my blog and much more to help you
I’ve been learning lots about cross cultural ministry over the last few months. I’ve interacted with these books below:
I haven’t finished reading them all, but they come with HIGH recommendations. I’ll let you know more as I finish and use them!
Encompass World Partners director, Dave Guiles, has been doing some intriguing study and work on “Conceptual Metaphors” and how they play a significant part in developing concepts and behavior.
Dave’s research shows that real change takes place when we are successfully introduced to new metaphors. This is true because:
1) Metaphors organize the way we think,
2) Metaphors enable us to gain new insights,
3) Metaphors create identity, and,
4) Metaphors serve as a guide to future actions.
To help illustrate this important truth, Dave explored how the self-concept of the early church was formed through the introduction of three important conceptual metaphors:
THE CHURCH IS THE FAMILY OF GOD
THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST
THE CHURCH IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
“The success of the early Apostles in establishing churches in the diverse cultural soils of their world was directly related to their ability to lead new congregations into a clear understanding and acceptance of these metaphors. Because of their importance in revealing the true nature of the church, these can be referred to as ‘essence metaphors.”
This Week’s CHALLENGE:
1) Ask God this question: What am I afraid of?
2) Write down what comes to mind
3) Then ask yourself: If God is with me, why am I afraid of that?
Most people instinctively avoid conflict, but as Margaret Heffernan shows us, good disagreement is central to progress. She illustrates (sometimes counterintuitively) how the best partners aren’t echo chambers — and how great research teams, relationships and businesses allow people to deeply disagree.
The former CEO of five businesses, Margaret Heffernan explores the all-too-human thought patterns — like conflict avoidance and selective blindness — that lead managers and organizations astray.
Came across this helpful synopsis of the 20 common ways that the Bible passages are misunderstood, misinterpreted, and misapplied. Thanks to ApologeticsIndex.org
In debating and discussions with non-Christians such as Mormons or atheist, I have found many areas of twisting of the Scriptures. In the book “Scripture Twisting,” James Sire has a chapter devoted to each of the methods, and I have seen them ALL used from time to time.
1. INACCURATE QUOTATION: A biblical text is referred to but is either not quoted in the way the text appears in any standard translation or is wrongly attributed. Example: The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi says, “Christ said, ‘Be still and know that I am God.'” Whereas this text is found ONLY in Psalms.
2. TWISTED TRANSLATION: The biblical text is retranslated, not in accordance with sound Greek scholarship, to fit a preconceived teaching of a cult. Example: the Jehovah’s Witnesses translate John 1:1 as “In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the word was a god.”
3. BIBLICAL HOOK: A text of Scripture is quoted primarily as a device to grasp the attention of readers or listeners and then followed by a teaching which is so nonbiblical that it would appear far more dubious to most people had it not been preceded by a reference to Scripture. Example: Mormon missionaries quote James 1:5 which promises God’s wisdom to those who ask him and, then, follow this by explaining that when Joseph Smith did this he was given a revelation from which he concluded that God the Father has a body.
4. IGNORING THE IMMEDIATE CONTEXT: A text of Scripture is quoted but removed from the surrounding verses which form the immediate framework for its meaning. Example: Alan Watts quotes the first half of John 5:39 (“You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life”), claiming that Jesus was challenging His listeners’ over emphasis of the Old Testament, but the remainder of the immediate context reads, “and it is they that bear witness to me; yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life” (verses 39-40), which shows that Jesus was upholding the value of the Old Testament as a testimony to Himself.
5. COLLAPSING CONTEXTS: Two or more verses which have little or nothing to do with each other are put together as if one were a commentary of the other(s). Example: The Mormons associate Jeremiah 1:5 with John 1:2,14 and thus imply that both verses talk about the premortal existence of all human beings; Jeremiah 1:5, however, speaks of God’s foreknowledge of Jeremiah (Not his premortal existence) and JOhn 1:2 refers to the pre-existence of God the Son and not to human beings in general.
6. OVERSPECIFICATION: A more detailed or specific conclusion than is legitimate is drawn from a biblical text. Example: The Mormon missionary manual quotes the parable of the virgins from Matthew 25:1-13 to document the concept that “mortality is a probationary period during which we prepare to meet God.” But the parable of the virgins could, and most probably does, mean something far less specific, for example, that human beings should be prepared at any time to meet God or to witness the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
7. WORD PLAY: A word or phrase from a biblical translation is examined and interpreted as if the revelation had been given in that language. Example: mary Bake Eddy says the name Adam consist of two syllables, A DAM, which means an obstruction, in which case, Adam signifies “the obstacle which the serpent, sin, would impose between man and his Creator.”
