The gospel of Jesus is powerful. It stands against any other worldview and gives the most comprehensive answer to life’s questions. It gives the answer for why evil exists, how to handle suffering, where to turn for freedom and hope and ultimately gives life a purpose. Yet, Christians often think or act like the gospel is weak and impotent. We live in depression and defeat over the sin in our lives, we fail to share and give a reason for the hope we have (1 Peter 3:15), and we barely understand the difference between Christianity and other competing worldviews. Ultimately, followers of Jesus are called to become infused with the gospel that they are able to engage the surrounding culture with God’s grace, the power to transform lives.
Before Jesus left the earth he prayed, “I have given them your word and the world has hated them for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (John 17:14-18).
At this conference, Pastor Mark Driscoll made a few observations about the way Christian interact with the surrounding culture. Here are some of the ways he listed:
Christians are like the Pharisees or Essenes:
They avoid the culture by creating sub cultures. It’s the mindset that church culture is a bomb shelter; huddle up and hide. Christians become innocent but extremely naïve. The problem with this view is that evil not only exists outside of ourselves but inside our hearts. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” An example he gave was the home school movement. This is not to say that all who home school are wrong. But the motivation for doing so should be evaluated. If all Christians left public school system or sports leagues, stores, or any other public arena, then how will they be a witness for Christ to the world? Jesus said his prayer was not to take us out of the world but have protection from the evil one.
Christians are like the Sadducees:
They accommodate the culture. The church simply mirrors or reflects worldly styles and trends. In this case it becomes difficult to discern the difference between Christians and unbelievers. By default, the love of the world becomes god. The obvious problem with this view is producing god-substitutes rather than a clear difference and reason to become transformed by God’s grace and have devotion to Him alone.
Christians are like the Zealots:
They violently attack the culture for everything wrong that exists. They may be right in doing so but their methods are by far from honoring God or loving toward people. The church becomes known for what it is against and never what it is for or in support. The problem with this view is that it is arrogant and prideful. It forgets the reality that we are all saved by the mercy and grace of God. And it fails to offer the intended purpose of the gospel to transform others.
Christians are like the Disciples:
They seek to influence the culture with the gospel. They understand they are not perfect models but they point to the One that is, Jesus Christ. They have accepted the call to be on mission with God to redeem a lost and dark world without hope if they do not receive the gospel. The church becomes very public and culture shapers while remaining counter cultural. Christians are sent as missionaries just as Jesus was sent into the world (John 17:18).
So which are you and your family? Which category does your church fall into? If you find yourself in one of the first three categories then be honest in your evaluation. Repent of your sin of indifference, compromise or arrogance. Begin to make steps of faith to become more Christ-like. Follow the path and courage of the early disciples that others may take note that we have been captured by the extravagant beauty of God’s grace desiring to reflect that with others (Acts 4:13).
Showing posts with label community ministry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label community ministry. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
feet to faith
The role of every Christian is faithfulness to Jesus. That does not require having the best talent or the most money in the world. It simply means being faithful stewards with who you are and what God has given you. God expects you to use your life for his glory and not your own. Are you allowing your faith to inform your actions?
One of the things I try to do in ministry is partner our student ministry and church with opportunities to serve others in the name of Jesus. I want our church to get out of comfort zones, outside the "church building" and engaging the world around us so we can reflect who Jesus is through our actions. I call it putting feet to our faith. We have an opportunity right around the corner on September 27 as we 'Embrace Baltimore' and partner with FBC Dundalk to serve and love others in the name of Jesus. I hope you will consider joining us. For more information email me or our church office.
The apostle John said it like this:
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? …Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” 1 John 3:16-18
One of the things I try to do in ministry is partner our student ministry and church with opportunities to serve others in the name of Jesus. I want our church to get out of comfort zones, outside the "church building" and engaging the world around us so we can reflect who Jesus is through our actions. I call it putting feet to our faith. We have an opportunity right around the corner on September 27 as we 'Embrace Baltimore' and partner with FBC Dundalk to serve and love others in the name of Jesus. I hope you will consider joining us. For more information email me or our church office.
The apostle John said it like this:
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? …Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” 1 John 3:16-18
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
School is in Session
School has started back (parents cheer, students sigh). This past Sunday evening our church recognized this phenomenon by a prayer walk experience. Students and adults of all ages traveled to local schools and prayed for the school year. The schools we prayed for were - Dowell Elementary, Patuxent Elementary, Appeal Elementary, Mill Creek Middle, Southern Middle, Patuxent High and Shiloh Christian Academy, which the last is hosted at our church.
