There was a time in our culture when we could assume people had heard basic stories from the Bible. Stories like David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lions Den, Jonah and the Whale (even though it is called a big fish in the Bible). This is not true anymore. It is becoming more common to meet people who have never heard these stories.
It is common now to meet people who have never been to church in their life. They have no idea what to expect when they walk into a worship service for the first time. It has to be intimidating.
For those of you like me who grew up going to church walking into a worship service is somewhat natural. Yeah services may be different, but for the most part they all have something in common.
There are more people today who make assumptions about church based on the people they have met who go to church and what they have heard about church. The pop culture has influenced these assumptions as well. For a large portion of our culture walking into a worship service is like walking into a foreign country. They don't know the language or the customs. They don't want to do something or say something wrong so they look foolish or draw attention to themselves. It is a real fear people have when they go to church for the first time.
The great thing is they don't come with their own agendas. If they build up the courage to enter into this foreign land they are most likely there because they are searching to know more about God. It is quite refreshing to meet people who are searching to know more about God. There is an innocent excitement in the questions they ask and their attentive spirit.
If you are reading this and you grew up in the church my question to you is this: How do you relate to a person who has no church background? Do you try to teach them about God or do you make them think you are better than them? This is not the time to show off your Bible knowledge, that is what a Pharisee would do. And Pharisees are the ones they are a afraid of most.
This is no time for judgement--It is all about grace and mercy.
When a person is a guest in another country the people they are the guest of show a high level of hospitality. The goal is to make them feel comfortable in their country. They explain customs in detail. They interpret the language explain what a phrase or word may mean in their culture. They become the teacher and the guest becomes the student, but not in an authoritative way though. They try to protect you from doing something stupid and when you do they laugh with you not at you.
If you have not been brought up in the church and you want to know more about the stories that exist in the Bible that most church goers know let me give you this piece of advice, and I say this with all the respect in the world--Buy a children's Bible and read through it. Find the same story in a big persons Bible and read it there also. These are foundational, basic stories most people who grew up in the church know.
I had one lady I made an assistant children's Sunday School teacher. She loved it. She would constantly talk to me about some of the stories "the children" were learning. She eventually became a follower of Jesus and probably is teaching children to this day. Notice she was helping before she even became a Christian. She was actually being discipled by a mature believer for one hour a week.
As church leaders we have to address this issue. How are we going to relate to those who are coming to us that have no church background? It is a reality that is becoming more common in our culture today. For me, it is an exciting reality! It is refreshing to find people who are hungry to know more about God and how to live for Him.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Ready Or Not, Here I Come!
There is a billboard not far from my house on the interstate that is sharing to those who pass--"Judgement Day is May 21, 2011."
I have to say I am quite cynical of the whole predicting the second coming thing. I mean how many times has a date come and gone just like every other day when it was deemed the day of judgement. I am also not a fan of trying to predict how the second coming will go down, you know all the pre, post and amillennial stuff. I like what someone once told me, "I am a 'pan'millennialist. Everything is going to pan out in the end."
Seriously, trying to predict how and when the second coming of Jesus is going to happen is like trying to predict when and where lightning will strike next.
The disciples were standing looking up into the sky when Jesus ascended (Acts 1:9). He had just told them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive the Holy Spirit and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:7-8).
Yet they still stood there gazing into the sky waiting for Jesus to come back. "Waiting" is a word that defines most Christians. It is a sedentary word which shows no action. We "wait" for those who are far from God to show up at church on Sunday morning hoping the service will attract them to be a part of our club. We "wait" on God to provide the necessary resources before we step out on faith and trust Him where he may be leading us. Then when the resources do not appear we claim God shut the door.
There just is not a sense of urgency within the western Christian world. We stand and wait to much. We look for when Jesus is going to come back and this becomes our sense of urgency? Not the fact that there are people going to hell all around us?
Jesus never told us to figure out the day he was coming and warn people about that day. The message is not a message of judgement it is a message opposite of judgement, it is a message of grace.
Look, Jesus is coming someday that is truth. But even he said he would come as a thief in the night. Our sense of urgency as followers of Jesus should not be tied into the truth that he is coming to gather his followers someday. It should not create a complacent attitude. And it surely should not make us feel comfortable.
Our sense of urgency should be tied into the truth there are people who will miss out on grace if we do not take serious our mission and call to make disciples of all nations. We should be willing to give up our own wants, desires and comforts for so that people can know the grace Jesus wants to extend to all people.
Selfishly I want Jesus to come back on May 21, 2011 or even before. But if he does there are people I know that have yet to become followers of Jesus. My love for them compels me to hope Jesus does not come until they understand His grace and what He has done for them. The longer he waits the more people there will be in His presence forever. That describes the heart of God.
As the disciples stood there it says "they were looking 'intently' up into the sky" when two men dressed in white asked them what they are doing. The two men explained Jesus would return the same way they saw him go into heaven. It must have been said in a way that the disciples understood it was not going to be immediate. It must of reminded them of their calling.
They left. Not long after that the Spirit came on them as promised and they went into the world telling people about Jesus. Their urgency to be His witnesses launched the church. They told people of his grace, mercy and love. Did they mention the second coming? Of course. But they never said when it was going to happen, they only taught that it would happen someday.
The hope is that people will be ready for the day Jesus comes for those who call him Lord.
Below is a song written in the sixties by Larry Norman. It is redone in the 90's by DC Talk. Larry Norman's message is that he hopes everyone will be ready when that day comes.
