Multiplying Churches

"We want to lower the bar of how we do church so everyone can do it, and raise the bar of what it means to be a disciple so that everyone will do it"
Neil Cole

What do you think of this statement?

Multi-racial churches on the rise

Micheal Emerson suggests that protestant churches are turning the corner on racially integrating churches.  In his article about it, he ends by saying "The Christian color wall, solidly in place at least since the Civil War, is cracking. And those cracks may eventually grow to the point that the wall crumbles. Time will tell".


What do you think?  Are we moving in America towards more racially diverse churches that better reflect the kingdom of God?  Or do you think this is just an isolated reality?

Forsaking our independence

Our country was founded partially because of a document called the Declaration of Independence.  I find it interesting that as Americans this could almost be our national motto now.

Americans are known for individualism and freedom.  We love it.  We are caught up in the idea of our own rights.  We love freedom.  We love opportunity.  We love independence and so we declare independence.

But God has called the people of God to be different.  We are citizens of the kingdom of God first and secondly to the USA.  As a result, we are to declare our dependence instead of our independence. 

We are dependent on God.  We are dependent on others.

God calls His people to forsake individualism and embrace community.  This is what makes the church distinct.  People living life together.  People making decisions together.  People care for the need of others together.  I could say: people spending their own  money to provide food or healthcare for others, but then you might think that I am getting political.

This is not about politics.  This is about the church putting a proper value on community.  We have bought into the lie of indivualism.  We have made our declaration of independence.   We need to repent and declare that we are dependent.

Are you caught up in the American value of independence?

Pack the house

Yesterday was a good day. It was one of the reasons that I love our church. Relational. Laid back. Family like. We all gathered at our house for a game, children's story, singing, and a word about the importance of God's gift. The house was packed. Now I remember why we have two house groups.

Then everyone headed to another families home. We packed gift boxes for everyone to take and give to their neighbors, friends, co-workers, etc. It was great to see everyone working together. Then we ate and played games.

The day was full. The house was full. Really full. The shoes by the door told it all. Shoes, shoes, and more shoes.
As we all left with boxes to share the good news of God's gift, I thought of Romans 10:15.

"How beautiful are the feet of them who bring good news".

Christian Community

"Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Life Together

To often, we frustrate ourselves with what "our church community" is not instead of marvelling at what it is: a display of the tapestry of God's grace.

Do you love the bride?

Thank you Rachel for giving me the book Why we love the church:In praise of institutions and organized religion. I enjoyed reading a book that spoke positively of God's design for Christian community.

It seems that so many today are speaking and writing critical things about the Bride of Christ. Some are suggesting leaving church all together. I'll admit, the church is not perfect. Yours may seem worse than others. But it is designed by God to bring Him glory. So I love it. I work hard to help others build a positive representation of the church in a local context.

Many run to conferences, camps, special groups, etc. to find what they should look for in the church. Others start organizations, clubs, special groups to do what they should be doing as a church. But God has only promised success to His "church". (Matthew 16:18)

Let's continue to be the church and build His church!

Do you feel that the church is an effective means of bringing God glory?

Gospel Intentionality - Part 2

A few days ago, I posted a quote from the book Total Church. Today I found one of the authors (Tim Chester) fleshing this concept out on his blog. I thought it was very helpful.

CHECK IT OUT

Let me know what you think?

House churches

In case you missed it, THIS ARTICLE was in the Chicago Tribune today. I felt that it gave a fair reporting on the house church movement.

What are your thoughts about the house church model?

Gospel Intentionality

"Most gospel ministry involves ordinary people doing ordinary things with gospel intentionality."
Tim Chester & Steve Timmis - TOTAL CHURCH

I love this quote. We the people of God need to approach all of life with gospel intentionality. We are the church mission strategy. We are the outreach program.

Small Group Bible Study - ILLEGAL

Have you caught wind of the story in San Diego of a small group Bible study that was being shut down because it was a "church". The gathering of 10 to 15 people was under investigation for operating without a proper permit. You can find the story HERE.

It is worth watching how this story unfolds. If something like this were to set a precedent, it is hard to imagine where this might lead.

Can you imagine the implications of home Bible studies being regulated by government?

Does this concern you at all when a government is getting so involved in someones personal religious life?

The Next Evangelicalism

I dare you to read this book! It attacks many sacred cows and challenges us to rethink what is going on in the church in America.

I am not yet finished with Soong-Chan Rah's book "The Next Evangelicalism", but to this point it has been engaging, convicting, enlightening, confusing, and many other things. This book is prophetic and bold. It is a needed voice to the evangelical world which often ignores some of its most powerful and needed voices.

Rah confronts the false gods of materialism and consumersism, racism, white privilege and the pride that goes with it, and offers a starting point to understanding a more wholistic theology.

The Next Evangelicalism is a must read for anyone serious about growing God's kingdom effectively in the years to come. So get it. Read it. Talk about it. Learn from it.

7th Annual Church Retreat

Each year since the our church began, we have taken an all church retreat. It has always been a fun time. Everybody pitches in to make the weekend happen. Some people put in a lot of work.
We stay up late.
We play games.
We walk a lot.
We have a popcorn campfire.
Children get sick and there are many minor injuries.
Teenagers get loud and competitive.
Adults get worn out.
Memories are made.

Each year it is a blessing to spend time together being challenged spiritually and growing in our relationships with each other.

I thank God for the church family that He has blessed me with. It is good to know that you are not alone.

What do you appreciate about your local church?

Gratefulness

Yesterday at church, we were challenged by Deshaun to be thankful. I know that this is something that I consistently feel God calling me to. This is also something that Lisa and I have been teaching our children over and over again.