8. THE FIGURATIVE FALLACY: Either (1) mistaking literal language for figurative language or (2)mistaking figurative language for literal language. Example of (1): Mary Baker Eddy interprets EVENING as “mistiness of mortal thought; weariness of mortal mind; obscured views; peace and rest.” Example of (2): The Mormon theologian james Talmage interprets the prophesy that “thou shalt be brought down and speak out of the ground” to mean that God’s Word would come to people from the Book of Mormon which was taken out of the ground at the hill of Cumorah.
9. SPECULATIVE READINGS OF PREDICTIVE PROPHESY: A predictive prophesy is too readily explained by the occurance of specific events, despite the fact that equally committed biblical scholars consider the interpretation highly dubious. Example: The stick of Judah and the Stick of Joseph in Ezekiel 37:15- 23 are interpreted by the Mormons to mean the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
10. SAYING BUT NOT CITING: A writer says that the Bible says such and such but does not cite the specific text (which often indicates that there may be no such text at all). Example: A common phrase “God helps those who help themselves” is not found in the Bible.
11. SELECTIVE CITING: To substantiate a given argument, only a limited number of text is quoted: the total teaching of Scripture on that subject would lead to a conclusion different from that of the writer. Example: The Jehovah’s Witnesses critique the traditional Christian notion of the Trinity without considering the full text which scholars use to substantiate the concept.
12. INADEQUATE EVIDENCE: A hasty generalization is drawn from too little evidence. Example: The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that blood transfusion is nonbiblical, but the biblical data that they cite fails either to speak directly to the issue or to adequately substantiate their teaching.
13. CONFUSED DEFINITION: A biblical term is misunderstood in such a way that an essential biblical doctrine is distorted or rejected. Example: one of Edgar Cayce’s followers confuses the eastern doctrine of reincarnation with the biblical doctrine of being born again.
14. IGNORING ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATIONS: A specific interpretation given to a biblical text or set of text which could well be, and often have been, interpreted in quite a different fashion, but these alternatives are not considered. Example: Erich von Daniken asks why in Genesis 1:26 God speaks in the plural (“us”), suggesting that this is an oblique reference to God’s being one of many astronauts and failing to consider alternative explanations that either God was speaking as “Heaven’s king accompanied by His heavenly host” or that the plural prefigures the doctrine of the Trinity expressed more explicitly in the New Testament.
15. THE OBVIOUS FALLACY: Words like OBVIOUSLY, UNDOUBTEDLY, CERTAINLY, ALL REASONABLE PEOPLE HOLD THAT and so forth are substituted for logical reasons. Example: Erich von daniken says, “Undoubtedly the Ark [of the Covenent] was electrically charged!”
16. VIRTUE BY ASSOCIATION: Either (1) a cult writer a ssociates his or her teaching with those of figures accepted as authoritative by traditional Christians; (2) cult writings are likened to the Bible; or (3) cult literature imitates the form of the Bible writing such that it sounds like the Bible. Example of (1): Rick Chapman list 21 gurus, including Jesus Christ, St. Francis and St. Theresa, that “you can’t go wrong with.” Example of (2): Juan Mascaro in his introduction to the Upanishads cites the New Testament, the Gospels, Ecclesiastes and the Psalms, from which he quotes passages supposedly paralleling the Upanishads. Example of (3): The Mormon DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS interweaves phrases from the Gospel of John and maintains a superficial similarity to the Gospel such that it seems to be like the Bible.
17. ESOTERIC INTERPRETATION: Under the assumption that the Bible contains hidden, esoteric, meaning which is open only to those who are initiated into its secrets, the interpreter declares the significance of biblical passages without giving much, if any, explanation for his or her interpretation. Example: Mary Baker Eddy gives the meaning of the first phrase in the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father which art in heaven,” as “Our Father-Mother God, all harmonious.”
18. SUPPLEMENTING BIBLICAL AUTHORITY: New revelation from post biblical prophets either replaces or is added to the Bible as authority. Example: The Mormons supplement the Bible with the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price.
19. REJECTING BIBLICAL AUTHORITY: Either the Bible as a whole or texts from the Bible are examined and rejected because they do not square with other authorities – such as reason or revelation = do not appear to agree with them. Example:Archie Matson holds that the Bible contains contradictions and that Jesus himself rejected the authority of the Old Testament when he contrasted His own views with it on the Sermon on the Mount.