*We prayed for student and bus safety during transportation to and from schools.
*We prayed for school faculty and administration to make wise & godly decisions when it comes to discipline, curriculum choices and teaching methods. We prayed they have both patience and passion for the new school year.
*We prayed for students to experience a deeper relational connection to their friends and to people who care about them. Every student has value in the eyes of God and we prayed they became aware of that this year.
*We prayed for Christian students and teachers to take courageous steps of faith and be a faithful witness for Jesus this year.
This was our second year of doing this and each time has been a neat experience as we get out of our comfort zones (church building) and into the culture.
Another interesting tidbit about church attendance and student education can be found here. A part of it can be found below:
Researchers found that church attendance has as much effect on a teen's GPA as whether the parents earned a college degree. Students in grades 7 to 12 who went to church weekly also had lower dropout rates and felt more a part of their schools.
On average, students whose parents received a four-year college degree average a GPA .12 higher than those whose parents completed high school only. Students who attend religious services weekly average a GPA .144 higher than those who never attend services, said Jennifer Glanville, a sociologist at the University of Iowa. The study does not suggest God is smiling on the students, per se. Rather, it identifies several reasons the students do better:
- They have regular contact with adults from various generations who serve as role models.
- Their parents are more likely to communicate with their friends' parents.
- They develop friendships with peers who have similar norms and values.
- They're more likely to participate in extracurricular activities.
Interesting indeed. Hope to see your children at church :)
*We prayed for student and bus safety during transportation to and from schools.
*We prayed for school faculty and administration to make wise & godly decisions when it comes to discipline, curriculum choices and teaching methods. We prayed they have both patience and passion for the new school year.
*We prayed for students to experience a deeper relational connection to their friends and to people who care about them. Every student has value in the eyes of God and we prayed they became aware of that this year.
*We prayed for Christian students and teachers to take courageous steps of faith and be a faithful witness for Jesus this year.
This was our second year of doing this and each time has been a neat experience as we get out of our comfort zones (church building) and into the culture.
Another interesting tidbit about church attendance and student education can be found here. A part of it can be found below:
Researchers found that church attendance has as much effect on a teen's GPA as whether the parents earned a college degree. Students in grades 7 to 12 who went to church weekly also had lower dropout rates and felt more a part of their schools.
On average, students whose parents received a four-year college degree average a GPA .12 higher than those whose parents completed high school only. Students who attend religious services weekly average a GPA .144 higher than those who never attend services, said Jennifer Glanville, a sociologist at the University of Iowa. The study does not suggest God is smiling on the students, per se. Rather, it identifies several reasons the students do better:
- They have regular contact with adults from various generations who serve as role models.
- Their parents are more likely to communicate with their friends' parents.
- They develop friendships with peers who have similar norms and values.
- They're more likely to participate in extracurricular activities.
Interesting indeed. Hope to see your children at church :)
Monday, March 3, 2008
Uncharted - Loving Your Neighbor
What responsibility does the church have to its community? To pose another question, if the church ceased to exist what would not get done in the community; would it even be missed? Unfortunately, many churches have become so inward focused they forget the world around them. Christians have created their own private world that is without interaction with its surrounding culture and community. Rather than being a light to the world and reaching out the church has too often become preoccupied with itself (its own routines, facilities, needs and people). If the world is to be reached for Jesus Christ and healthy transformation (education, poverty, along with physical/emotional and spiritual health) is to happen in our communities then the church must shift its focus outward.
Luke 10:25-37
Loving others displays your love for God.
As a lawyer came to Jesus asking the requirements for eternal life, Jesus responded that a person should love God and love others. Loving others is a tangible display of our love for God. The Bible is filled with passages describing how the people of God should care and provide for those in need around them.
James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” [see also faith without deeds 2:14-26]
1 John 3:17-18 “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
Why should we love Baltimore?
Baltimore is a city in desperate need. It ranks 12th as most dangerous, having the highest homicide rate of all US cities, nearly 7 times the national rate. It is one of America's most sinful cities. Addiction, crime, poverty and lack of education are all part of Baltimore’s reputation. These characteristics show the opportunity and need for transformation.
Uncharted has the potential to impact hundreds of lives for the good of the city of Baltimore and beyond. This is not because Uncharted is such a cool conference with just the right musicians, artists or platform guests. It is because students & leaders have the opportunity to take the gospel of Jesus Christ that they have received in their life and explode it incarnationally throughout a city. I cannot tell you how excited I am that our youth ministry has this opportunity. Pray not only that we can impact Baltimore with the gospel but that we catch God's passion for our own community too.
Loving others displays God’s love for you.