I have to say I am quite cynical of the whole predicting the second coming thing. I mean how many times has a date come and gone just like every other day when it was deemed the day of judgement. I am also not a fan of trying to predict how the second coming will go down, you know all the pre, post and amillennial stuff. I like what someone once told me, "I am a 'pan'millennialist. Everything is going to pan out in the end."
Seriously, trying to predict how and when the second coming of Jesus is going to happen is like trying to predict when and where lightning will strike next.
The disciples were standing looking up into the sky when Jesus ascended (Acts 1:9). He had just told them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive the Holy Spirit and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:7-8).
Yet they still stood there gazing into the sky waiting for Jesus to come back. "Waiting" is a word that defines most Christians. It is a sedentary word which shows no action. We "wait" for those who are far from God to show up at church on Sunday morning hoping the service will attract them to be a part of our club. We "wait" on God to provide the necessary resources before we step out on faith and trust Him where he may be leading us. Then when the resources do not appear we claim God shut the door.
There just is not a sense of urgency within the western Christian world. We stand and wait to much. We look for when Jesus is going to come back and this becomes our sense of urgency? Not the fact that there are people going to hell all around us?
Jesus never told us to figure out the day he was coming and warn people about that day. The message is not a message of judgement it is a message opposite of judgement, it is a message of grace.
Look, Jesus is coming someday that is truth. But even he said he would come as a thief in the night. Our sense of urgency as followers of Jesus should not be tied into the truth that he is coming to gather his followers someday. It should not create a complacent attitude. And it surely should not make us feel comfortable.
Our sense of urgency should be tied into the truth there are people who will miss out on grace if we do not take serious our mission and call to make disciples of all nations. We should be willing to give up our own wants, desires and comforts for so that people can know the grace Jesus wants to extend to all people.
Selfishly I want Jesus to come back on May 21, 2011 or even before. But if he does there are people I know that have yet to become followers of Jesus. My love for them compels me to hope Jesus does not come until they understand His grace and what He has done for them. The longer he waits the more people there will be in His presence forever. That describes the heart of God.
As the disciples stood there it says "they were looking 'intently' up into the sky" when two men dressed in white asked them what they are doing. The two men explained Jesus would return the same way they saw him go into heaven. It must have been said in a way that the disciples understood it was not going to be immediate. It must of reminded them of their calling.
They left. Not long after that the Spirit came on them as promised and they went into the world telling people about Jesus. Their urgency to be His witnesses launched the church. They told people of his grace, mercy and love. Did they mention the second coming? Of course. But they never said when it was going to happen, they only taught that it would happen someday.
The hope is that people will be ready for the day Jesus comes for those who call him Lord.
Below is a song written in the sixties by Larry Norman. It is redone in the 90's by DC Talk. Larry Norman's message is that he hopes everyone will be ready when that day comes.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Kingdom Synergy Partnership (KSP)
Yesterday I was at a KSP meeting in Columbus. I love going to KSP meetings because they are so rewarding in so many ways.
KSP was a dream a friend had to "Make it Hard to Go to Hell in Ohio." When it started about 6 years ago there were four churches and two church planting organizations that began to meet regularly to dream about starting a church. It has grown from a meeting where five people came together to now over 100. There are 18 churches that have been planted or are in process. Many churches and networks are working together in Ohio watching God do some amazing things in the world of church planting. And now there are four churches being planted in Ecuador.
One of the coolest things about each of the church plants is the diversity. There are churches from the suburbs to the inner city. All the churches together are reaching such a diverse group of people and when they come together they cheer one another on--it truly is a modern day picture of the church as a movement. It is a picture of a church reaching "all nations."
The core values are simple, yet truly define the culture of KSP.
Authenticity- No image management is allowed. It does not matter who gets the credit everyone is working together for one cause.
Collaberation- KSP brings people and churches together to plant churches, share ideas, encourage and complete the mission.
Generosity- KSP churhes and leaders share anything with each other from resources to time.
Urgency- There are people going to hell all around us and there is an urgent call from God to reach these people.
KSP has truly become a movement that is impacting Ohio and the World. I am blessed to be able to participate in something God is doing which is bigger than anyone person or one church.
What a great ride!
KSP was a dream a friend had to "Make it Hard to Go to Hell in Ohio." When it started about 6 years ago there were four churches and two church planting organizations that began to meet regularly to dream about starting a church. It has grown from a meeting where five people came together to now over 100. There are 18 churches that have been planted or are in process. Many churches and networks are working together in Ohio watching God do some amazing things in the world of church planting. And now there are four churches being planted in Ecuador.
One of the coolest things about each of the church plants is the diversity. There are churches from the suburbs to the inner city. All the churches together are reaching such a diverse group of people and when they come together they cheer one another on--it truly is a modern day picture of the church as a movement. It is a picture of a church reaching "all nations."
The core values are simple, yet truly define the culture of KSP.
Authenticity- No image management is allowed. It does not matter who gets the credit everyone is working together for one cause.
Collaberation- KSP brings people and churches together to plant churches, share ideas, encourage and complete the mission.
Generosity- KSP churhes and leaders share anything with each other from resources to time.
Urgency- There are people going to hell all around us and there is an urgent call from God to reach these people.
KSP has truly become a movement that is impacting Ohio and the World. I am blessed to be able to participate in something God is doing which is bigger than anyone person or one church.
What a great ride!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Just a Thought
What would happen if we, the church, believers--those who call themselves followers of Jesus took seriously the command to make disciples? Churches would begin to look more like Jesus, communities would be transformed, lives would be changed and more people would go to heaven.
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