20. WORLD-VIEW CONFUSION: Scriptural statements, stories, commands or symbols which have a particular meaning or set of meanings when taken within the intellectual and broadly cultural framework of the Bible itself are lifted out of that context, placed within the frame of reference of another system and thus given a meaning that markedly differs from their intended meaning. Example: The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi interprets “Be still, and know that I am God” as meaning that each person should meditate and come to the realization that he is essentially Godhood itself.
NOTE:
This material comes from the appendix of James Sire’s Scripture Twisting Methods of the Cults, and summarizes his in-depth treatment of each of these points. This book should be part of every Christian’s library
Thanks so much ApologeticsIndex.org for this synopsis! Originally Posted here >> Apologetics research resources on religious cults and sects – Scripture Twisting Methods of the Cults.
Missionary strategist Jim Montgomery challenged us to plant 7 million more churches over a decade ago. In his passionate work, he had to take some time to define what he meant by church. These words ring true for many now, but in their first delivery they were revolutionary!
“CHURCH”
An understanding of how DAWN [the ministry acronym for Discipling A Whole Nation ] defines “church” is fundamental to any challenge to plant 5 to 7 million more churches. If by “church” is meant a solidly built edifice with plenty of parking space, a full-time, seminary trained pastoral staff and a fully-orbed program of ministries for every age group and every interest, the goal will be a bit out of range.I’m impressed with how a group of Christians faced this most fundamental question in China:
Concerning [this] question, many older Christians said that they could not predict the future form of Chinese churches. So they turned to the Bible for an answer. They found in the Bible that the house-church form was a legitimate church.Paul mentions a house church in I Cor. 16:19: “Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church in their house” (NIV); also in Col. 4:15 “give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church at her house.”
Later, we found a book by Wang Ming-dao [perhaps the most highly respected believer in China who languished in jail for more than 20 years] on the institution of the church. He held that where there were Christians, there was a church. We were happy about this. We assumed that, although our group consisted of only a few people, we actually were a church, and our head was Jesus.
“Where there are Christians, there is a church,” is a profound definition, coming as it does from a Church growing rapidly and laboring under the most difficult of circumstances.
The DAWN idea is to see Jesus Christ become incarnate in every small group of mankind. How many believers does it take to incarnate our risen Lord? Jesus said that “. . . where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt. 18:20).
The goal set in 1966 and reported by Ed Dayton that I mentioned previously suggests we ought to work toward “ten witnessing Christians in every town of more than 500 people.”
Two or three committed believers could possibly impact 50 or 100 others. Ten witnessing Christians in time could perhaps reach out effectively to 500. To call such groups of two or three or of ten a “church” might be stretching it a bit. In our thinking, by minimum definition there is a church when at least a small group of believers led by an elder meets on a regular basis for worship, instruction, the basic New Testament sacraments and for witness and service. Where they meet, whether or not they pay their pastor and like questions are not of particular concern for our definition.
Denominations, however, tend to have a few more requirements. Most would include a minimum number of active adult believers that might range anywhere from five – as is the case of the rapidly growing Southern Baptists in Southern India – to 50. Some distinguish between “chapels” or “meeting places” and “churches” with the type of meeting place being a determining factor. Some draw the line based on whether or not the pastor is ordained and others have various combinations of these.
DAWN does not try to bring uniformity or impose any definition on the Church of a country. However, so as not to end up comparing oranges with apples, we suggest for statistical purposes the inclusion of all congregations of whatever definition. This would not include evangelistic Bible study groups or home groups that meet for fellowship as an additional activity to church attendance.
But it is some such definition of “church” as this that we have in mind when we suggest 7 million more are needed in the world.
This excerpt is taken directly from DAWN 2000: 7 Million Churches to Go by Jim Montgomery
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve had a variety of discussions about house/organic/simple church. I’ve referenced and even shared with others my original article on “Why House Churches?” I thought I’d repost it here…
Jesus modeled for His followers a God-honoring life 24/7. To often we compartmentalize our lives into boxes—a “work” box, a “family” box, an “emotional” box, an “intellectual” box, a “spiritual” box, etc. Jesus loved and lived as a whole person and encouraged His followers to do the same. . .
