Walking in Repentance

When I was in college my roommates and I developed the not-so-great habit of "your-fault/my bad". If there was a misunderstanding between us or if I'd done something that seriously annoyed you, I was quick to insert a "your fault" and then proceed to the next topic (followed by your uncomfortable laughter). In a similar manner, if something was undeniably my/my roommates fault (e.g. the time I locked us all out of the house again, my roommate put a hole in the dorm room wall, my roommate put a hole in the apartment wall, my roommate put a hole in... you get the picture) we would quickly insert a "my bad" as if that resolved the issue. Once the words were spoken, I was no longer responsible.  The only thing less sincere is the "thank you's" that follow the unwrapping of Christmas Sweaters (you know the one with the giant reindeer...? Because everyone wants a sweater with giant reindeer...).

As I've grown in Christ I've noticed that sin always prevents me from embracing the mission of God. But recently, I've felt extremely burdened not only by my sins but also the sins of my family, my friends, my community, and my nation.

As followers of Christ we've been called to live Lives of Repentance. The word for repentance literally means to turn in the other direction. We turn from the things we've worshipped and we turn back to God. What do we repent for? We repent for the sins of omission (allowing things to happen) and commission (doing wrong things). If a family member or friend is living in sin and I say nothing, what am I communicating? Christians have both the privilege and responsibility of representing the Christ on earth. And people are who they worship.  If I turn a blind eye to sin in my life or in the lives of others, I'm really saying that "the God I worship doesn't care about sin" and nothing could be further from the truth.

Now I'm not advocating an angry and aggressive condemnation. If it doesn't look like Christ, don't do it. But then again, don't forget that Christ lovingly called people out on their sin so that they would repent and turn to God. What sins are keeping you from embracing God's mission? Perhaps it might be as simple as the idolization of your mission over His. Perhaps you fear man more than God or are just generally apathetic to the existence of sin. Maybe you've grown attached to comforts and have become numb to the starving, desperate souls around you. Whatever it is, the Bible urges us to deal with our sin (kill it) or reap the consequences (Romans 8:13/Hebrews 12:6).

The confession and repentance of sin(s) should be a consistent rhythm throughout our lives. It should be something that we walk in. And it's not just confessing sin to God, but the bible also tells us to "confess our sins to one another" (James 5:16). We have to expose the darkness in our lives. We have to address the idols of our community. And we do this all for the glory of our king. The gospel changes lives and by the grace of God we can have new lives and experience the freedom of exposing sin to light.

Lastly, heartfelt repentance stems from seeing and knowing the glory of Christ. When Isaiah saw God's glory he fell on his knees and cried out "woe is me for I am a man of unclean lips and I live amongst a people of unclean lips." He was burdened not just by his sins but also the sins of his people. And in this repentance, God picked him up, dusted him off, cleaned him up, and sent him out on mission (Isaiah 6:1-13). Mission is always rooted in a lifestyle of repentance.

Here's a quick video on the difference between remorse and repentance by Mark Driscoll.

  

Evangelism 101

Sharing the gospel with the kids of San Soucci, SA

A few weeks ago, we started a series on evangelism entitled: ENGAGE. The series is basically oriented around becoming a more missional church and being a people that is on mission with God. To quote Brad House, a pastor at Mars Hill Church: "God's story frames our story, if the Trinity is on mission (seeking the lost), then you cannot be in God's story without being on mission with him".

Throughout the Bible, God is always seeking lost people and he is seeking them with the aspiration of . In the Old Testament, Jerusalem stood out as a holy city (or was supposed to... they seriously "Chicago Cub'd" it ) and was supposed to live in such stark contrast to the surrounding areas that men would come to them. But in the New Testament, this has kind of been flipped. The church has been commissioned to go out and make disciples, not to wait for disciples to come and find them.

So that's all well and good from a theoretical standpoint, but what does that mean practically? Well first it means that we need to be seeking to build relationships with lost people (people who have not trusted in Christ). But it also means that we need to be abe to communicate the gospel when the time comes.

Here are a list of the Main Evangelism Strategies:

Proclamational Evangelism: you see this strategy quite a bit in the New Testament but not as much today. It involves preaching the gospel from a pulpit, soapbox, street corner, stage... wherever lots of people can hear you.

• Pros: Many, many people can trust in Christ.
• Cons: There's very little room for follow up and the "confession of faith" may be unclear.

Relational Evangelism: involves building a relationship with someone and overtime giving showing them the effects of the gospel, the love of Christ, and gradually addressing their questions and concerns. All relational strategies have to become aggressive at some point or the person will ultimately remain lost.

