You Don't Have to Do it On your Own
Paul writes in Colossians 1:28-29, "Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me."
Notice that Paul shares the reason for his toil, labor, and effort he puts into his daily living, ministry, and calling, which was to present everyone mature in Christ. His passion to present people mature before Christ propelled him to live the way he did. The second thing to notice about the zealous way Paul lived is whose energy he employed. It wasn't his, but Christ's. Paul writes, "For this I toil, struggling with all HIS ENERGY that he powerfully works within me."
Paul did not live in his own energy and strength, but with Christ's energy and strength. If we are going to live passionately, zealously, and fervently for Christ and his gospel, we must do so in his strength and energy in which he provides through the indwelling of the Spirit. Truth be known, the reason why many believers feel as though Christ does not live through them is because although they might believe in Christ, the purpose in their daily living is not to proclaim him, to know him, to make him known, and to surrender to his lordship/leading in every area of their life. Therefore, if this is not the main goal of a believer, why would Christ's energy, his Spirit work within us? If his "so-called" vessel is not being used and utilized for his glory and gospel, why would he work through us?
The simple truth is this: if we want Christ to live through us, and not us living our life on our own, we must make sure that our goal, motives, and desires are fixated on Christ. This truth is applied in our vocation, in our parenting, in our marriage, in our relationships, in our recreation, in our learning, and even in our errands. In each area of our life, our goal and aim must be to make him known and to sharpen and invest in others (for his glory). Although Paul has in view proclaiming and verbally making Jesus known (which is primary), proclaiming and making him known through our actions can also be applied. So, today, if you want Christ to live through you, surrender to him, to making him known, and to investing in others; and Jesus (through his Spirit) will powerfully work in you, just as he did Paul.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Near-Sighted, Forgetful Church Goers
Near-Sightedness and Short-term Memory in the Church:
Having been a pastor now for three years, and being in ministry overall 10 years, I have come to experience (personally) the near-sightedness and short-term memory of American Christians. What I mean by this is that people come to church, hear the word, hear the vision of the church and pastor, yet in a moment, it is as if they forget everything they heard, experienced, and been taught. Due to their near-sightedness and short-term memory their present situation, circumstances, disgruntled brother or sister effects them to the point of leaving a church (to go to another one, or leave the church altogether).
They don't remember the sermons, the notes they took, what Jesus had taught them, or the fact that following Jesus is at times overwhelmingly difficult. We will always find ourselves in precarious situations, circumstances, and around unstable people; yet we must ground, root, and anchor ourselves to the anchor of our soul, Christ, and to the truth he has imparted to us through local churches. Also, we must remember the grand narrative (God's redemptive history) that we are a part. When people begin to make it all about themselves and try to make God just part of their life, this lends itself to near-sighted and short-term memory living.
My prayer is that believers would utilize the vision that Christ is able to provide through his atonement: vision that focuses not on the present situations, circumstances, or people, but allows them to see past those things and see Christ and his glory and what would bring him pleasure and the most glory. Second, my prayer is that Christians would truly learn and devote themselves to Scripture, to the preaching of God's word, to a local church body, to understanding the vision of a local church, and truly embracing it, rather than nonchalantly coming, intermittently (maybe) taking notes, attending out of convenience, sparse commitment, and making a mockery out of what belonging to a body (a church) is suppose to be. If not, the problem experienced by one church will soon cycle at another church. This church will experience the same people succumbing to the actions of a vomiting dog, which grossly returns to its vomit.
My biblical advice to Christians: find a church that believes in the inerrant, infallible word of God, that preaches that word, that believes in the Grand-Narrative of God's redemptive mission to reach the nations, who has a vision to reach their city and community, who desires to see people transformed by the gospel, who's not about ecclesiastical (church) games or charades, who is kingdom-minded, who will stand for truth even if it is not popular, and who is all about pleasing Christ, not man. Once you find that church, commit yourself to that truth and weather whatever situation, circumstance, soothsayers, or enchanted deceptive wolves come your way. Churches of the Lord Jesus Christ are not glorified country clubs, but are tiny brides that form the Bride of Christ. And a regaining of 20/20 vision and memory through Christ and his word and what your church has taught you, will aid in this being displayed through believers lives.
Having been a pastor now for three years, and being in ministry overall 10 years, I have come to experience (personally) the near-sightedness and short-term memory of American Christians. What I mean by this is that people come to church, hear the word, hear the vision of the church and pastor, yet in a moment, it is as if they forget everything they heard, experienced, and been taught. Due to their near-sightedness and short-term memory their present situation, circumstances, disgruntled brother or sister effects them to the point of leaving a church (to go to another one, or leave the church altogether).