Jesus said, “ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37-39
The early followers of Jesus lived out their lives loving God and loving people. They did it in the “everydayness” of their lives. They saw it in Jesus and began living it too. They didn’t stop living to follow Jesus. They brought Jesus into their living. So at a pragmatic level, they used the things that were already present in their life to follow Him.
The followers of Jesus were spiritual families—also called “churches.” These churches were the collection of followers of Jesus who lived in community with each other. They didn’t go out and find a building to become a church. The group was already “living as the church” together. They used the everyday stuff of life—their houses—to provide a place to gather the people.
We desire the same—to live in community with each other and to bring Jesus into our living. We long to love God and love people in the “everydayness” of our lives. We gather into our spiritual families in our houses—because it is something God gave us and we ought to use for His purposes. We are not about “houses.” We are about being the Church together.
Maybe you want to go a little deeper than this. The next section examines what the Bible records about the early followers of Jesus and what they called –“the church that meets in your house.” We are shortening that phrase and calling them “house churches.”
IntroductionThis biblical tour will give an introductory sentence or two, then a statement directly from the Bible (in the NIV– New International Version). These statements speak volumes about how the initial followers of Jesus lived in the first century. The challenge is on the table as to how we will live nearly 20 centuries later.
Let’s look. . .
The early followers of Jesus gathered in a house together right after Jesus went up to be with his Father. They were living out “church life” even before having the Holy Spirit
When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. Acts 1:13-14
They received the Holy Spirit in a house
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4
Eating together—it doesn’t get much more ordinary than eating—but eating together in homes was an important part of their lives together.
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, Acts 2:46
The good news of Jesus was talked about in their homes . . .daily.
Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 5:42
Saul (who later becomes Paul and writes half of the New Testament) sought to wreck the church. He went to homes—to those following Jesus in the “everydayness.” He didn’t burn books or a building. Instead, he dragged off people . . . because people are what the church is about.
But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. Acts 8:3
Peter’s miraculous release from prison was being prayed for by a gathering of his spiritual family in a house. Read the whole story in Acts 12 . . .it is amazing.
When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Acts 12:12
After Lydia embraced Jesus, Paul and company stayed at her house. Then days later, after Paul and Silas were released from jail, they went to her house for a “spiritual family” meeting.
“If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us. Acts 16:14
After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left. Acts 16:40
Paul focused on telling the truth about Jesus in the synagogue, but when he was opposed and abused, he went to an everyday place—the house next door.
Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Acts 18:7
Again, Paul focused on telling the truth about Jesus and His teachings. Paul told it everywhere: public spaces and private ones.
You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. Acts 20:20
In the personal greeting section of Paul’s letter to the Romans, he sends a special greeting . . . to a house church.
Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house. Romans 16:3-5
Now that house church of Aquila and Pricilla’s sends a special greeting . . . to the church in Corinth.
The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. 1 Corinthians 16:19
Another special greeting to a house church—
Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. Colossians 4:15
This letter to Philemon was also addressed to the house church . . . because it asks Philemon to do some difficult things and Paul wants them all to know. Read the whole letter to figure it out.
To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home: Philemon 1:1-2
That’s the end of this Biblical tour. The conclusions are pretty obvious. Hopefully this was helpful for your understanding . . . now you have to do something about it. What will you do?
© 2002 Mike Jentes and thequest
Originally posted at http://thequestcolumbus.com/origins.html
The content of this article may be linked to, copied, and distributed for the purpose of discipling the nations if credit is given to the author & the website address is cited. Written publication of any/all the content of this article requires the written permission from the author.
Insightful and experienced strategist Curtis Sergeant shares about leadership…
Rethinking Leadership
Therefore, since ministry is not only for the “mature” but for all of us who follow Christ, all of us are “leaders” in some sense of the word. In the church we tend to think of leaders as those who serve in a role of one or more of the five-fold gifts in Ephesians 4:11-12, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers; or else in terms of the officers of the church, bishops/pastors, elders, or deacons. We tend to have an attitude that leaders in the church must be mature believers. This view is fine as long as we remember that is one type of leadership. In another sense, God has given each individual a sphere of influence. A poor, illiterate housewife in the developing world can be a “leader” for her children and neighbors. This type of “leadership” needs greater emphasis in the Kingdom of God today.
I like to think of this type of leadership in terms of the metaphor of a mother duck leading her ducklings. 