• Pros: A strong relationship is developed and built which could feed directly into discipleship. There is plenty of room for follow up and potential pitfalls can be addressed.
• Cons: It takes quite a bit of time to develop the relationship and it does not reach large groups of people. It can also communicate a lack of urgency.

Aggressive Evangelism: taking someone down the "Roman Road" or some other form of gospel presentation with the intention of offering an invitation for them to trust in Christ.

• Pros: It communicates a sense of urgency and the need to repent and believe is evident. If a lost person has questions they can ask at any point.
• Cons: There is not as much room for follow up. Many people find this mode intimidating especially if they don't know you.

Written Evangelism: Giving someone a tract, letter, brochure, or personal testimony that walks them through the gospel with the intention of bringing them to trust in Christ.

• Pros: Ensures that the gospel is communicated clearly. Allow the lost person to go back and reexamine the information that they've been given.
• Cons: Is pretty impersonal and many times a lost person may not read the information and simply throw it away.

Remember, the point of a "strategy" is to lead them to Christ. That means that you shouldn't "have" a specific strategy, you should use whichever one works best for that person. The purpose isn't to win some intellectual argument or even to answer all of their questions. The purpose is to lead them to the cross and to the feet of the Savior. Evangelism isn't about us and our preferences, it's about God.

Lastly, I encourage you to get to know people. Find out where they are on their spiritual journey by simply asking: "where are you on your spiritual journey". Use the Bible (God always says it better than we can), keep Christ central, and trust Him with the results. And remember to speak graciously and to pray continuously. It is the Spirit alone who gives life.

Curing Consumerism

Just one more dot and I'll be satisfied...

We're consumers by nature. We stand in long lines to buy fancy shiny trinkets only to replace them in a few months. The iPad gets replaced with the iPad2.468768 and Faltscreens get replaced with 4D Surround Sound Home Theaters. And I'm not knocking anyone with technology. Technology is a good thing. Prezi (as soon as I can figure out how to use it) makes life so much easier and without the blue dot on Google Maps I would forever be lost. But, when searching the heart, why are we so eager to sacrifice the mission of God for our own comforts?

If you're reading this and it sounds eerily similar to a post I made a few months back, you're right. For some reason it really upsets me that we've turned church into another thing that we consume. Church becomes a means to our ends. We say that if you need community, if you feel down, if you need inspiration, if you want to hear some live cover's of Christ Tomlin and Hillsong... come to church. But that's not why the church exists.

The cure to consumerism is being missionally minded. The church, if it is to serve as a reflection of God, must be about the mission of God because it exists to glorify God. And if it isn't, then we're just attending a Christian Country Club (btw I hate country clubs). We have to be missional. But what does that mean? What does that look like?

A missional church is:

• Concerned with the Lost- it asks the question, how does _______ (music, service time, etc) reach out to lost people?
• Pursuing the Lost- the preaching, members, and regular attenders are all looking to share Jesus because they love Jesus.
• Worshiping Christ's Glory- it understands that Christ's glory is both the end and the means. It seeks to fill the earth with the image of Christ.
• Seeking to Be Transformed by the Gospel- it seeks to kill sin, tear down idols, address issues, and become more like Christ.
• Proclaiming the Glory of Christ and His Gospel- it teaches about Jesus, seeks to learn more about Jesus, and be more like Jesus.

Let's be about our Father's buisnessl!

Notice that nowhere in the list is our preferences or comforts. It doesn't say anything about a type of music or style of preaching. As Christians, we can sacrifice our comforts so that the lost can find Christ. We don't have to be enslaved to our own desires anymore!

The gospel frees us to live radically different lives. This doesn't just mean that the Christian stops sleeping around, looking at R-rated movies, and gambling. It means that our entire worldview crumbles and is replaced by one that is Christ centered. I see the first two aspects of a mission church (which involve the lost) getting sacrificed incredibly quickly as churches and Christians sell themselves back to the slavery of their comforts.

You were called and saved for so much more than this! You don't have to chase the wind, you don't have to waste your time on pleasures that don't last... stop drinking from the broken cistern.

In my own life, I'm hoping for a mindset shift. I hope to start thinking and praying with a mindset that is prepared for God to move through his church to reach the lost. I hope to always see empty seats in a church because, if they ever get filled, it's time to find a way to empty them so they can be filled all over again. I hope to be prepared to see a people that is willing to risk friendships, relationships, jobs, finances... everything for the sake of seeing Yahweh's gospel advance through their city, state, and world. I hope to see a church and a people that refuses to worship at the feet of the idol of "comfort" and chooses the glory of God instead.

