Belonging in Autonomy

Have you ever had an Out-Of-Body-Experience? Now wait, don't quit reading just yet. Hear me out on this one. I'm not talking about new age transcendentalism or some whack-job idea from the latest sci-fi novel.

Have you ever taken a step back, and really listened to the actual words that are coming out of your mouth and evaluated them as if they were coming out of someone Else's mouth?

There have been too many times I've gone back and read one of my old college research papers or an old journal entry and said to myself, "what was I thinking?". I can remember feeling embarrassed by what I wrote and thinking I must have been clueless at the time. I know I must have been trying to make some kind of point; but reading it now, it escapes me. I wonder what we'll think when we look back on ourselves 5 or 10 years from now. Why wait?

Let's look at it from another perspective: The Church. Some of us try to belong while being autonomous at the same time. We contradict ourselves and its really embarrassing when we stand back and gaze into our own lives from the third party perspective. But it has got to be one of the healthiest things we can do.

Pastor Rick McKinley of Imago Dei Church, who I quoted in last week's blog, says: "We often see this in the church. If we don't like what the pastor says we fire him. If we don't like the music, we complain. If the leadership tries to corral us into a small group, we buck even harder. Finally if our needs aren't being catered to we leave... and think, 'that'll teach em'."

Jesus want us to see ourselves as participants not spectators. John 17: 21 "Father, just as You are in me and I am in You, may they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent me." Unity is in Him.

The lie of 'Autonomy' tells us that it's someone Else's problem, so we sit back and watch from the bleachers. (that's pew to you and me). These past few weeks, I have seen so many of our church members do things from helping new families move into a home to painting a few walls around the church to making visits to members they haven't seen in a while. They're doing it without anyone asking or suggesting anything. They are showing that they belong to each other because they belong to Christ

In the community of the Church we belong to each other, because we belong to Christ. Community can get real messy, but messy is good. McKinley calls it "...the messy blessing of community..."

I wish I could take back all the dumb things I have ever said, and change them to what I believe is the right thing to say now, but what good would that do? I'd just want to change them again next year. I'm laughing at myself right now.

I suppose the Church is not only for people who have got it all together like many of you, it's a place for dummies like me who contradict themselves, make mistakes, say the wrong thing from time to time, and belong to each other because they belong to Christ. That's the messy blessing of community.

-John

Affinity or Unity

I was so inspired today as I read through another chapter of the Bible study I have been going through with Pastor Paul.

Rick McKinley is the pastor of Imago Dei Community Church in Portland, Or, and he was the contributor of today's section. He talks about the differences in culture and sub-cultures in our churches.

Might sound boring to you, but to me as I read, I had an 'aha' moment.

To take a look at a cross-cut of churches even in our own little city of Twin Falls, ID, we would see that people have a tendency to go where there are people just like them. We look for churches with people with the same interests, the same status in life, similar goals, loves, hobbies, concerns, and the list goes on.

We might call this 'fellowship' or 'community', but what we really should call it is 'Affinity'.
"Birds of a Feather".

This is a result of our culture - or what the world would say is just another sub-culture called "Christianity".

But here is the real difference: Culture gives us Affinity ~ Christ gives us Unity.

The exciting thing about being in a Church that is loaded with followers of Christ is that it has something called the "Holy Spirit Factor".

Fellowship can take place with people of huge cultural differences and there can be unity in the name of Jesus. You can take a person who is just out of rehab from drug addiction and a CEO of a multi-million dollar company and when they come before the throne of God in humble worship, Jesus sees them both as needing His grace whom He died to redeem.

Both of these people are deserving of the surpassing love and devotion from other believers in the congregation too. McKinney says "They need you, you need them, they even need each other."

The fact is that behind the outer layer that identify their sub-culture to you and me and everyone else, is the same broken life like your s and mine that Jesus died for.

So, Community and fellowship and more than affinity can ever allow us to be, In Christ we can find true Unity.

John

Fishers Of Men

Just a Quick Note:

I will be keeping a daily log "Blog" while I am out of the country. I would like to invite you to have the opportunity to read and pray for me each day, so please reply to my e-mail joh@esbctwinfalls.com and I will allow you access to this new blog called "Fishers of Men".

Blessings,

John

Youth Lead Teams

Here is a quick update and reminder on the Youth Ministry Lead Team descriptions that will be introduced this Sunday:

First off, a Youth Ministry Lead Team is a small planning and 'follow-through' team that does all the preparation and execution of a particular event for the youth or students of our church.