As they walk or swim single file, only the first duckling is following the mother duck. Each of the other ducklings is following the one preceding them in line. In order to lead a duckling like this, one does not have to be a mature duck, just one step ahead of another duckling. In this metaphor, it is important to realize there is only one Leader of leaders – Jesus. All the rest of us are simply ducklings. None of us is totally mature (to the fullness of the measure of the stature of Christ). We are all “in process”. This does not excuse us from the responsibility to lead those whom we can, however. We still have the responsibility to steward whatever leadership opportunities God has given us.
This excerpt is used by permission from a fuller article: Planting Rapidly Reproducing Churches by Curtis Sergeant
I had the chance to interview a couple of beloved folks from Los Altos Grace to share their stories.
In this interview format, Pete Anderson who lost a spouse to divorce and another to death (and is now happily married to Cheryl) speaks candidly about the difficulty of worship even through great loss.
The second person on the panel, was Erin Vidovich who is currently battling through cancer for the second time. Erin has a blog which chronicles her journey and learning called Serendipity
These are modern day models of how we can trust God and truly worship Him no matter what comes our way in life!
Download the “Worship in the Crucible of Life MP3
Listen in online >> Worship in the Crucible of Life
We at CMA Resources were encouraged by this email:
Subject: HOLY SPIRIT IS MOVING MIGHTILY
Hey,
Just a short update after our time at the Milwaukee Greenhouse Training. I am leading 3 simple churches now and we have at least 2 that have planted from people in these. I let God do what only God do and am PROFOUNDLY dependent on Him to lead these. I have grown so much in my faith and like you, I desire to be nothing and Him everything. I learned alot from your trainers.
I have been meeting with our lead pastor and sharing what God is doing in our simple churches. He is going to have a total makeover of our 35 small groups and have them based on the organic church. We are spending the summer in our groups digging into 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus for leadership development and disciple training. We are desperate to learn from Him and Gods word.
There has been alot of heartache in my journey and I would not have it any other way. I will save a few of those stories for another time. I am living my dream my friend and I love it. Please pass what God is doing in Milwaukee on.
I am simply focusing on 2 things; the lost and leadership. You are always a great inspiration to me.
Jim
Our calling at Church Multiplication Associates & @CMAResources is to multiply healthy disciples, leaders, churches and movements. 
Our friend, Neil Cole has articulated many of the things we have learned in these areas in his written works. Below is a listing of those resources authored by Cole and their focal points:
Disciples:
If you want to learn about making and multiplying disciples, then read Cultivating A Life for God and/or Search & Rescue [paperback version is titled “Ordinary Hero“]
* (Practical Resource- Life Transformation Group brochures
Leaders:
If you want to learn about growing, releasing and multiplying leaders, then read Organic Leadership
If you want to lead a group of emerging leaders through advanced doctrinal study so they can be trained in context, and not be shipped off to a seminary, then check out TruthQuest
If you want to learn about leadership development, learn about your own development, and get a great, practical, and biblical perspective on the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul, the read Journeys to Significance
If you want to shape a leadership development track for your ministry or network of churches, check out Raising Leaders for the Harvest
*(Practical Resource- Mentoring Guides for coaching leaders)
Churches:
If you want to be challenged about your view of the church, and think biblically about how to take the church to people, then you should read Organic Church
If you are part of a conventional church and want it to become a seedbed of mission and multiplication as the church was meant to be see Church Transfusion
If you want to gain insights that will pave the way for the emergence of fruitful multiplication of disciples, leaders, churches, etc. with a thick resource including 3-ring binder, 8 audio CDs and the Powerpoint, check out Beyond Church Planting by Neil Cole and Bob Logan.
* Practical Training- Organic Church Planter’s Greenhouse Story 1 & Story 2
Movements:
If you want to read about the top ten questions people ask about organic church, learn from a practitioner inside of a church multiplication movement and get a vision for the future of the church, then check out Church 3.0
How many times have you been in a conversation where you have been misunderstood because you used a certain word that your listener took in a way you didn’t mean? And then you find yourself saying, “That’s not what I meant. Let me try again” and this time you use a different word. The same is true of the word “church”.
The Greek word (the language in which the NT was written) behind our word “church” (by the way, this word didn’t come about until the 12th century) is “ekklēsia” which comes from two other words “ek” and “kalew”.
“Ek means the origin or the place or point whence motion or action proceeds”. It means you are moving away from or out of one area into another. It also denotes that the action is completed. Bottom line, you are no longer at point A, you are now at point B. The other root is “kaleo” which means “to call, bid, call forth.”
