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Tuesday, August 07, 2007

A Radical Difference

The Book of Acts tells the story of a handful of men and women who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, did not leave their world the same way they found it. They were ordinary people whom God enabled to do extraordinary things. It was the beginning of a movement that continues to this very day.

On the Day of Pentecost, about 120 believers were gathered together when the Holy Spirit was poured out. Everywhere they went, they were ridiculed and opposed and persecuted and physically assaulted for their beliefs. Some were even put to death. Yet within a period of about 30 years, this original group of 120 and their converts came to be known as those who turned their world upside down. When we see their fearless preaching and their expectant prayer and willingness to obey, these Christians almost seem radical.

But it isn’t that they were radical; it is just that we’re not radical enough. We are living a watered-down version of the Christian life. What we see in the Book of Acts is normal, New Testament Christianity.

Could what happened in Acts happen again? Could we see another great movement of the Holy Spirit? The answer is yes, we could. But it starts with you. It starts with me. Let me ask you this: What if everyone in the church behaved just as you do? How well would the church know the Bible? What kind of a prayer life would the church have? How many people would be hearing the gospel? What kind of church would it be?

The church is made up of people like us. And we can make a radical difference.

If I looked back on my life I would realize that I had it better than I think I did. Well, at least until our family grew larger, my dad ended up having to take poorer paying jobs This was especially the case when he worked for some churches in full time ministry that didn’t know how to take care of their people.

For most of my junior high and high school years my dad pastored a church that had a Christian school, but this was more of a public type Christian school. The kids were not lifers in the church, so I wasn’t one of those pastor’s kids that had all of the friends and the cliques because of who my dad was and I wasn’t viewed as someone who could help others get out of trouble, only if they did the trouble with me…who’s going to punish the PK?

So I kind of grew up with a complex. I wanted to be popular. I had to reveal my “human” side at school if I wanted to make any friends so they could see that I wasn’t a tattle tale, I was not perfect, etc. I spent several years of my life wanting to belong and wanting to “be somebody!”

These are just a few passages of scripture that I have studied lately that helps me understand that it does not matter who I am, what my background is, my education level, or my popularity and wealth levels…if He has a plan for me, it is His power and wisdom that are going to make things happen, not mine. I have learned that I should spend my time submitting myself to God and seeking His anointing rather than trying to be recognized in the eyes of the world.

The fact is, God uses the powerless, the common, the uneducated, those that make the biggest WOW for him when people see what He is using them to do for Him!

Nick

Perry Noble posted an excellent article on his blog about why people criticize. I want to share my thoughts about this topic, but I want to focus on how there could be a true revolution in the church if Christians would get their act together. I grew up Independent Baptist and they are the worst and judging, criticizing, anything that is not what they think is right.

As I have been studying different books in the New Testament over the past couple of months, time and time again I have the thought the “the church” needs to hear what I am reading. In my mind the church is missing something huge and it is effecting the mission of Christ badly!

As I went to post this I was reminded that I too, need to cool down a little when it comes to dealing with these type of Christians. Ephesians 4:2 tells me I need to be patient with my fellow believers, leaving room for their faults, because of my love for them. It is easy to become just as vicious a judge of those who judge; we become judgmental of the judgmental.

I am not sure all of the denominations that battle one another. I know there are several out there that work great together, however growing up in the Independent Baptist Church I was exposed to a lot of hate, criticism, and judgment of the Southern Baptist Churches. It was so bad, that I had never attended a Southern Baptist Church and I thought they were evil or something. That is what happens when churches take the Liberty to brainwash children with man’s opinion versus teaching them the principles from God’s Word. I went with my friend to one of their RA days to a Furman Football Game and thought I might be making God mad, no exaggeration, I was seriously taught that the Southern Baptist were bad and wrong. So whether there are other denominations that influence people in this way, I am not sure, but I know with many of the Independents they don’t just stop with the Southern Baptist, it leaks over into the Methodist, the Presbyterians, and on and on and on…it’s poison!

Ephesians 4:2 – Let’s see who is more out of line with God’s Word – We are told to be “Humble” “Gentle” “Patient” with each other in “Love” – How does criticism, judgment, and poisonous hate fit in there?

Ephesians 4:3 – We are being told to make every effort to be UNITED in the Spirit. If we are truly believers, we share the same Spirit…therefore it is the Holy Spirit that we have in common that we must rely on to bring us together. The fact is…we cannot be united with everyone. There are some pastors, who, people will never trust nor even associate with due to the hurt they have caused and their non-repentant attitude. I guess this goes back to the Pride issue Perry spoke about. It also tells us to be bound by PEACE, once again judging, poisonous hate, and criticism does not spur on peace.

