Life Outside the Walls

At our church (Church on Fire) the most important ministry happens outside of the walls of the worship service.  It is in our small groups (which we call Missional Life Groups) that our people receive the connection and discipleship that true Christian community offers.  Not only that, but these communities foster and display the kind of love and unity Jesus said would testify to the world about Him.  However, just hanging out together or studying the Bible together does not necessarily result in an experience of community. We must be purposeful to create an atmosphere of love, acceptance, unity and freedom if we are to cultivate a transformational community. We are still finding out what does and doesn’t work, but here are some important lessons I’ve learned so far.

1.     Diversity creates rich community.  Not only diversity of gifts, culture and personality, but also diversity of activity together.  We worship, pray, and study together; we also play, eat, serve, laugh, cry, exercise, rest and goof off together.  In this way we have become a part of one another’s lives in a meaningful way.

2.     My relationship with my friend’s kids is important.  I remember growing up with a few extra “aunts” and “uncles” who not only loved my parents but who truly loved me.  I now get to be that for the kids in our Life Group.  As the kids have connected with the adults in our group we have seen them come out of their shells and truly begin participating with community life.

3.     People get to connect at their own pace. In our western culture of isolation people are often hungry for and suspicious of relationships at the same time.  This is especially true if they have had a hurtful experience in church.  Giving them time to observe how we love them and one another creates a safe place for them to open their heart to us.

4.     I won’t play the numbers game.  We all want as many people as possible to experience the transformative power of Christian community. However, we are only gathering a group of people faking community if we don’t learn to love those who are in front of us well.  Don’t sacrifice growing in love for numerical growth.    

5.     I can’t take being missional for granted.  The community isn’t just there for each other.  We are there to show the world what the love of God can do. I must constantly remind myself and the group of Jesus’ desire for the world to see Him through our community.

Finally, I have noticed that it is not any one thing we do that creates a sense of community.  It is the cumulative effect of life together that nurtures an atmosphere of transformation and healing for those who join us.  I have seen this atmosphere bring breakthrough in a way that years of church programs and Christian counseling could not.  It is my personal conviction that the priority of ministry for me as a pastor is not in crafting a charismatic sermon or worship service.  It is to equip and encourage leaders of small nurturing communities so that people can truly connect with each other, grow as disciples of Jesus, and live out the mission of the Kingdom in the world.

My Thoughts on Evangelism

The way we fulfill the great commission is to live the great commandment... Love God.  Love Others.

We try to convince people to follow a Jesus they don't know...  Our first responsibility is to show people what Jesus is like.

If we can learn to authentically and radically love people we will not need to convince them of anything - they will be drawn to Jesus as he is - unencumbered by our own agendas, motivations and egos.

When did Jesus ever confront sin except in the Pharisees? Do you think he got invited to parties because he was so good at convincing people they were sinners? The only time he even came close to addressing sin was with the woman at the well - whom he had already shown radical, unabashed love to... even then it was less of a confrontation and more "thanks for being honest."

Whether they admit it or not people know they are sinners.  They know they are broken. They know they are unfulfilled.  They may suppress their knowledge of God (Romans 1:18) but somewhere inside they know he is there and that they are incapable of having a relationship with him.

That being said we can't ignore sin.  Those who are truly seeking to reconcile with God need to admit that for their entire lives they have been trying to live autonomous from God.  Each of us have looked the all-powerful, all-knowing, perfect God whose very essence is love in the face and said, "No, I want to do it my way."  That is the offense of sin.  It is unthinkable that we, his creation, would rebel against one so holy and loving.

But there is also an offense with grace.  We like our self-sufficency. We like our independence. We may in our natural selves want to be autonomous from God but in reality we are completely dependent on him. We can choose to be offended with the truth that we are dependent or we can embrace it and receive the grace that reconciles us to our Father.

Autonomy does not equal freedom.  Dependance equals freedom. Only when we are dependent on him do we really know what freedom is.  People want to be free.  People want to be loved. More then they want to be autonomous.

Show them what dependence is. Show them what freedom is.  Show them what love is.

