. It's actually a bi-product of missional community.

I am not saying that we should imitate every aspect of the early church, but when it comes to the main points, I think the book of Acts accurately portrays the heart of God for the role of the church in the world, and we cannot miss that. It is a people first, program second mentality that we must cultivate. We cannot get so wrapped up in maintaining our comfortable structures that we lose sight of why we exist.

What matter's most is people finding Jesus. If the church is existing for any other reason it will become lifeless, and will soon stop reflecting the heart of God. It's time we get our priorities straight and begin living out the calling we are left upon this earth for.

The world needs Jesus, we are His chosen vehicles to bring the message of hope, and our church structures are actually getting in the way of that possibility for transformation. The sad thing is, it's all in the name of God.

My prayer for this coming series is that we as a church would recognize our calling to mission, and put it first! This could mean significant changes, I don't know, but it has to be taken seriously if we want to follow in the footsteps of the apostles... men and women who had greater impact than we have ever seen in the world since.

Ready for an adventure?

Reflections on "Good Friday."

Do you think that when Jesus sat with His friends around the dinner table that night passing around bread and wine, urging them to remember His sacrifice, what He had in mind was our version of "Good Friday?" Do you think he was hoping for late night worship services? How about large programs? Did He hope that once a year we would look to the event of the cross and feel sad... guilty... shameful or confused? What was the point? What is the point of Good Friday I wonder?

Ironically the most common feelings in most human beings on Good Friday are things like confusion, shame, guilt and sadness. Almost as if we will hurt Jesus' feelings if we don't take a few moments in the evening on this day to furrow our brow, sadden our face, and be solemn. I guess for me it's always been less about how Jesus is "feeling," and more about how I am feeling. I've never really known how to act, so I sort of make it up. I spend the day a little more contemplative then usual, but I am in essence just putting in my time of feeling sad and guilty.

Can this possibly be what Jesus was after? No way, in fact, I'm convinced today that in fact our typical Christian approach to Good Friday actually steals from and cheapens the impact that this historical event was meant to have. It starts with rejecting one of the most common misconceptions about Good Friday...

My sin forced Jesus to the cross

Believing this is what makes me feel guilty and shameful on a day like today. How could I? It's my fault, my sin, my mess that forced Jesus to endure the suffering and pain of crucifixion.

Believing this makes me want to close my eyes and pretend it's not there. Believing this makes me feel even more guilt for somehow not taking it serious enough. I feel shameful, and imprisoned my own lack of faithfulness. This breads fear, anxiety, guilt and a sense of obligation. All of these things are what Jesus came to rule out of our lives!!!

How is it that we have taken a day that represents the end of condemnation (Romans 8:1), and turned it into a day that we place condemnation on ourselves.

Bottom line, you didn't put Jesus on the cross, I didn't put Jesus on the cross, He went on His own accord. He set aside his position of glory, and took on human flesh, becoming obedient to death on a cross because He chose to. Stop giving yourself so much credit! You and I do not have the power to control the God of the universe. He did it, for free, as a gift, and it was His idea and free choice.

Today, instead of feeling guilty, sad, and shameful; Instead of feeling a sense of obligation about all the Christ did, instead, I want to elevate it and celebrate it by basking in all that it accomplished in my life. That is what gives power to in in my own life. Today I choose the freedom, righteousness, grace and power that the cross offers. I choose to celebrate, not cry. I choose to smile, not frown. I choose to live, because that is why He came, that I might have life, and life to the fullest.

Scripture reminds us that, "It is for freedom, that we have been set free."

Live in it, walk in it and celebrate today, and you will be placing Christ and His work on the cross at center stage in your life. Then, choose to live in it every day for the rest of your lives.

If we celebrate the cross once a year, we have entirely missed the point of what today means. I pray that today, my heart would be set on living in the power the cross gave me, and letting it change the way I live, move and breathe.

So tonight, I am going to reflect on the cross, I am going to worship Him for the gift, and then I am going to watch the Lakers kick the Hornets butts in game 3 of there playoff series, and I am going to celebrate the freedom I have been given to do so! It is for freedom I have been set free.

