My Easter Hallel (Praise)

Beaten and shamed.
Struck with fist and whip.
Wore a thorn crown peircing his head.
Spikes in his hands and feet.
Sword in his side.
On a cross, my Lord was crucified.
The only Healer chose not to heal self.
The only Savior chose not to save self.
My Savior.
Your Savior.
Our Savior.
Bled upon the cross, and we take it for granted.
Lord, forgive us all for our sins; bury them in your tomb.
He is alive!
I am alive!
Hallelujah!
What a Savior!

Should Christian's Be Involved in Politics?

Augustine said those who are citizens of God's kingdom are best equipped to be citizens of the kingdom of man. Historian John Hallowell wrote, “Only through a return to faith in God, as God revealed Himself to man in Jesus Christ, can modern man and his society find redemption from the tyranny of evil.”
 

Who is better to govern us than our Creator? It is Christian involvement in government that gave us hospitals, civil liberties, abolition of slavery, modern science, the elevation of women, regard for human life, great works of art and literature, a workable system of justice, education for common people, the free-enterprise system, and much, much more. Personal faith, biblical principles, and the recognition of God's sovereignty are spread throughout the writings of our nation's founding fathers. The Bible's solutions make sense and we should vote to keep out of office those who attempt to oppose God's authority, regardless of their political affiliation.
 

Where we have a voice and can elect our leaders, Christians should exercise that right by voting for those whose views most closely parallel God's principles.
 

Recommended reading:  The Stewardship of Politics, by Timothy J. Carlson, The Restoration Herald, Sept 2012. Let Me Tell You How You Should Vote, by Ben Cachiaras, Christian Standard, Sept 2012. Should Christians Vote for a Mormon President?, by Bob Russell.

I Hope He Learns His Lesson!

In my 20 years at FCC, I have had blessings too many to count. Our FCC family, though not perfect, is warm, caring, and generous.

 

I've also had a few blunders along the way. (Okay, more than a few.) I'm talking about the kind of blunders that cause a more sensible person to say "I sure hope he learns his lesson." Translation: "I hope he pays for his stupidity."

 

I've done and said some really stupid stuff. Oh, I'm not talking about things like having a jr. high lock-in with no other adults to help, or saying from the pulpit "there's so much sex on TV it's no wonder they call it the boob tube," or scheduling three weeks straight of camp, youth conference, and another week of camp all the while my wife, Kim, was at home with a 4 and 1 year old, or...(it's a long list). I'm sure you have your list, too.

 

I've learned lessons a lot bigger than those -- most of them the hard way. Why is it that some of our biggest and most important lessons learned come out of pain I caused in others and in me? I'm sure it has something to do with the hardness and stubbornness of my own heart -- it takes a greater blow to break it.

 

Thankfully, with all my blunders and moments of idiocy, I am still surrounded by the arms of a loving God and others who love me unconditionally.

 

Life and ministry is a series of mistakes, lessons, and blessings. Often, they run together in a pack. So, here are a few (more practical) lessons I've learned in ministry to this point.

1. God does more than we can ask or imagine.
2. My wife, Kim, is my best friend and my greatest supporter and co-laborer in ministry.
3. It's not a job, but a calling. If you ever see it as a job then you need to get out of the ministry and do something else.
4. You cannot please everyone, nor can you make everyone happy. So don’t sweat it.
5. Church bulletins are a necessary evil.
6. Get out of the office and among people. You can’t sit in an office all day and do ministry.
7. Sometimes you have to let people leave the church.
8. Prayer needs to be our first choice, not last resort.
9. You can’t do it all, so trust others to help.
10. Extend mercy and grace first...ask questions later.
11. It’s okay to rest, relax and sometimes go hide. Jesus did.
12. Seek wisdom from others. There are some smart people out there.
13. Far more important than your ministry and only second to God is your family. Don’t neglect them.
14. God's Word changes people.

Still learning,
Phil

Dirty Shoes

Social media is an odd fellow. In many ways it has drawn us closer together as we reconnect with old friends and connect with new ones. Yet, it reminds us how divided we can be as hot issues are debated. I have engaged it such debates from time to time, but I'm not so sure it has always been time well spent.

Yes, Christians should proclaim the truth, but not in places where God's truth is unwelcome. Jesus said, "I stand at the door and knock" (Rev 3:20). The image we see is Jesus patiently waiting for us to let him in -- he does not barge in where he is not wanted. So, why do we insist on carrying His truth into hostile arenas where it is not accepted nor wanted?

The sad reality is that those who are still under the influence of the sinful nature are incapable of understanding spiritual things because sin blinds them from the truth (Romans 8:6-7). Sin creates a disdain for God's commands. Sin separates us further from God and His truth. So, don't get frustrated when non-believers misuse Scripture in an attempt to prove their point. Don't be surprised that they don't understand your point of view. Don't be shocked by their brashness toward that which is precious to you. Without the Holy Spirit's guidance, they do not and cannot fully understand God's eternal plan from Genesis to Revelation (1 Cor 2:10-16).

What, then, should we do? Love them as God loves them. Share the Good News with them as we are commanded to do in Matthew 28:19. Valiantly defend the truth of God's Word without shame (Romans 1:16). But don't continue to throw seed where it will be trampled. As Jesus put it, "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you" (Matthew 7:6). If the person, after hearing the gospel, is still hostile toward God's truth, perhaps it is time to shake the dust off your shoes (Luke 9:5).