Example: Lets say the youth are going on a 'ministry trip' in the summer. The lead team will meet months prior to the event and put all the details of the trip together. They will recruit and enlist students and adult sponsors, and deal with all of the major and minor details related to the ministry trip.

Once the trip date arrives they will be the ones that make sure everything happens the way they planned. They will also bring everything to a close once the event is finished.

Once their job is done, they are finished. The next event on the youth calendar has it's own lead team working on those specific details.

This Sunday, there will be descriptions of every youth event that requires a lead team. You will be invited to browse the descriptions and sign-up for the lead team of your choice.

There will a huge variety of options from youth trips to fellowships, to discipleship events as well. I am praying that our church will jump at the chance to minister in a short term relationship to our students.

See You Sunday

John

Waiting For God To Speak

People are strange sometimes. I include myself at the top of the list!

I don't have many "Pet-Peaves", but one of my worst is when someone lies and blames it on God. I have to admit I have done this too often myself and I suppose it has something to do with why I don't like it.

The good thing about todays blog is that I am NOT making reference to anyone specificlly other than myself occassionally, but generically speaking (is that vague enough?) It gets under my skin if I ask or encourage someone to participate in a ministry, and the answer I get is, almost verbatim, in that deep throated spiritual voice: "Let me pray about that". Uggh. Just tell me no! I would feel better about it!

Let me explain. I think that every Christian should be ready to pray and seek God in what He wants them to be DOING, but when we act spiritual and say, "Let me pray..." it's as a substitute to stall for a better excuse; it reminds me of what my friend Clint Henry tell me once: "An excuse is a reason stuffed in the skin of a lie". Wow, that hurts!

I love what I overheard my pastor say the other day. Someone asked him if he would pray about a mission opportunity, and he said flat out, "I can say right now I would love to do it." Then, he went on to say he would begin to pray about it. But don't you just love it when a person says Yes I want to serve God and I'm so glad you thought about me!

Henry Blackaby says that God speaks to us primarily through His Word, but He also speaks to us through circumstances in our lives and other people too.

The next time I am waiting for God to speak, I will have to remember that He has already told me in Matthew 28:19-20, "Therefore , go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you, and surely I am with you even to very end of the age." .

You see, we already have permission to say yes.

Blessings,

John

Start 2 Finish

Start2finisH is what it is called. Discipleship and Fellowhisp is what it is.

Our church began a new pilot program this past evening and with our focus on what God desires, it should be a tremendous benefit to our body of beleivers.

Our pastor designed this new ministry called Start2finisH and it has busted out of the chute in a big way. Four offerings: from a class for students, one for couples, another for adults with a desire to study the golden nuggets of God's Word, to a class designed for new members and visitors were all a huge success, even a class designed to allow people to worship (guitar required).

The classes will continue to meet over the next few weeks, we will then take a small break and offer these or other classes again, with the hope that our members will rotate from class to class or possibly begin a Start2finisH class of their own.

This will meet the great need of Discipleship and Fellowship that our church needs and desires.

Thank you God and thank you pastor Paul. Our church is blessed.

John

Love Busters

This weekend our church will begin a brand new ministry, through the vision and leadership of our pastor, there will be several Bible studies offered starting this Sunday night.



This new ministry is called "Start to Finish", based on Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (start to finish)



There is a study for our Youth, taught by Matt Crider at the church, Gene Lawley will also teach a class about some of the gems of the Bible called "Stop and Smell the Roses" - I beleive it will meet in the home of Randy and Mary Terrell.



Steve McMullin is leading a class on worshipping, and I think all those who attend are asked to bring their guitar. That one sounds like fun! Pastor Paul is leading a group through a study called "Eastside on the Inside". I bet this would be a great one for new members.



Pastor Paul asked me to teach as well, so I am leading a class for married couples, called "Love Busters". Sounds odd for a class that would promote a good marriage, but I can assure you that the book we are using by the same title is a powerhouse.




The previous time I facilitated a similar study using this same book, the couples in the group, all, had high praises.


The study reveals 5 major habits that destroy love. We will study the habits and then find a way to insure that they don't destroy the love in our own marriages. The book is a good read for everyone, but I would highly encourage you to sign-up with your spouse.


The cost of the study is $15. That is actually $5 less than we are actually paying for each book. The best way to sign-up is to put your name on the tear-out section of the bulletin this Sunday and either put it in the offering or hand it to Pastor Paul or myself.


The "Start to Finish" studies are an excellent way to be in the Word in 2007 while we fellowship with the church. Keep in mind that no class will exceed six-weeks in length, so why not sign-up this Sunday?


John