Category: Church (Page 45 of 61)

The Gift of Unity

November 13, 2009 / Allan / 2 Comments

Sometimes when we think about or talk about Christian unity, we do so in terms of what we can do to create unity or cause unity or foster more unity. What we need to understand is that we already have unity. It’s already been given to us.

All Christians are united. All Christians are unified. All believers are together. It’s a gracious gift of God. We can’t do anything to cause Christian harmony. Christian unity is already an eternal reality. It’s just a matter of whether we want to accept it or not. Will we live into it, or not? Will we embrace the God-given and God-ordained blessing of unity or reject it?

“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me.” ~John 17:22-23

Through Jesus we are given a profound spiritual intimacy with the Father and Son that changes all of human life. It’s a unity that encompasses the Father with the Son, all Christian disciples with them both, and, in turn, with one another. Jesus’ whole prayer in John 17 proclaims that unity is not something we maintain. Christian unity, this deep relationship and fellowship between all followers, is what God through Christ has already given us and continues to maintain through the power of his Holy Spirit.

“We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.” ~1 John 4:13

Jesus lives inside us. We are part of that holy communion, that holy community, with the triune God. It’s not because of anything we’ve ever done, but because of this great gift.

“That I myself may be in them.” ~John 17:26

Those are the last words Jesus says to God before he’s nailed to the cross. His last desire is to indwell his followers, to fill them with his glory and joy, so we will all be one. Together. Unity.

John 17 shows us the intimacy and character of the relationship that exists between the Father and Son. We see clearly the unity — the community — that marks their very nature. This oneness is then given to us. Jesus says, “I’m giving them the glory you gave me that they may be one, just like us. I’m giving them the power of your name that they may be one, just like us. I’m living inside them by the Holy Spirit that they may one, just like us.” We have been given this oneness with the Trinity and with everyone whom God has saved.

As his children, this unity is our new nature. This is now who we are: one with Christ and one with his followers everywhere. What that means is that there is very little, if anything, outside of denying Christ as divine Lord by word or deed, that can ever separate us. And if that’s the case — and it is! — then living into that reality in a way that speaks to a lost and dying world requires that we make every effort to love one another. Serve one another. Build one another up. Bear one another’s burdens. Submit to one another. Defend one another. Give one another the benefit of the doubt. Speak well of one another. Protect one another.

Paul says that’s the difference between spiritual infancy and maturity. That’s the difference between being tossed about and held together. Between deception and truth. Between things of human origin and things of Christ.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To all preachers: click here for a recent word of encouragement and discipline from Terry Rush’s blog, Morning Rush.

Elders: a similar exhortation here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whitney’s Richland High School Rebels got blown out by Arlington Bowie last night in the first ever high school playoff game in Jerry Wayne’s new stadium. My alma mater, Dallas Christian, is hosting their/our bitter rival, Fort Worth Christian, in a bi-district playoff game this evening. Whitney and I will be there at Chargers Field tonight. I’ll have to bribe Valerie and Carley with the prospects of cotton candy or Sour Skittles to get them to go with us. Carrie-Anne couldn’t care less. I’m looking forward to showing the girls around the campus. I’ll probably spend most of the evening telling them old stories as the place and the setting flood me with wonderful memories. I’m hoping to see lots of old friends, classmates, teachers, and even a couple of coaches tonight.

Here’s a really strange thing: I’ll probably have more friends dressed in red sitting on the visitors side.

It’s weird living and working and ministering here in FWC’s community. I drive by Fort Worth Christian at least once every weekday taking Whitney to Richland. I know a few of the teachers and coaches. Several of our families here at Legacy attended FWC and/or have kids at FWC. One of our elders here used to be Fort Worth Christian’s superintendent. I play basketball at Cardinal Gym every Thursday. I speak to the high school at FWC chapel at least once a year.

Great people. Great friends.

Go Chargers!

Allan

Feeling Psalm 88

November 10, 2009 / Allan / 1 Comment

Have you ever read Psalm 88? I would encourage you to read it. First, a word of caution: don’t read it as the last thing you do before you go to bed tonight. Don’t read it when you’re all alone. Or on a cloudy day. Try to read it in brightly-lit room full of your closest friends. Because Psalm 88 is a downer. It’s tough.

“My soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave.
I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care.”