The meaning of “church”
Now put these two concepts together and you have those are who called out, those who have moved from point A and are now at point B.
Acts 20:28 reveals that point B is God. Romans 16:16 says that point B is Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:18; 14:5 states that it is other believers in Christ.
“Church” then is not about programs or buildings, it’s not about Sunday or Saturday morning services, nor is it about a place. The ekklesia is about relationships—period. Relationships between Jesus, who is the head of this group, and between other called out ones.
You heard me say this before, and you’ll hear me say it again, you can only take two things with you to heaven—your Christ-like character and people. Sound like what the ekklesia is all about?
The moment we place our faith in Jesus as our LORD and Savior, the Spirit of God puts us into relationship with other believers and He expects us to walk with them, not in our old ways of dealing with people (point A), but with new ways (point B).
The movement from A to B
We are no longer to be like the world, copy what society tells us or live in the various lifestyles that we did before we put our trust in Jesus (point A or what Paul calls in Eph. 5:8 “darkness”).
No, we are “taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self” (point A) and instead “be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loves us” (point B—Eph. 4:22; 5:1).
A person who belongs to the called out ones should be on a journey to be like Jesus, which means getting along with other believers. It is no coincidence that the Spirit has given over 30 different ways in which to walk with each other on this journey (i.e. the one-another phrases).
Stuck at A though Showing B
I hear it all the time, however, and you probably have as well, “I don’t like Church.” What they are really saying is, “I don’t like the people that meet at such and such a place.” In fact, I’ve heard this complaint go a step further, “I feel more accepted and loved by my non-believing friends than I do by those at church.” This should not be!
I believe a partial answer to this problem is found in the infamous bumper sticker, “Christians are not perfect, just forgiven.” This statement is true, but it’s also deceiving.
Because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, we are truly forgiven of all our sins—past, present and future. So the statement is true. I am on a journey to be like Him and will make mistakes, sin, along that journey. Therefore, I am not perfect just forgiven.
But the statement is deceiving in that it leads people to believe that since I am not perfect, I can act any old way I desire because I will be forgiven. This is from the pit of hell. This is why people are turning away from the “church” The called out ones at “church” are stuck at point A yet want to make others believe they have arrived at point B. This is fake. This is unhealthy and it is flat out repulsive to those who need real people to love and accept them on their journey to be like Jesus.
Be Real and in Process
Healthy ekklesians are in process, taking steps of faith on the high wire act of being like Jesus. Sure there are risks of falling when you step out in faith, but don’t let that hinder you from walking on that high wire. Why? You have a safety net!
“Grace (aka the forgiveness on the bumper sticker) is the safety net of faith, not the license to be complacent.” As we walk with Jesus by faith, by taking risks in trusting Him, we will at times stand and at other times will fall in the process of putting off the old and putting on the new, but grace is our safety net. It will catch us and give us another shot on that high wire. And just as we want that room to grow, let’s make sure we give that same grace to others on their journey to be like Jesus as well.
Healthy believers will be real with each other. “Brother, I’m on a journey too. Let’s walk together.” Let’s not act church, but be called out ones—people moving together from here to heaven.
____
© 2011 Chris Suitt
Used with Permission. Originally Posted on his blog MORE THAN A SUNDAY FAITH
In the Bible the church is not defined but instead is described with pictures: a flock, a field, a family, a body, a bride, a branch, a building made of living stones. Never is it described by the pictures we typically have today: a building, a business, a school or a hospital. We have replaced an organic and life producing view with an institutional one that does not produce life but at best simply tries to preserve it and contain it.
The predominate way of seeing the church today contains, conforms and controls the people. The biblical pictures of the NT are all about releasing and reproducing the life of the church, not managing and controlling financial interests.
Inorganic things can produce, but not reproduce. As Christian Schwartz points out so eloquently, “A coffee maker can make coffee (praise God), but it cannot make more coffee makers.” Jesus intends for his bride and body to be fertile and for his branches to bear fruit. Jesus didn’t use images of an institution, nor should we.
With much study, research, experience and time spent seeking wisdom from smarter men than us, we have come to understand church by this simple yet profound description: “The church is the presence of Jesus among His people, called out as a spiritual family, to pursue His mission on this planet.”
Thanks for capturing this session Southeastern Baptist Seminary!
George Patterson planted churches in Central America for over twenty years. In this session he talks about his philosophy of equipping. This was filmed in the Center for Great Commission Studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