The Christmas Spirit

A very distinguished Christmas cookie

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. For some reason, the brightly colored lights, mountains of snow, warm hot cocoa and endless run of Christmas specials on cable TV brings a certain level of joy to my heart. I've always loved Christmas. Really, I've always loved everything about Christmas (except for Christmas cookies which I still don't get... they don't really taste all that good, they don't have coffee in them, and the frosting tastes like chalk). But this year it's been kind of difficult to "get in the mood".

Earlier this week a group of us sat and prayed at my church, repenting for our materialism and addiction to our own comfort. We begged God to let his kingdom come in our lives, in our city, in our world no matter what it cost us. We asked him to teach us to pray like Jesus prayed.

I guess more than anything, I'm conflicted about how much stuff I have. I haven't had to ask God for my daily bread since undergrad because I've always had so much. Even now, when people ask me "what I want for Christmas" I just see this image in the back of my mind of everyone around the world who has so little. Do I really need a "better" pair of shoes when kids in South Africa are playing soccer barefoot? Do I really need the latest Apple product when 80% of the world is living on less than a dollar a day? And that's just the tip of the iceberg. 

To quote David Platt, being a follower of Christ costs something but it also costs something not to follow him. As we hold on to the money and talents God has lent us, others are starving and hungry, dying and in desperate need of the crumbs we through away. 

Ironically, I love giving gifts probably more than the average person. And while I am hoping to become radically different in terms of the way I spend my time, money, and resources, I'm not advocating for the end of gift-giving. But if we're really going to grab hold of the Christmas Spirit, the gifts we give should be of eternal merit. If we're truly want to be like Him, we have to give like he gave.

And with all that being said, I do hope that you have a very Merry Christmas.

In the Face of Desolation

I don’t like telling people what to do unless I’m quoting/paraphrasing the Bible. I don’t like the responsibility. In my mind, if you take my advice I’m then somehow implicated in the resulting actions. I also believe that if someone wants to leave, you let them leave. Present truth plainly but don't try to persuade. In the end, I firmly believe that people will do what they want to do most... hopefully it's to glorify God.

My church has been going through a transition these paste months and I’ve pretty much kept my opinions to myself. Today, I wanted to be a little more transparent. Pardon my emo trip.

Lately my church has been going through a tough time. Quite a few people have left. Some are on the fence, trying to decide if which way they’ll go. I’ve heard pretty much every side of the argument and am convinced that God alone knows the truth. I’ve been unable to sleep for the past few weeks as I’ve struggled to deal with disappointment after disappointment. Sometimes it felt as if people were trying to find reasons to leave, drop their responsibilities, and search for greener pastures. I took it personal and shouldn't have. It was probably selfish on my part.

For what it’s worth, here are some of the reasons why I’m staying: 

• The Bible Doesn’t Say to Leave- I searched the scriptures. I feel that God has given us the Bible to instruct us how to navigate the waters of this life. In the New Testament you find a ton of churches that Paul is instructing. None of them are perfect. In fact, in many the leaders are teaching heresy. But Paul/Peter/John never tell the members to leave the church. They always tell them to rebuke, correct, train, and fix the body even if that means calling out the leadership. Paul submitted to Christian Pharisees in order to show them that God’s plan involved all people (Acts 15). Christ went to teach at the synagogue.

• Counting the Cost- This might sound a little pretentious, se la vie. I thought of the souls that hung in the balance. I thought of friends who attended the church. I thought of new believers and struggling believers that attended the church. Was I willing to abandon them? Was it every man for himself? Or was their soul worth my discomfort? I feel that question is a rhetorical one.

• I can’t leave something broken- this is a pretty big deal for me. For whatever reason, I just can’t leave a place broken. I don’t think it pleases God. I heard a pastor preach on working at his church. He said that each day his wife would drop him off and they would sit in the car crying and praying.  He didn’t want to be at the church. It was arduous work and the church was jacked up. They would pray until their tears turned to praise but he refused to leave the church because he knew that’s where God wanted him.

Division is ugly. What’s more is that it’s not of God. Unity is so precious and it’s something that God values (Jesus prayed for it). If somethings precious you fight for it. You fight for it with bloody knuckles, calloused hands, and a sweat soaked brow. If the church is precious to God... I could go on and on about this… one day I might but I don’t think now is the appropriate time. I don’t knock people for leaving. More times than not I’m sad to see them go. It’s just the logic that always kills me…

A city in need of healing

I guess ultimately it comes down to how God has interacted with man over the course of redemptive history. We have always failed him. We have always fallen short of his expectation and standard. But yet and still, he has endured our sin and pursued us. He never left us and went to find a new body. He never abandoned Israel and searched for a “better” people. No, he endured with them. He pursued them. He loved them violently as demonstrated in the cross. He sent prophet after prophet to persuade them towards righteousness. He sent pillars of fire, clouds of smoke, invading armies, sickness, famine, bread from heaven, deliverance, and exile in order to break their hearts and draw them back to him. Eventually, he even sent his Son, borne of a woman, whom we crucified on a tree. But he never left them… I guess I feel convicted to demonstrate this heart to God’s body.