Of the 150 Psalms, nearly half of them are labeled as lament psalms. Lamentations. Anger. Doubt. Bitterness. Confusion. Questions. Complaints against God. Even accusations against God. And Psalm 88 may be the most uncomfortable.

“You have put me in the lowest pit…”
“You have overwhelmed me with all your waves…”
“You have taken from me my closest friends…”

Psalm 88 is the only lament psalm that doesn’t, at some point, turn to praise. There’s no praise here. No thanksgiving. There’s not even any hope that God will eventually change his mind or eventually rescue. The psalmist here declares that praying to God is doing no good. God has abandoned him completely. And there’s no light at the end of the tunnel.

“Why, O Lord, do you reject me?”
“Your terrors have destroyed me.”
“The darkness is my closest friend.”

Maybe you’ve never read Psalm 88. But have you ever felt Psalm 88?

This past Sunday here at Legacy we read Psalm 88 and then we prayed it. We lifted up to God our despair and depression, our confusions and doubts. We lifted up to God all those in our congregation suffering from cancer and other disease, those dealing with divorce, those struggling with unemployment, those battling family issues such as rebellious children and abusive spouses, our people who are suffering through the loss of loved ones — both recent and a long time ago. On Sunday we were honest with our God about our faith and our fears. We asked him the hard questions. Why are these things happening? How long will they continue? We told God plainly that we don’t always understand.

Those aren’t easy words to pray. It’s unusual in that we rarely pray this way at all, especially in a corporate Sunday morning setting. But the reading and the prayer and the open and honest theme of the day seemed to be especially meaningful to the many, many, many, many people of our church who are feeling Psalm 88.

It would be impossible to share with you in this space the more-than-usual number of phone calls, emails, and pop-in visits I’ve received in just the two days since Sunday’s service regarding what we did together as a church family. Being publicly and completely honest with God and with ourselves about our pains — physical, emotional, and spiritual pains — resonated with young and old, men and women, from every background and worldview imaginable. It touched people. It bonded people. Because a whole lot of us are feeling Psalm 88. At some point, most of us have felt Psalm 88.

Some still balk at using this kind of language with God, even though all of God’s people in Scripture, from the Patriarchs and Judges and Prophets to Christ himself and the Saints in heaven, have used the language of lament to voice their complaints to God in the middle of great trial. But there’s great comfort in unburdening yourself. There’s great relief in unloading and getting things off your chest. There’s solace in knowing that he’s listening.

You know that.

It’s OK. God loves you, remember?

Peace,

Allan

Glory Through Them

November 5, 2009 / Allan / 0 Comments

Jesus is praying with and for his disciples on that dark night of his betrayal. He’s reflecting back on the heavenly plans that were made before the beginning of time and looking forward to the eternal results. He’s talking to the Father about receiving glory from him and giving glory to him. And then Jesus says a most remarkable thing. He begins talking to God about his disciples and he says, “Glory has come to me through them” (John 17:10).

Glory has come to me through them.

That’s an incredible statement.

It’s amazing to think that sinful man, me, in all my shortcomings and inadequacies, in all my failures, in my selfishness, somehow us, me, in all my sin, somehow we bring glory to the Holy Son of God. That’s unbelievable.

That part of Jesus’ prayer tells me a couple of things.

One, we are very, very, very precious in God’s sight. He finds glory — he actually receives glory — in the bumbling ways we try to live for him down here. We’re not perfect. Far from it. But our attempts bring him glory.

Two, we are radically and dramatically changed by the death and resurrection of our Lord. God creates inside us a brand new creature, full of his Holy Spirit, meant to experience everything in a brand new way. We are different. We are sanctified. We’re holy. We belong to him and we are set apart for his will and his purposes.

And that brings glory to the Son. It glorifies Christ Jesus when you and I show an act of kindness in his name. It brings glory to him when we put our trust in him for salvation. It glorifies Jesus even when we fail.

The Church gives glory to God. We exhibit great confidence because we’re protected by his name (John 17:11) and we possess the truth of his Word (John 17:17). We live this sanctified life in his great power. And the mission is unstoppable. The Kingdom advances. And Christ is glorified!

Peace,

Allan

Last Call

October 23, 2009 / Allan / 2 Comments

We’ll wrap up our True Vision = Right Conduct discussion today by throwing out another couple of ideas for ways our churches can present a better picture of the realities of the eternal Kingdom of God.