Redefining Greatness

Let me ask you a question: Do you want to change the world? That may seem a little pretentious.  Let me rephrase it. Do you want to do something significant that will result in many – maybe even hundreds or thousands of people coming to know Jesus as their Savior and living their lives as true disciples of Christ? Still too much…  How about…  would you like to be above average?  I have to confess I definitely want to be above average.  In fact I would like to do something significant that impacts hundreds or thousands of lives. Well, let’s be honest – I really would like to change the world.  I’m what you call an ambitious idealist – some might even say an above average ambitious idealist. 

            

In fact, I can relate to the question the disciples asked in Matthew 18:1, “who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” Now we like to give the disciples a hard time because this seemed to be a reoccurring issue for them. In fact, they had down and out fights over this very question. But let’s give them a break.  I mean they were hanging around with Jesus – not only watching him raise the dead, heal the sick and cast out demons – but they had been sent out to do some of the very same stuff.  It was obvious to all of them that this was the day they had heard about from childhood.  The day when the Messiah would kick out the Romans, make Israel great again and rule the earth from Jerusalem. Can you imagine what it felt like to be on the ground floor of that? It would be like being on the board of directors for Mac or a part of the president’s cabinet x1000. In the next chapter (Matthew 19) Jesus even tells his disciples that they will sit on twelve thrones judging the tribes of Israel.  So maybe they had a reason to think they would be great.

            

It makes me wonder if I realize what I am a part of in the Kingdom of God and if God can trust me with amazing opportunities without me getting prideful.  However, there is another underlying question here that we may not notice at first but that is more important and maybe less idealistic and more realistic...  It is, how will I respond when I’m not “the” greatest – when I watch an amazing opportunity get handed to someone else – someone younger, not as experienced, not as wise...  

What about you? What about when you find out that the one thing you’re really good at (playing an instrument, fixing computers, preaching a sermon)– that little Jimmy can run circles around you? When a coworker gets put in charge of your team because they’re charming but you know you would make the better leader? When the newbie at church gets ask to share on Sunday morning instead of you?

            

You see what was also becoming clear to the disciples by chapter 18 was that some of them were starting to pull ahead of the pack. It had been revealed to Peter that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the Son of the living God and Peter had even walked on water even if only for a moment.  In fact, in the previous chapter, Matthew 17, we see Jesus choosing Peter, James and John to witness him in his glory, his face shining like the sun and his clothes becoming white and then Moses and Elijah even show up.

So when the disciples asked Jesus who would be the greatest in his kingdom at least 9 and maybe 11 of them were asking – why not me? Have you ever asked that question? “Why little Jimmy and not me? “ “Why hard-headed, big mouth Peter and not me?”

This is what Jesus tells them (Read Passage: Matthew 18:1-6)

Wow.  Jesus is a genius.  He doesn’t just say… “you idiots, how many times do I have to tell you…  First of all isn’t it obvious that I’m the greatest… I’m the Messiah here people…"   No – he doesn’t rebuke them instead he redirects them with illustrations so that they can not only understand true greatness but understand how priceless true greatness is. In this passage Jesus is acting out a parable. This passage is not about children but about those who are great in the Kingdom who he calls his little ones.  He has a child come and stand there because even though children are deeply loved by their parents – and in the Biblical culture children were even considered a blessing from God – yet they had no social status, no position, no power or authority. They were just kids – dependent, hopefully obedient, children…  The child was a metaphor for those who are a part of God’s Kingdom.

You see, the Kingdom of heaven isn’t about who is the top dog, the superman, the megastar, the miracle worker… It’s not about title or position or accomplishment… Those who are great are humble like children.  In fact, the top dogs may not even get in…  only the humble top dogs.  Jesus was trying to show his disciples that greatness is not about what you “do” but about who you are.  

Getting the promotion is not what makes you great - treating the one who was promoted instead of you with graciousness and authentically congratulating them is makes you great.  Maybe even willingly giving up an opportunity so that another can have it…  looking for ways to encourage and make room for others… that is what makes you great.

There isn’t a pyramid of greatness in the Kingdom – the higher you are the greater you are, and the fewer there are to compete with you.  In the Kingdom anyone who humbles themselves is great; anyone who serves and loves others is great. The lower you are the greater you are. This should have been good news for the disciples because it meant that each one of them were significant. They were never in competition with each other – they never had to out-great the other disciples.  And if they weren’t in competition maybe they could actually help each other, encourage each other towards greatness,  receive and make room for each other. Jesus even goes so far as to say that receiving ‘one such child’ is the same as receiving him – that means welcoming him and making room for him to participate.