This is the most important principle of the two. Jesus commands believers to love others as a sign of our love for him, but it is also a sign of his love for us. Acts of mercy on earth point to the ultimate act of mercy in the Father sacrificing the Son to forgive the sin of the world.
The Pharisee and Levite chose to walk past the man in need. They were more concerned with external religious practices (Pharisees could not touch a corpse due to impurities – even crossing the shadow was thought to make them unclean) rather than displaying the reality of a heart radically transformed by the grace of God. Believers are ones who truly understand that they too were dead in sin yet God made them alive in Christ; therefore we cannot help but share what God has done in our own life.
• Does the church/Christians have a responsibility to its community? If so, what?
• What is the reputation of your church in your community? Is it thankful, annoyed, or ignorant of the church’s existence?
• Should Christians seek to serve more inside or outside the church walls?
• Read & Describe how the following verses may relate to this lesson: Matthew 5:13-16, Luke 6:31-35, Acts 20:35, Romans 12:20-21, Galatians 6:9-10, Ephesians 2:10, 2 Thessalonians 3:13, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Titus 2:11-14, Titus 3:8, Hebrews 10:24, James 1:27, James 2:14-26, 1 Peter 3:13, 1 John 3:17-18
Sources:
The Church of Irresistible Influence by Robert Lewis
“Should Evangelical Churches Be Involved In Community Ministry and if so, Why?” By JD Greear found at http://www.theresurgence.com/jd_greear_2008-01-31_evangelical_churches_in_community_ministry
Bob Roberts – “Glocal Church Ministry” found at http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/july/30.42.html and “We Aren’t About Weekends” found at http://www.christianvisionproject.com/2007/01/we_arent_about_weekends.html
Luke 10:25-37
Loving others displays your love for God.
As a lawyer came to Jesus asking the requirements for eternal life, Jesus responded that a person should love God and love others. Loving others is a tangible display of our love for God. The Bible is filled with passages describing how the people of God should care and provide for those in need around them.
James 1:27 “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” [see also faith without deeds 2:14-26]
1 John 3:17-18 “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
Why should we love Baltimore?
Baltimore is a city in desperate need. It ranks 12th as most dangerous, having the highest homicide rate of all US cities, nearly 7 times the national rate. It is one of America's most sinful cities. Addiction, crime, poverty and lack of education are all part of Baltimore’s reputation. These characteristics show the opportunity and need for transformation.
Uncharted has the potential to impact hundreds of lives for the good of the city of Baltimore and beyond. This is not because Uncharted is such a cool conference with just the right musicians, artists or platform guests. It is because students & leaders have the opportunity to take the gospel of Jesus Christ that they have received in their life and explode it incarnationally throughout a city. I cannot tell you how excited I am that our youth ministry has this opportunity. Pray not only that we can impact Baltimore with the gospel but that we catch God's passion for our own community too.
Loving others displays God’s love for you.
This is the most important principle of the two. Jesus commands believers to love others as a sign of our love for him, but it is also a sign of his love for us. Acts of mercy on earth point to the ultimate act of mercy in the Father sacrificing the Son to forgive the sin of the world.
The Pharisee and Levite chose to walk past the man in need. They were more concerned with external religious practices (Pharisees could not touch a corpse due to impurities – even crossing the shadow was thought to make them unclean) rather than displaying the reality of a heart radically transformed by the grace of God. Believers are ones who truly understand that they too were dead in sin yet God made them alive in Christ; therefore we cannot help but share what God has done in our own life.
• Does the church/Christians have a responsibility to its community? If so, what?
• What is the reputation of your church in your community? Is it thankful, annoyed, or ignorant of the church’s existence?
• Should Christians seek to serve more inside or outside the church walls?
• Read & Describe how the following verses may relate to this lesson: Matthew 5:13-16, Luke 6:31-35, Acts 20:35, Romans 12:20-21, Galatians 6:9-10, Ephesians 2:10, 2 Thessalonians 3:13, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Titus 2:11-14, Titus 3:8, Hebrews 10:24, James 1:27, James 2:14-26, 1 Peter 3:13, 1 John 3:17-18
Sources:
The Church of Irresistible Influence by Robert Lewis
“Should Evangelical Churches Be Involved In Community Ministry and if so, Why?” By JD Greear found at http://www.theresurgence.com/jd_greear_2008-01-31_evangelical_churches_in_community_ministry
Bob Roberts – “Glocal Church Ministry” found at http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/july/30.42.html and “We Aren’t About Weekends” found at http://www.christianvisionproject.com/2007/01/we_arent_about_weekends.html
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