We’ve said this week that until we learn to see the world in the reality of the cross, see how the love of God and the sacrifice of Christ and the promises we have in that salvation act impact all of reality, our character won’t change and neither will our actions. There needs to be a mindset developed in our congregations that everything we do or say is directly controlled by our God. Our actions are always determined beforehand by what God has done for us, is doing for us currently, and has promised to do for us tomorrow. It all has to be connected.

We’ve talked about service and the spiritual disciplines. We’ve discussed prayer and the reading of Scripture. I appreciate your comments and suggestions. And I’m looking for more. Allow me to prime the pump with another couple of recommendations.

What’s wrong with incorporating some of the Liturgical Year into what we do as a church family? I’m not sure we could find book-chapter-verse that would sanction this (like we have for every thing else we do in worship) or if the very first church practiced it. But what’s wrong with following the life of Christ through the Lectionary readings and events over the course of a church year? We change our worship schedules according to the Super Bowl and Thanksgiving holidays, things celebrated by everyone in this country. Why not arrange our lives around things Christians celebrate as children of God? It would give a much needed sense of structure — Christian structure — to our hectic lives and serve as a weekly reminder of how our time and talents are gifts from God and should be used with him in mind. I’m thinking it would be really great to do this as a church family every five years.

I also love the idea of worshiping as a church family in public places and serving the community while we worship. Why not plan a big cookout and worship assembly at a city park or a public recreation center three or four times a year? Maybe on a holiday weekend or a beautiful spring evening. The whole congregation. Invite everybody already there at the park to join you for dinner. Feed everybody in the place. Meet people. Meet needs. And worship. Sing. Pray. Read Scripture. Proclaim the Gospel. Out loud. Together as a Church. The Church. What a huge statement to your community that being together and worshiping God is the most important thing you can do. It’s the most appropriate way to celebrate Labor Day or New Year’s Eve. Won’t that be the same statement your church takes away from the event? I think public worship would help shape our vision of our devotion to God and to each other steering our actions in the world, not the other way around.

I love the concept some churches have adopted of putting the baptistry outside. I’m reading of more churches that have put their baptistry outside in the parking lot, next to the main road, when they’ve built new buildings. The entire church family proceeds outdoors for baptisms where they stand and sing and pray and witness and participate together in a new birth in Christ. What a testimony to the whole community! We try to use the church marquee here at Legacy for welcoming new members into our family. Instead of just cute bumper sticker sayings, how about something like, “Welcome Mike & Pat Fry to the Legacy Church of Christ! See how God is blessing us!” Or maybe, “Congratulations to Trevor Podsednik, baptized into Christ on Sunday! Praise God from whom salvation flows!” Something like that tells the community—and reminds us—that we’re growing, we’re serious about what we’re doing, and that it’s God who gives the increase.

Our society, this culture in which we live, is not a good thing. It’s not even a neutral thing. Our churches should be taught to realize that almost everything about the way this country operates is designed to pull us away from our God and from one another. It works to make us less Christian, not more. It’s time we let go of the culture. It’s time we recognize God’s Church as counter-cultural, an eschatological community of faith, the boot camp that gets us ready for eternity with the Father.

That’s the vision that shapes the attitude that informs the actions.

What else?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please be patient with the blog this weekend. Our server is being moved — actually, physically, being moved, I think — and will impact a couple of our blogs here at Legacy and our Legacy church website. We’re going to be down and unavailable, I’m told, from 8p Friday through about 8a Saturday. Sorry.

Go Angels. Go Falcons.

Peace,

Allan

Let's Get Specific Now

October 22, 2009 / Allan / 3 Comments

Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful comments the past couple of days regarding this discussion of a church’s vision — or the vision a church may project — and its relation to how the members of that church act on a day-to-day basis. If Stanley Hauerwas is right in that the moral life is as much a matter of vision as a matter of doing; if one acts in the world according to how one sees the world; if our actions are informed and shaped by our attitudes and outlooks; then what can the church do about tweaking — or in some cases, maybe, completely overhauling — the vision?

What specifically can the Church, or a local congregation, do to help Christians see their faith and their citizenship in the Kingdom as a completely different world, a totally different time and space, that determines how we act in this world, in this time and space? Our actions need to be determined beforehand by what God has done for us, what he’s doing for us currently, and has promised to do for us tomorrow. It all has to be connected.

What can the Church do?

I’ll start this part of the discussion by suggesting a return to the spiritual disciplines. To me, it seems like the logical first step.