Ephesians 4:4 – This is a kicker for me! We are ONE Body, there is ONE Spirit. When we bash each other and when the body of Christ cannot work together, we see the results and it is a world that is headed for death, and they are not attracted by the Light we say that we posses…they want nothing to do with it! What if my digestive system decided to stop working with the rest of my body? I would be full of crap…that’s what a lot of churches and Christians have become…Full of Crap! We cannot be one body and fight against each other. We will see a Revolution in Christianity if we would work together in love and unity!

Ephesians 4:5, 6 – I still get a kick out of the use of ONE! Here we have divided ourselves, and the Bible is telling us how we are ONE, and we are a part of a unified system that God has put together, but yet we divide ourselves. I am not talking about being divided as in different churches, because God uses different styles and different methods to reach different people, but that is what a lot of the criticizers fail to realize and fail to admit, but when we have to start attacking each other, dragging people’s name’s through the mud, and spewing hate over a difference in opinion and conviction, we are doing Jesus a disservice!

I like what Paul says in 1 Corinthians – He starts out admonishing the people and calling them Holy, but then he gives some tough instructions.

1 Corinthians 1:10 – “STOP ARGUING AMONGST YOURSELVES” That’s pretty clear!!!
We are also told to live in “Real Harmony” to be of “One Mind” and “United in thought and purpose” – This didn’t say united in style and method, type of music, or version of Bible, but in thought and purpose!
What is the purpose of the church? In my opinion it is boiled down to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment, as Christians we are called to do these things and to allow our lives to reflect Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:13 – Christ is the head of the church. He said that He would build His church. He didn’t say man will build my church or man will build his idea of the church or man will be my dictator for what I want as a church. So if we know that as Believers we share the same Spirit that lives in us and through us, why is it that we don’t allow that Spirit to control us? If the Spirit is leading you to start or pastor a church that runs 50 people a week, singing from hymns that no one in this generation knows, reading from scripture that sounds like a Shakespeare play, using no creativity, people as cold as death, with nothing to offer people who aren’t professional Christians then do what the Spirit is telling you to do, but don’t criticize what the Spirit is telling and leading another Believer to do, because that is not being Unified and it is not being of ONE body. The verse questions whether or not Christ is divided? If you say “No,” then why is His church?

Whew I feel better! I truly feel that Christianity can see a great Revolution across the world if we would all learn to work together, not on the things that are merely opinion or personal conviction, but on sharing the Good News with the lost, helping them to Grow to where they can get back out and help others to know this awesome Lord, Jesus Christ.

Nick

I was studying over Titus 2 today and had a few thoughts:

1. Verse 1 tells us to “promote” the kind of living that reflects right teaching: Easy enough!
Why then do churches and pastors rely on guilt, manipulation, and force to bring about the kind of living that reflects right teaching? Does it make sense to believe that if you present God’s message in the way He intended it to be presented and lead people in the way that he set as an example, people’s lives will be changed through the power of His Word getting inside of them and changing them? It’s Christ who changes the hearts of man, not man who changes man.

2. As the older women are being instructed to set the appropriate example for the younger women, verse 3 says “They must not go around speaking evil of others…” – Isn’t this good instruction for all of us? Why is it that these churches and their leader who many would classify as being “dead” or “ineffective” in their ministry approach, go around and criticize and speak evil of the men and women who God is using to make His name famous? I just don’t get it! I thought it would always be the world that criticized us, the Followers of Christ, not those who are supposed to be Believers, oh wait! That’s right, it was the Pharisees that gave Jesus such a hard time! Got it!

3. This kind of goes along with #2. I know a lot of people criticize churches like Saddleback, North Point, Mosaic, New Spring, and Willow Creek for their creative approach to presenting the Good News to those who are disconnected from a relationship with Christ. They have problems with the “performance” they put on in their services. The fact is, what they are doing is very attractive! But this is what Titus says in verse 10, “Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way” – This comes after the instructions to the older men and women to teach the younger to live lives that would be pleasing and honorable to their God.

Why is it that these great churches can pull of what they pull off for Christ? Its because their pastors, their leaders, and their core volunteers are living their life recklessly for Christ outside of their leadership role! These people are passionate about Jesus, they are passionate about people and seeing their lives changed, that’s why when they do church…its attractive! Its not just something they do on Sunday, but it is what they are doing outside of Sunday. [Read Titus 2]

Nick

It doe not matter which team is your favorite. There is one name that is famous throughout the NFL, that name is Bill Walsh. The Hall of Fame Football coach that many say changed the face of professional football in the NFL. I was only a child when he helped the San Francisco 49ers build their dynasty and win their Super Bowl Championships, but I’ve grown up hearing the household name of one of the greatest coaches to play the game, Bill Walsh.

Bill Walsh died today at the age of 75. He fought a long battle with Leukemia in recent years. Even though he has been out of coaching for some time now, the NFL and its fans will miss Coach Walsh.