You have got to love this. C.T. Studd once wrote:
Too long we have been waiting for one another to begin! The time for waiting is past! . . . Should such men as we fear? Before the whole world, aye, before the sleepy, lukewarm, faithless, namby-pamby Christian world, we will dare to trust God, . . . and we will do it with His joy unspeakable singing aloud in our hearts. We will a thousand times sooner die trusting only in our God than live trusting in man. And when we come to this position the battle is already won, and the end of the glorious campaign in sight. We will have the real Holiness of God, not the sickly stuff of talk and dainty words and pretty thoughts; we will have a Masculine Holiness, one of daring faith and works for Jesus Christ (quoted in David Platt, Radical, 178-179).
Friday, May 14, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Could this be Us?
While reading a secular book on change, one quote grabbed my attention. The author described why people often resist changing in order to move forward. The reason for this Resistance, he explained, is often fear. The person caught in this fear:
[D]on't think about growth. They don't think about personal renewal. They don't think about developing whatever leadership they have. Instead they cling defensively to what they currently have. In effect, they embrace the past, not the future (John Kotter, Leading Change, 185).
Change happens so fast. What was once common and expected is now outdated and sometimes laughable. I wonder if we sometimes remain stuck in our current state because we are simply afraid. Is that why churches sometimes fight so violently to remain the same?
Fear is a real experience that is only conquered by a superior fear and confidence. That is why the Bible constantly drives us to a healthy fear of God (Prov. 1:7) and a robust confidence in God's sovereign goodness (Rom. 8:28). If fear constrains, God will liberate. And we will be the better for it.
[D]on't think about growth. They don't think about personal renewal. They don't think about developing whatever leadership they have. Instead they cling defensively to what they currently have. In effect, they embrace the past, not the future (John Kotter, Leading Change, 185).
Change happens so fast. What was once common and expected is now outdated and sometimes laughable. I wonder if we sometimes remain stuck in our current state because we are simply afraid. Is that why churches sometimes fight so violently to remain the same?
Fear is a real experience that is only conquered by a superior fear and confidence. That is why the Bible constantly drives us to a healthy fear of God (Prov. 1:7) and a robust confidence in God's sovereign goodness (Rom. 8:28). If fear constrains, God will liberate. And we will be the better for it.
Disinfecting Christians vs. Discipling Believers
In a good new book entitled Radical, pastor and author David Platt draws a helpful distinction between disinfecting Christians versus discipling believers. He describes the process of disinfecting Christians like this:
Disinfecting Christians from the world involves isolating followers of Christ in a spiritual safe-deposit box called the church building and teaching them to be good. In this strategy, success in the church is defined by how big a building you have to house all the Christians, and the goal is to gather as many people as possible for a couple of hours each week in that place where we are isolated and insulated from the realities of the world around us. When someone asks, "Where is your church?" we point them to a building or give them an address, and everything centers around what happens at that location (104).
Sadly I believe that this is not only the mentality of many church, but it is also the stated goal. Thus many believers are willing to invite people to church but hesitant to invite the same people to Christ. This is not only different from the biblical picture, but it also works against it. Platt describes the biblical alternative by saying:
Whereas disinfecting Christians involves isolating them and teaching them to be good, discipling Christians involves propelling Christians into the world to risk their lives for the sake of others. Now the world is the focus, and we gauge success in the church not on the hundreds or thousands whom we can get into our buildings but on the hundreds or thousands who are leaving our buildings to take on the world with the disciples they are making. In this case, we would never think that the disciple-making plan of Jesus could take place in one service a week at one location led by one or two teachers (105).
Hardly a day goes by when some one does not ask me how many people go to our church. I understand what is behind the question. It is a veiled way of asking how "successful" we are. Oh for the day when people begin to ask, "How many people are you sending from your church?" Then we will be getting close to the pattern of Jesus. On this account, John Piper has it right when he says that we should measure the effectiveness of a church be sending capacity not seating capacity.
Disinfecting Christians from the world involves isolating followers of Christ in a spiritual safe-deposit box called the church building and teaching them to be good. In this strategy, success in the church is defined by how big a building you have to house all the Christians, and the goal is to gather as many people as possible for a couple of hours each week in that place where we are isolated and insulated from the realities of the world around us. When someone asks, "Where is your church?" we point them to a building or give them an address, and everything centers around what happens at that location (104).
Sadly I believe that this is not only the mentality of many church, but it is also the stated goal. Thus many believers are willing to invite people to church but hesitant to invite the same people to Christ. This is not only different from the biblical picture, but it also works against it. Platt describes the biblical alternative by saying:
Whereas disinfecting Christians involves isolating them and teaching them to be good, discipling Christians involves propelling Christians into the world to risk their lives for the sake of others. Now the world is the focus, and we gauge success in the church not on the hundreds or thousands whom we can get into our buildings but on the hundreds or thousands who are leaving our buildings to take on the world with the disciples they are making. In this case, we would never think that the disciple-making plan of Jesus could take place in one service a week at one location led by one or two teachers (105).
Hardly a day goes by when some one does not ask me how many people go to our church. I understand what is behind the question. It is a veiled way of asking how "successful" we are. Oh for the day when people begin to ask, "How many people are you sending from your church?" Then we will be getting close to the pattern of Jesus. On this account, John Piper has it right when he says that we should measure the effectiveness of a church be sending capacity not seating capacity.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Trellis and the Vine
Ministry is messy. Scores of books argue to the contrary, but ministry is still messy. Its messy getting involved in people's lives. It gets messy when the Bible rocks your world and you must change. Ministry is messy.