They don't remember the sermons, the notes they took, what Jesus had taught them, or the fact that following Jesus is at times overwhelmingly difficult. We will always find ourselves in precarious situations, circumstances, and around unstable people; yet we must ground, root, and anchor ourselves to the anchor of our soul, Christ, and to the truth he has imparted to us through local churches. Also, we must remember the grand narrative (God's redemptive history) that we are a part. When people begin to make it all about themselves and try to make God just part of their life, this lends itself to near-sighted and short-term memory living.
My prayer is that believers would utilize the vision that Christ is able to provide through his atonement: vision that focuses not on the present situations, circumstances, or people, but allows them to see past those things and see Christ and his glory and what would bring him pleasure and the most glory. Second, my prayer is that Christians would truly learn and devote themselves to Scripture, to the preaching of God's word, to a local church body, to understanding the vision of a local church, and truly embracing it, rather than nonchalantly coming, intermittently (maybe) taking notes, attending out of convenience, sparse commitment, and making a mockery out of what belonging to a body (a church) is suppose to be. If not, the problem experienced by one church will soon cycle at another church. This church will experience the same people succumbing to the actions of a vomiting dog, which grossly returns to its vomit.
My biblical advice to Christians: find a church that believes in the inerrant, infallible word of God, that preaches that word, that believes in the Grand-Narrative of God's redemptive mission to reach the nations, who has a vision to reach their city and community, who desires to see people transformed by the gospel, who's not about ecclesiastical (church) games or charades, who is kingdom-minded, who will stand for truth even if it is not popular, and who is all about pleasing Christ, not man. Once you find that church, commit yourself to that truth and weather whatever situation, circumstance, soothsayers, or enchanted deceptive wolves come your way. Churches of the Lord Jesus Christ are not glorified country clubs, but are tiny brides that form the Bride of Christ. And a regaining of 20/20 vision and memory through Christ and his word and what your church has taught you, will aid in this being displayed through believers lives.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Is there anything wrong with numbers and desiring to reach large numbers of people
I read a blog the other day espousing that God was 'all about the numbers' (of people coming into church and getting saved), therefore churches should be all about the numbers. While I will keep the bloggers name anonymous, he represents a segment of pastors and ministry leaders who make similar statements. And they argue that God: wrote a book called "Numbers", lists numbers of genealogies, and keeps up with how many were saved throughout the book of Acts.
From the blog, the pastor writes, "Apparently God is all about the numbers. So I want to be, too. And so should you. It's unacceptable to me as a pastor that we would stop growing when the Lord wants to add to our number daily those who are being saved. And in order for that to happen, we need to track every scrap of statistical data at our disposal. We've got to make sure we're measuring ministry numbers to measure our effectiveness and enlarge the Kingdom of God. I don't want to waste a single dollar or second on a program, piece of equipment, or ministry position that isn't the best option for reaching the most people."
While I agree with the fact that God loves (unconditionally) every individual, and that the angels rejoice over one sinner who was found and repents, and that Abraham's offspring will be as numerous as the sands of the seashore, the emphasis is never on the number, but on God, his glory, and what he will accomplish. In the book of Acts where 3,000 and 5,000 were saved, the apostles never approached that day or Peter, the sermon, and desired to see scores of people come to Christ. They approached that day desiring to be faithful witnesses to God, and God blessed the fruits of their labor, and multiplied and gave increase. The other fact that biblicist must remember when reading the book of Acts is that anytime something good or miraculous happens in the church, it is not the result of the apostles or believers, but the result of the Spirit living and flowing through them.
The problem that I have with statements that teach "God is all about the numbers, therefore churches should be all about the numbers" is the simple fact that numbers can creep in a pastor's or ministry life and become an idol. If numbers is what God is about and that's what we are about, everything we do from service, to ministry, to graphics, to outreach is at the root motive about the amount of people we can reach. The object then of ministry, service, graphics, outreach, and special events become numbers/people, not the glory of God and sound orthodoxy. While I love scores of people (and would be humbled at the fact that God would allow the ministry I lead to reach many) and believe that scores amount of people will be in heaven, this is not what motivates me in the ministry--God, his love, and his calling in my life motivates me to be faithful to him in proclamation of the gospel, living out the gospel, and being an excellent kingdom citizen that lives for his glory and fame, not mine.
I do not think there is anything wrong with tracking numbers, but there are times where numbers do not measure success. Just look at Jesus in John 8. There were large crowds following him until he went all cannibal (or so they thought) on them. After his teaching, large crowds departed him leaving only the disciples. Was Jesus successful? Was he a failure? At the end of Paul's life in 2 Timothy we read a letter from a lonely man, who has been deserted by many of those who had once followed him. Was Paul unsuccessful because he had one person with him in prison? Finally, the vehicle by which Jesus would bring redemption is not the greatest avenue by which to reach scores and scores of people. If Jesus wanted to reach the most people in a humanly effective way, it would not have been through the cross. He would have chosen another way. He even prays to the Father to take this cup from him. Paul says the cross is foolishness to those who do not believe.