In fact, that is the way it is suppose to be because greatness is not individualistic – we will be held accountable for how we love and serve one another, or if we cause another to sin. God’s little ones are so precious to him that Jesus said it would be better to have a mill stone tied around your neck and drowned then to cause one of his little ones to stumble. A millstone was used for grinding wheat and the large millstone referred to in this passage would weigh around 130 pounds.  This was an actual form of execution in ancient times so today we might say it would better to be sentenced to the electric chair then cause one of Jesus’ little ones to sin.

            

Jesus is really serious… We are in this together… Your welfare should matter to me.  Our culture tells us to look out for yourself cause no one else will – to take every opportunity you can even if it means stepping over someone else… even if it creates an environment of competition and dog eat dog… But what kind of person does that?  Selfish? Arrogant?

            

Kingdom culture is the exact opposite – in the kingdom culture every person is an important part of the body and has something significant to contribute. In the Kingdom culture we are to prefer one another above ourselves and serve, even submit to one another.  What kind of person does that? The meek, the humble, the selfless, the poor in spirit.

            

This is why who you are becoming is more important than what you are doing. Or maybe I should say who we are becoming together.  We want our culture to look like the culture of heaven… just as Jesus taught us to pray “Father… your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  It’s a community of love that best represents Christ and his Kingdom to the world.  John 13:35 – “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

 My pastor has a saying that when the waters rise, all the boats are raised.  This means that instead of seeing myself as being passed over when someone gets the opportunity I wanted, I should see myself as a part of a bigger picture where we all get to be great.

Being Great!

I had thought to entitle this "Shawna the Great" but that might push too many people's buttons. Here are some excerpts from my next book "Heart Connection: Living as a Friend of God."

(excerpt 1)
We may think we are guarding ourselves from pride by not believing that God has great things planned for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). But true humility does not limit God’s greatness.  In fact, the ugliest pride is that which says that God is limited by our inability. Who are we to limit God?

The most humble people are those whom God uses to do amazing, unbelievable miracles – heal the sick, drive out demons, raise the dead. He knows that in their humility these people will not become accustomed to greatness but will steward their sense of wonder at what God can do through a mere human being. That is why Moses could refer to himself as the most humble person on earth (Numbers 12:3). In the beginning Moses tried to limit God with his own limitations. Instead of realizing that if God could speak through a bush, he could speak through anyone. He thought that his inability as public speaker could control God’s ability to speak (Exodus 4:10).  Moses fussed enough that God gave him Aaron to be his mouthpiece.  God will cooperate with your inability if you let it limit you.

Then came the extraordinary journey of delivering Israel from Egypt and leading them out into the wilderness.  Moses saw staffs turn into snakes, water turn to blood, plague after plague until finally the angel of death passed over Egypt, the red sea part, the fire at night and cloud by day to guide them, supernatural provision of bread, water and meat, supernatural victory in battle and all of Israel heard God audibly speak from a mountain covered in smoke. Did all these signs and wonders make Moses prideful? If Moses had been prideful he would have agreed with God’s plan to wipe out the Israelites and start again with him. However, Moses’ concern was for the reputation of the Lord (Exodus 32:7-14). He knew what it was to fear the Lord. He knew what it was to stand in wonder of the mighty God. And he knew what it was to be like a friend to God, meeting with him face to face (Exodus 33:11), and treasuring his presence, his companionship above all else (Exodus 33:16). Moses saw and knew the Lord like no one else in Israel’s history. His experience with God on Mt. Sinai when he was so bold as to ask to see God’s glory is one of the climactic events in the Old Testament. By now Moses realized that his weakness, his humanity, did not limit God.

When everyone else let fear distance themselves from God, Moses went after God, into the “thick darkness” where God had hidden himself for those who were humble enough to realize that their humanity did not limit God and therefore they could be bold, seek his face and believe for greatness.

(excerpt 2)
Do you want to see God do amazing things through little ‘ole you? Do you want to prophesy, heal the sick, raise the dead, and destroy the kingdom of darkness? If you focus on obeying the voice of your Father, stewarding wonder in your life, and seeking his face (to know him) you will be amazed at what he can do through you. As long as you remain as a child, a novice, God will not be limited by what you think you can or can not do.