Corporate fasting would remind us that our devotion to God informs not only where we eat, but what we eat, and when. I’m in control of my growling appetites, not the world and not the culture and not my co-workers or neighbors. Fasting sharpens our spiritual focus. And it teaches us that we don’t have to conform to what’s happening around us. Nobody’s making us do anything.

Daily reading of the Scriptures fills our hearts and minds with faith language, faith images, and faith ideas. It’s a constant reminder that we live according to the big picture of what God is doing for us through Christ and that our work and play and activities of living on this temporary planet are small in comparison. It reminds us that Christ is Lord, not Caeser; that we’re citizens of heaven, not the Empire. It will shape our vision to pay more attention to heavenly things than earthly things.

Constant prayer keeps us in continual communication with the Father, which also fosters these same ways of looking at things.

I would recommend the church teaching the spiritual disciplines from the pulpit and in Bible classes. Frank discussions and direction regarding prayer and fasting, study and service, and confession and submission will energize a group of Christians. The reality that all of life is informed by our status as children of Almighty God will quickly set in. I would suggest the church develop curiculum for use in the home; fasting with a small group, praying with the family, studying with the kids, meditating with the spouse. Maybe just ten or fifteen minutes a day within each family, with small group discussions about the previous week on Sunday nights, is all it would take. A church family then sees itself as doing things the rest of the world doesn’t do. They experience being separate from the world and bound to each other in Jesus. And they’re much more able, even more willing, to let go of the society which has such a hold on us and embrace the eternal realities of God in Christ.

What else?

Peace,

Allan

Vision & Conduct

October 21, 2009 / Allan / 4 Comments

(Part Two of at least three or four……)

If, as stated here yesterday, true vision fosters or leads to or results in right conduct, then we need to evaluate the vision. We need to be certain the vision is true. I believe the vision in our churches, the vision presented by our elders and preachers, needs to be tweaked. Or, in some cases, probably overhauled.

It seems that the vision a lot of churches create for Christians is one of looking inward to the here and now, all but ignoring the future there and then. A concentration on the Bible as a pattern or blueprint for how things are to be done instead of as a collection of inspired pictures to communicate to us what happens when one encounters the living God keeps us focused on the rules. And those rules are more and more about what we do in our Sunday assemblies and less about what we do with the other six days of the week. Ironically, the Bible has much to say about daily living in the world and very little to say about organized corporate worship. The whole of Scripture supports those priorities. But , instead, we seem to care more about what happens during our one hour of worship time on Sunday mornings than we care about how we act at work, at the park, or in line at the bank.

We’ve allowed the Sunday morning assembly to define our Christianity. We judge faithfulness based on how many assemblies one attends each year. The phrase “She’s a faithful member…” means she’s there every time the doors are open. Nothing more, nothing less. We rate churches on the “doctrinally sound” scale based on what and how they do that Sunday morning time.

When we see the Church as Sunday morning only and we see our lives as Christians centered on being there those Sunday mornings, Church and the Christian life becomes just another compartment in our world. Just as what I do in church has nothing to do with whether I make a sale at work or not, what I do at the office has nothing to do anymore with my walk with Christ. It’s all separate. Neither necessarily informs the other. And neither is necessarily more important than the other. People at work don’t care whether I go to church or not, just as long as I perform my job effectively. And, increasingly, people at church don’t really care anymore about what I do at work or play, as long as I’m there and worshiping correctly on Sunday mornings. It’s completely secularized.

Church and Christianity seem to be just another part of our world when it truly is a completely different world altogether that informs how we live in this world. And until we can learn to see our world in the reality of the cross, see how the love of God and the sacrifice of Christ and the promises we have in that salvation act impact all of reality, our character won’t change and neither will our actions.

There needs to be a mindset developed in the Church that everything we do and say and think is directly controlled by our God. Our actions are determined beforehand by what God has done for us, is doing for us currently, and has promised to do for us tomorrow. It all has to be connected. There cannot be a thought that what one does at work has very little to do with one’s claim to be a follower of Christ. It has everything to do with it!

But where do we start? What do we do? How do we tweak or overhaul the vision?

Peace,

Allan

Category: Church (Page 45 of 61)

The Gift of Unity

Feeling Psalm 88

Glory Through Them

Last Call

Let's Get Specific Now

Vision & Conduct

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Categories

Archives

Allan's Links