What does this teach us about numbers? It teaches us, the church, believers, to be faithful to the calling and commands of God and allow him to draw and reach people. He will build his church, he will build his kingdom. All throughout the Bible God's ways have never been avenues that masses would follow (and I could give example after example). Again, I am not against tracking numbers or desiring to reach a great number of people. But this doesn't determine my status and my success in God's eyes, nor is it the overarching theme that drives my ministry.
Let me just caveat all this by saying that the opposite of numbers is true as well. Many approach ministry, not with a drive and passion to reach people, therefore they have a small vision, a small church, and a dismal affect on the community. I think people and churches such as these are consumed with mediocrity, laziness, and use God as a crutch as to why they are not reaching people.
Let us not be consumed with the numbers of people, but be consumed with the glory of God. Let us love God first and have an affinity for him first and then a love and affinity for people and numbers.
From the blog, the pastor writes, "Apparently God is all about the numbers. So I want to be, too. And so should you. It's unacceptable to me as a pastor that we would stop growing when the Lord wants to add to our number daily those who are being saved. And in order for that to happen, we need to track every scrap of statistical data at our disposal. We've got to make sure we're measuring ministry numbers to measure our effectiveness and enlarge the Kingdom of God. I don't want to waste a single dollar or second on a program, piece of equipment, or ministry position that isn't the best option for reaching the most people."
While I agree with the fact that God loves (unconditionally) every individual, and that the angels rejoice over one sinner who was found and repents, and that Abraham's offspring will be as numerous as the sands of the seashore, the emphasis is never on the number, but on God, his glory, and what he will accomplish. In the book of Acts where 3,000 and 5,000 were saved, the apostles never approached that day or Peter, the sermon, and desired to see scores of people come to Christ. They approached that day desiring to be faithful witnesses to God, and God blessed the fruits of their labor, and multiplied and gave increase. The other fact that biblicist must remember when reading the book of Acts is that anytime something good or miraculous happens in the church, it is not the result of the apostles or believers, but the result of the Spirit living and flowing through them.
The problem that I have with statements that teach "God is all about the numbers, therefore churches should be all about the numbers" is the simple fact that numbers can creep in a pastor's or ministry life and become an idol. If numbers is what God is about and that's what we are about, everything we do from service, to ministry, to graphics, to outreach is at the root motive about the amount of people we can reach. The object then of ministry, service, graphics, outreach, and special events become numbers/people, not the glory of God and sound orthodoxy. While I love scores of people (and would be humbled at the fact that God would allow the ministry I lead to reach many) and believe that scores amount of people will be in heaven, this is not what motivates me in the ministry--God, his love, and his calling in my life motivates me to be faithful to him in proclamation of the gospel, living out the gospel, and being an excellent kingdom citizen that lives for his glory and fame, not mine.
I do not think there is anything wrong with tracking numbers, but there are times where numbers do not measure success. Just look at Jesus in John 8. There were large crowds following him until he went all cannibal (or so they thought) on them. After his teaching, large crowds departed him leaving only the disciples. Was Jesus successful? Was he a failure? At the end of Paul's life in 2 Timothy we read a letter from a lonely man, who has been deserted by many of those who had once followed him. Was Paul unsuccessful because he had one person with him in prison? Finally, the vehicle by which Jesus would bring redemption is not the greatest avenue by which to reach scores and scores of people. If Jesus wanted to reach the most people in a humanly effective way, it would not have been through the cross. He would have chosen another way. He even prays to the Father to take this cup from him. Paul says the cross is foolishness to those who do not believe.
What does this teach us about numbers? It teaches us, the church, believers, to be faithful to the calling and commands of God and allow him to draw and reach people. He will build his church, he will build his kingdom. All throughout the Bible God's ways have never been avenues that masses would follow (and I could give example after example). Again, I am not against tracking numbers or desiring to reach a great number of people. But this doesn't determine my status and my success in God's eyes, nor is it the overarching theme that drives my ministry.
Let me just caveat all this by saying that the opposite of numbers is true as well. Many approach ministry, not with a drive and passion to reach people, therefore they have a small vision, a small church, and a dismal affect on the community. I think people and churches such as these are consumed with mediocrity, laziness, and use God as a crutch as to why they are not reaching people.
Let us not be consumed with the numbers of people, but be consumed with the glory of God. Let us love God first and have an affinity for him first and then a love and affinity for people and numbers.
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