In Matthew 18:1 the disciples come to Jesus and ask him who the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven is. They had probably been having one of their usual arguments about who was greater and was expecting Jesus to point to one of them.  Peter had faith and was the first to confess Jesus as the Christ, but John was the disciple Jesus loved, or maybe Jesus would throw them all a curve ball and pick Thomas because he always kept it real.

Instead Jesus called a child over to him and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4).

A child enthusiastically believes what his father says, no matter how impossible it might seem to the mature mind. Santa Clause, Superman, the Tooth Fairy – all completely believable.

A child trusts that her father will always do what’s best for her even when circumstances aren’t easy.  If something hurts then she trusts daddy to make it better.

A child remains dependent on his father. Even the most strong willed independent child (I know what I’m talking about) likes to do things with their Father rather than on his own. He knows that he can’t reach the cookie jar but Daddy can.

A child expects good gifts from her Father. She is even so bold as to ask, “What did you get me Daddy?” She doesn’t worry that the Father might give her something dangerous that could hurt her.  She just enjoys whatever Daddy knows is safe to put in her hands.

The other  day I noticed something about children I hadn’t seen before.  My friend had just got done disciplining her four year old daughter, who was crying like it was the end of the world.  Did the child run and hide from mommy, or fight back? No, she found comfort in her mothers arms.  In the arms of the person who had just told her “no, you can’t have your way this time.” She clung to her mother who held her and stroked her hair until the child had calmed down and lay sucking her thumb in complete safety and peace in her mother’s arms.

There was something amazing in that moment that revealed the greatness of being a child. A child who has a good mother and a good father is absolutely secure in the love of their parents. There is nothing in that moment that could convince that daughter that her mother did not love her.  Even her mother’s discipline. That is trust. Trust enough to obey and submit even when she didn’t like what was being asked of her. That is the beginning of greatness. 

ReVision Church

Not just re-envision (rethink/reimagine) but revision – make the necessary adjustments so that the message is effectively heard. 

Jesus last words before ascending were “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19, ESV).  Discipleship and mission (carrying the love and power of Jesus into the world) are the priorities of Christ for his church.  Gathering together is important, but when we sacrifice going for gathering we are missing the mark.  Mission and discipleship are both best done in the context of relationship and connection.  The problem with our gathered “Sunday Morning” services is that they allow too much of the Church (not just seekers) to hide out and remain unconnected with the attitude that the pastors and leaders will do it all. The pastors and leaders preach that they are there to equip the church for ministry but within the context of traditions and models that don’t empower their message. It’s not about having the right model of church – the New Testament church had different models for the Jews and Gentiles.  It’s about embracing the right priorities then adjusting the model to make those priorities as effective as possible.

Let me make this clear – gathering is important because it allows the apostolic leaders to impart their DNA to the disciples (Acts 2:42-43).  However, this is compromised as well because the apostolic leader isn’t just preaching to disciples, he’s preaching to the hot and the cold and the lukewarm and the lost.  The leaders are given 60-90 minutes a week to steward the hot, fire up the cold, admonish the lukewarm and win the lost. Most churches spend most their resources (time, money, people and energy) on making this one ministry – the Sunday morning worship service – happen. And what do we have to show for it?  

Well at my church we have great gatherings – passionate worship, revelatory sermons and people who genuinely love each other.  We have great core values that really are being lived out through us to varying degrees.  It also seems like we, as in many churches, have too few practical ways people can connect with one another so that discipleship and mission are happening in the context of relationship. 

I'm not angry at the church (my own or in general) or it's leaders.  I love the church and it's people so much that I look for ways to lay my life down for them - that's my calling. I believe with all that I am that every Christian within their new nature has a true hunger for God and a true desire to be who he created us to be. What might happen if these beautiful people began to rethink the way we do things with the priorities of Jesus at center stage? What if we were able to let go of our church paradigms and what makes us comfortable for the sake of embracing Jesus' idea of church? What if... ?

Maybe it’s time to start asking questions and re-examining our priorities.  Maybe we need a revision of the model so that what we are really called to do and be as a church becomes what we are effective at doing and being. Maybe it’s time to free up our leaders to truly focus on equipping the disciples who then minister to each other and the world rather then leaving the responsibility for it all at the leader’s feet.

I have some ideas – some conversation starters. They are as radical as we say we want to be.  They are dangerous and maybe even threatening to some. If nothing else they will get us thinking outside the box. But dare I mention them?