Thanks you Jesus for giving your Life so that I could have real life! I celebrate you and that life today!

Images from the Almighty...

33Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 35Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? 36For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

too long

It has been too long! I never thought I would be one of those people who start a blog and then let it sit silent for months on end. Well, I am that guy now. It's like a website that hasn't been updated since the first week it was launched, seems almost completely useless. Well, if you have given up on waiting to hear from me I understand, but if not, here is a what is swimming around in my head this morning.

I am getting ready to go preach to maybe 70 people this morning a message of hope that has been less than "life changing," for most Christians I know. It's a message of belonging from Romans chapter 8. The big question being asked is, "what do we have in Christ?" What does God's sanctifying work in our lives leave us with?

belonging, adoption, inheritance, honor and glory...

I am struck, in particular, by the language Paul uses as he is introducing the concept of, "Children of God." He uses a phrase that stands out to me...

"Those who walk in the Spirit have not been give a spirit of fear, but a spirit of adoption."

I love that he sets fear and adoption as oppositional forces in this passage. We all need to belong, be part of something, be chosen, and feel connected. When a child is homeless, or has no family, they feel lost, insecure, and full of fear. It will likely impact the way that child views the entire world. But a child with a loving, family to belong to, live with, receive and give love to, the world is right.

As justified, sanctified believers, we have been given a spirit of adoption. We belong to God, He has chosen us to be part of His eternal family. That work He does is not just a formality, no God puts His money where His mouth is. The full inheritance of Christ goes right along with it! We don't just get a piece of the pie, we get the whole freaking pie. We get power, peace, hope, salvation, etc. etc. etc.

How many of us as Christians are setting aside this incredible gift for something so worthless as, "our own lives," we are living, most of us, a shell of the life that is offered to us in unhindered relationship with the father. We have, due to the ongoing sanctifying work of the holy spirit in our lives, the opportunity to live in perfect relationship with God once more. Yeah, perfect, just like Adam and Eve once enjoyed, we can get that back, we can be totally free from the one thing that blocks our connection from him, that being the sin of selfishness. When we surrender, releasing our lives to His power, setting our minds on the Spirit, and allowing him to purge our lives, conforming us into His image, we set ourselves on a path toward unhindered relationship on this earth.

This morning I take hope and refuge in that thought... won't you as well?

Easter Sunday

I recently heard a pastor make a plea to his congregation to, "Pray for those you have invited to our Easter service." A seemingly great challenge, and in fact, I am never going to be the guy who ever gets in the way of prayer in any context... it's too powerful. But it did get me thinking about how we approach prayer in our lives.

I am convinced that as human beings we are naturally prone to pray prayers that are centered around us and what we want. I guess the ultimate problem I have with this plea above, is that when it comes to eternal impact type things, shouldn't we allow God to dictate where the work is done? Shouldn't that plea have been reversed?

"Invite to our Easter service those you have been praying for."

While it may seem like simple semantics, I think the distinction is everything. You see the first plea is living in a self oriented human ability kind of world. Do your thing, and then, ask God to bless your efforts. When it comes to real life transformation, I can't help but believe that formula will more often then not leave us wondering why God did not do the things we asked Him for.

On the other hand, if I am living and active life of kingdom minded prayer for the people in my life, community, and natural sphere of influence, I allow the Holy Spirit to dictate where and when He decides to show up. You see it takes the responsibility to change someone off of me, and places it on the only shoulders capable of handling that kind of job... The Almighty God. Then, I get to sit back and watch what God will do, and how He will use me to do it.

In this context of inviting people to Easter services, how much more expectant will you be about the the morning if the people you invited are people you have been praying for the Holy Spirit to work in all year? So much more. Ultimately, if I am praying that way, I won't find the need to see, attendance at church as the indicator of the drawing of the Spirit. If God chooses to use our Sunday morning service great, but that is not the end all.

So, this Easter, instead of inviting first, I want to challenge you to pray... first... What if our Easter Sunday services were filled with people that we have been praying for all year long, connecting with, loving and blessing. Something tells me Easter Sunday in American churches might look a little different.