That's why ministers need practical help from time to time. But even looking for help is messy. Speakers abound but true biblical guides are a precious few.
The message of a wonderful new book entitled The Trellis and the Vine is that ministry is supposed to be messy. Nevertheless there is an goal and a method to the madness. The central argument of the book is that Christianity is not a spectator religion. Rather it is a religion of disciples committed to making disciples. With that in mind, this is not a book about ministry structures. Instead it is a book about the nature and essence of Christian work.
It begins by arguing that the our goal in the church must be making disciples, if we are to follow the pattern of the Bible. The problem is that churches tend toward institutionalism. That is, we can become so preoccupied with structures and programs that we miss the essence of our call. The essence of our call is to prayerfully speak the word into the lives of people in order to reach them for Christ and mature them in Christ. Consequently, disciples need training, which means that large amounts of time and energy must be devoted to training disciples so that they may become those who train disciples.
This was a refreshing read. It is a rare book about the work of the church that does not try to impress the reader with stories of remarkable numercial growth. It is a subtle work that calls us to the joyful gravity of the normal--biblically speaking--Christian life. I plan to use it as a valuable tool in training our people.
That's why ministers need practical help from time to time. But even looking for help is messy. Speakers abound but true biblical guides are a precious few.
The message of a wonderful new book entitled The Trellis and the Vine is that ministry is supposed to be messy. Nevertheless there is an goal and a method to the madness. The central argument of the book is that Christianity is not a spectator religion. Rather it is a religion of disciples committed to making disciples. With that in mind, this is not a book about ministry structures. Instead it is a book about the nature and essence of Christian work.
It begins by arguing that the our goal in the church must be making disciples, if we are to follow the pattern of the Bible. The problem is that churches tend toward institutionalism. That is, we can become so preoccupied with structures and programs that we miss the essence of our call. The essence of our call is to prayerfully speak the word into the lives of people in order to reach them for Christ and mature them in Christ. Consequently, disciples need training, which means that large amounts of time and energy must be devoted to training disciples so that they may become those who train disciples.
This was a refreshing read. It is a rare book about the work of the church that does not try to impress the reader with stories of remarkable numercial growth. It is a subtle work that calls us to the joyful gravity of the normal--biblically speaking--Christian life. I plan to use it as a valuable tool in training our people.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The Subtle Effect of Traditions
In a wonderful book entitled The Trellis and the Vine, authors Colin Marshall and Tony Payne explain the subtle danger of our "church" traditions. They write:
"We are all captive to our traditions and influenced by them more than we realize. And the effect of tradition and long practice is not always that some terrible error becomes entrenched; more often it is that our focus shifts away from our main task and agenda, which is disciple making. We become so used to doing things one way (often for good reason at first) that important elements are neglected and forgotten, to our cost. We become imbalanced, and then wonder why we go in circles (p. 15)."
"We are all captive to our traditions and influenced by them more than we realize. And the effect of tradition and long practice is not always that some terrible error becomes entrenched; more often it is that our focus shifts away from our main task and agenda, which is disciple making. We become so used to doing things one way (often for good reason at first) that important elements are neglected and forgotten, to our cost. We become imbalanced, and then wonder why we go in circles (p. 15)."
Monday, December 28, 2009
It Has Been a Fast and Great Year.
This year is almost over, and I cannot believe it. It started with the Arnold back in Tennessee after around nine years. We had not sold our house, and we were beginning a new pastorate. We did not know what to expect, but we knew that God was in it.
It took about 10 months to sell our house. During those months we learned new lessons about God's faithfulness and provision. Time after time God opened unforeseen doors and encouraged us daily.
On the church front, we experienced more and faster growth than we could have anticipated. With every step, Double Springs responded with support like we have never experienced. I am filled anticipation, because I believe that we will see great growth in both depth and breadth.
More importantly, however, is the work of God in our family. We moved with great concerns about finding a school for Joshua. Previously he attended Lee Christian in North Carolina. We loved it so much that we could not imagine finding a school half as good. Besides this, there was no Christian school in the area. Now less than a year later, there is a great Christian school and Joshua is able to go. Lucas and Abby are loving life, since they are surrounded by family all the time. Kim and I are more in love than every, and our passion for ministry is growing. We are looking for a house to spend the next 70 or so years.
As I type the random thoughts, I feel so thankful for this life God has given me to live. I hope that all of you feel the same. It is my prayer that we will take this sense of thanksgiving and gain new confidence in the power of God for the upcoming year.
It took about 10 months to sell our house. During those months we learned new lessons about God's faithfulness and provision. Time after time God opened unforeseen doors and encouraged us daily.
On the church front, we experienced more and faster growth than we could have anticipated. With every step, Double Springs responded with support like we have never experienced. I am filled anticipation, because I believe that we will see great growth in both depth and breadth.
More importantly, however, is the work of God in our family. We moved with great concerns about finding a school for Joshua. Previously he attended Lee Christian in North Carolina. We loved it so much that we could not imagine finding a school half as good. Besides this, there was no Christian school in the area. Now less than a year later, there is a great Christian school and Joshua is able to go. Lucas and Abby are loving life, since they are surrounded by family all the time. Kim and I are more in love than every, and our passion for ministry is growing. We are looking for a house to spend the next 70 or so years.
As I type the random thoughts, I feel so thankful for this life God has given me to live. I hope that all of you feel the same. It is my prayer that we will take this sense of thanksgiving and gain new confidence in the power of God for the upcoming year.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Live the Life and You will Get Your Chance
Here is an amazing video that reminds me of the necessity of a consistent witness over the long haul.
John MacArthur - Study Video from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.
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