I guess, in the depths of my soul I know that Christ died for the church. He died for Bethel… that means she’s redeemable. He loved her violently and died on the cross, becoming the very thing his Father abhorred, for the sake of her election. That’s not really something I can walk away from.

Sure Thing in Christ

Ahhh… Life has been hectic and my bloggability has evaporated. Tiz the season to be jolly and eat insane amounts of Christmas cookies while watching Elf on repeat (is there really any other Christmas movie worth watching…?). 

Church and school have given me a never-ending “To-Do List”. Monday, I read so much that my right eye was throbbing. Yet and still, I think this is a beautiful struggle. I love my school. My job lets me spend all my time seeking the lost and discipling the saint… is there any greater treasure?

I don’t have a lot to say this time. Sorry if you were expecting something deep :-/

I know we all have lofty aspirations and goals. In about 3 weeks we’ll all pledge to do a bunch of things (lose 10 lbs, complete p90x, stop drinking coffee, keep our houses clean) and then find in a few months that are convictions failed. It used to really depress me. I could never really reach the standard that I was setting. My abs and arms still don’t look like the Rock’s. I can’t imagine what my mornings would be like without coffee.

Christ defines our success.  There is so much peace in that. There are some things we can work on. Perhaps even a few that we should work on. But our identity is held securely in Christ and not in some random checklist of things that we should or shouldn’t be doing. It’s only by his grace that we can change and he already looks at us and smiles.

Don’t get me wrong, examine your heart and ask for the grace to kill sin. But, at the same point in time, Christ gave us the sure gift of eternal life. He loves us despite the presence of coffee stains on our pearly whites and the love handles on our hips. Somewhere, there’s rest in that. 

Giving Thanks

I’ve been in the Mitten for the past week and sleeping for 10 hours has never felt so ama-za-zing. It’s been great to get a break from school/work and remember all the ways that the Midwest is different from the South (both in a good way and in a bad way).

The other night, I was driving through Ann Arbor and started to get teary eyed about the darkness of the city (teary eyed does not equal crying… cause I’m a man and men don’t cry unless they’re being stabbed or something…). But in light of it being the time for munching down pounds of turkey and whatever the heck constitutes stuffing, I wanted to run off my thankful list.

• I’m thankful that Michigan will beat that Ohio school for the first time in about a decade and I can finally tell my one Columbus friend to kick rocks really hard without any shoes on…

Beezy's French Toast is MAGICAL!!

• I’m thankful that Chris Crump, Jimmy Needham, and David Crowder* Band actually know how to write/sing/play an instrument and give me running music.

• I’m thankful that UnderArmor makes insulated running gear because it’s ALWAYS cold in Michigan. 

• I’m thankful for compression shorts J.

• I’m thankful for Bee’s French Toast, Pound Cake, Key Lime Pie, real (not instant) Coffee, and the fact that if you combine all three it negates the calories (I was an English major).

• I’m thankful that the Chronicles of Narnia will always be greater than Twilight even if kids these days don’t know what the former is.

• I’m thankful for musicals, plays, art galleries, and jazz and all the other artistic expressions that I took for granted as a kid.

Even though they're in the NorthEast, it's good to have good friends

• I’m thankful for friends that stay friends even when they live in different time zones and moms who mail goody bags to kids trapped in smog.

• I’m thankful that College Basketball > lockout.

• I’m thankful for newly married friends who get me super excited whenever I see them just because they’re married even though it means they have to ask their wives whenever we want to hang out :-/.

• I’m thankful that teasing them about this never stops being funny…

• I’m thankful for the Bobby Kelly’s, Terrence Quinn’s, Dr. Foster’s, Micah Caswell’s and Elliott Hill’s who poured into me, helping me mature and see what it means to be a man.

• I’m thankful for CLMI and the fact that there are people who truly love God and truly want to know him even when life gets tough.

• I’m thankful for Bethel Church and the fact that there are people who are eager to rebuild.

• Most of all, I’m thankful that God saw it fit to write himself into our story by sending his son to redeem an ignorant and lost people.

I think it’s important to remember the little things. They say life is filled with them and I for one am grateful that my life is filled with that instead of stuffing.

Happy Thanksgiving!!