I don't like it when children whine and complain about every little thing. Unfortunately, my children are still learning in this area. The sad thing is that many adults have this same problem. They always see the cup as half empty. They always see the 5% that is wrong instead of the 95% that is going well.

What a miserable life they have chosen for themselves.

One of the things that Deshaun said yesterday was that many people like to "compare and complain". He pointed out that often people look at others and complain about how their life could be better. He also pointed us to three things to be thankful for: relationships, our church, and our salvation.

What are you thankful for?

Urban Churches

I get excited about urban churches that have a special focus on evangelism to the younger generation. I know of two such churches that are in the early stages. Epiphany Fellowship in Philly is a few years old and has established a solid foundation for the future. Blueprint Church in Atlanta is just getting started, but has a committed core and the type of leadership to make a difference.

If you have any interest in churches reaching out to make disciples for Christ from the "hip hop generation", then these churches should be an encouragement to you.

Grace and peace to the brothers and sisters in Philly and ATL keeping real for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

What churches are an encouragement to you?

The Bride of Christ

I love the church. It is one of the things in life that I get excited about. One of my passions is to see the church being all that God called her to be. The church is so important because it is the main way that people see Christ in the world. When someone who doesn't know God wants to see Him, they look to the church. Sadly, this is why so many reject Christ. They have seen an image of Him that often doesn't represent him very well.

I always enjoy reading biblically based books about the church. Right now, I am reading Vintage Church by Mark Driscoll and Gary Breshears. If you enjoy reading about the church and what it is meant to be, then this is another resource that points you in the right direction.

Anyone else who loves the Church? What excites you about the church?

Are you in Christ?

"you can be baptized in the church, raised in the church, confirmed in the church, serve in the church, marry in the church, die in the church, and have your funeral in the church and still wake up in hell if you are merely in the church and not in Christ".
Mark Driscoll, Vintage Church

Many who have gone to church throughout there life may be surprised when they die.

Do you think that there are a lot of people who go to church, but don't know Christ?

Welcome to our home

How often do you welcome people into your home?

I believe that the idea of hospitality is often missed by today's church. Obviously, I am a strong believer in the significance of hospitality. That is part of why we host church in our home. I believe that welcoming people into your home can communicate so much about love, relationship, acceptance, etc. It is an evidence of Christian love. It is a valuable tool for reaching the lost. It is a loving way to care for the distressed. It is a powerful place for Christian discipleship to take place. It is a prerequisite for leadership.

So here are some tips that I would give to help you to be a good host as you seek to show hospitality:

• Be friendly (sounds obvious, but it's not)
• Invite someone into the house
• Ask people questions, make them feel welcome
• Take peoples coat
• Offer glass of water, food
• Offer a seat (the best seat)
• Be ready for people to arrive, be in the room
• Porch light on or entry light
• Straighten up, maybe light a candles
• Turn on the lights
• Introduce people if they don't know each other
• Don’t have too many rules (don’t touch, etc.)
• Be willing to love people more than your stuff (things will get broken, dirty, lost, stolen)
• Don’t expect appreciation
• Don’t expect help cleaning

I think that to be hospitable it takes intentionality. Many people think it is a good thing, few practice it regularly. So plan to invite someone to your home this month or even this week.

Does anyone else have any tips about being a good host? What are barriers to being hospitable?

The Lord's Supper

Have you ever notice that I Corinthians 11:17-34 is all about the church being unified? This is the classic passage about the Lord's Supper. It is used whenever communion/Lord's Supper/Eucharist is observed in churches. Paul is addressing the Corinthians behavior while observing this ordinance, but his challenge has to do with how they are treating one another.
The Corinthians were dividing over class. The rich were eating a lot and leaving the poor without. They were disgracing the unity that comes from the cross. They were more concerned about their appetite than about there brother and sister in Christ. This was a disgrace to the "Lord's" supper. From verses 17 and 18 to verses 33 and 34, Paul is talking about sharing with each other without divisions.

Verse 29 says "For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself". Makes me wonder if the "body of the Lord" is talking about the other believers. Maybe the warning is about acting like you are the church, but not really being considerate of the other members of the body.
It seems that the Christian life was meant to be lived in the context of community and not in isolation. It seems that the Lord's Supper has a lot to do with Christian community and not just personal reflection.

Just some things I am have been considering. Any thoughts?

Wives and Husbands

We are going through the book of I Peter as a church. Sunday, we will be looking at I Peter 3:1-7.

Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

There is a lot there. Any thoughts?

Total Church

I am reading a book right now called Total Church by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis. I have found it to be quite engaging. They are leaders in a church community in England called The Crowded House. They focus on being an intentional gospel community and focus in urban communities with many social needs.

Here are some things that I have been reading:
"In any Christian ministry, including ministry among the poor, proclaiming and teaching the word of God must be central. And that is because the greatest need of the poor, as for us all, is to be reconciled to God and so escape his wrath. What makes Christian social involvement distinctively Christian is a commitment to reconciling the poor to God through the proclamation of the gospel."

"If we do not keep people's eternal plight in mind, then immediate needs will force their way to the top of our agenda, and we will betray the gospel and the people we profess to love. The most loving thing that we can do for the poor is to proclaim the good news of eternal salvation through Christ. It is by no means the only loving thing we can do for them, but it is the most loving thing we can do. It would be a crime of monumental proportions to knowingly withhold such good news."

These authors put a great emphasis on the responsibility of the church to be intentionally engaged in the lives of the poor and marginalized in society. But they also keep in perspective that the Gospel is the most important thing that any person needs.

Can we really care for people without being willing to share the Good News with them at some point?