Spiritual Independence Day

Each year on this day, July 4th, America celebrates Independence Day, remembering our freedom from British rule. As citizens of heaven who are only incidentally American citizens, we have a more significant freedom and liberty to celebrate. Christians everywhere celebrate a spiritual independence day.
What kind of freedoms do we enjoy in Christ?
• Freed from bondage (Luke 4:18)
• Freed the slavery of sin (John 8:32)
• Freed from the fear of death (Heb 2:15)
• Freed from a depraved mind (2 Pet 2:19)
• Freed from the law of sin and death (Rom 8:2)
• Freed from the bondage of having to satisfy God’s law (1 Cor 9:21; Gal 2:4; 4:22; 4:30-5:1)
• Freed from past sins (Heb 9:15)
• Freed from our sins by his blood (Rev 1:5)
• Freed from accusation (Col 1:22)
• Freed from the power of sin (Rom 6:7, 18, 20, 22) Caution: Do not think this freedom gives you permission to sin. 1 Pet 2:16 says "Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God" (See also Gal 5:13) \
• Free to approach God with confidence (Eph 3:12)
• Freed from spiritual blindness (2 Cor 3:16)
• Freed from the curse of a decaying body (Rom 8:21)
• Free to be a slave to others (1 Cor 9:19) Caution: Don’t let your freedom from the law lead others to violate their consciences (1 Cor 8:9)
• Freed by the law of love (James 1:25; 2:12)
As followers of Jesus, let's celebrate our independence day!
Phil

#1 Cause of Church Growth

Church growth experts, in determining The #1 Cause of Church Growth, have had the following measure in place for many years: How did you find out about us? I’ve asked first time attenders this question, but admittedly, I haven’t asked it enough to develop useful data.

How did you find out about FCC? We could come up with several possible answers: building location, website, programs, community involvement/service, special events, etc. All of these are good and important to have, but are any of them The #1 Cause of Church Growth. Nope. Not even close.

By far and away, the #1 answer is: Invited by a friend or family member. Are you surprised? I’m not. I think we greatly underestimate the significance of “a person with skin on them” personally inviting their friend or family member to church. Too often, however, we fall into a passive Field of Dreams kind of approach – “if we build it, they will come.”

So what are we to do? We must equip you and help you succeed. We must create a warm and welcoming facility and environment. We must offer an opportunity to worship God that is meaningful. We must be Biblically strong and culturally relevant. We must seek to meet the needs of others. We must build strong families. The list could be long and should require us to re-think everything about our church. In fact, this is exactly what our Leadership Team has been doing this year as we re-tool our mission, vision, and core values of the FCC. I’m excited how God is moving. You may not see it yet, but there is a “buzz” in the air.

Let’s not forget The #1 Cause of Church Growth – inviting your friends and family members.

If I Were the Devil

If I were the devil, I would wage warfare against church leaders. I’d be relentless in my attack with evil spirits of depression and despair, anger and bitterness, jealousy and lust, deceit and pride. If such things bled over into the congregation at large, so be it.

If I were the devil, I would attack families in every way, shape and form. I'd distract husbands from loving their wives and wives from respecting their husbands. I'd prevent fathers from fulfilling their responsibility in raising their kids. I'd plant seeds of frustration and resentment in moms head and heart. I'd promote individualism in the heads of children, making them believe they don't need others. I'd attack God's formula for marriage of one man, one woman, for one lifetime. I would NOT touch the spirituality of husbands and fathers because well, if it's already broke...

If I were the devil, I would get you to believe that faith is strictly a private matter - just between you and God. I'd craftily and methodically remove God and references to faith from government, schools, prisons, hospitals, and all public life, for that matter.

If I were the devil, I would convince mankind that we evolved without a Creator. I'd blur the line between right and wrong with situational ethics and relativism, all in the guise of becoming a more free, more loving, and more tolerant people.

If I were the devil, I suppose  I would do just what the devil is doing now.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. ~Ephesians 6:11

Simply Christmas

Remember as a child when Christmas was simply a time of excitement, wonder and expec-tation? You couldn’t wait for the Christmas cookies to come out of the oven. Your eyes would get wide as the lights sparkled on the tree. And who could fall asleep on Christmas Eve? Ah, Christmas...

Fast-forward to the busy, hectic, over-scheduled time of year, where the list is long of tasks that must be completed. Christ-mas trees are to be decorated. Christmas shopping and gift wrapping must happen in a flurry. Christmas entertaining fills the calendar. Christmas programs abound—at school, in the community, at church. When will it all stop? December 26? No, for then the frenzy of gift returning and after-Christmas sales begins!

What happened to the simplicity of Christmas and the tranquility of the season? Has the expectation and wonder of Christ-mas disappeared? Does it fade as we grow older? Or, does it just get crowded out? Is it possible to have a simple Christ-mas?

Before the stress of shopping, relatives and overcharged credit cards rob us of the joy and wonder of Christmas, we at First Christian Church would like to remind you that some things are still very simple, like the age-old story of a manger and a very special gift. Before life gets crazy complicated, we invite you to join us and discover the simply amazing story of Christmas for yourself.

December  4   A Simple Gift

December 11   A Simple Family

December 18   A Simple Birth
December 25   A Simple Message

Preparing for a Good Harvest

The words "harvest time" conjure many different images in our minds. The farmer bringing in his crops, leaves turning colors, Indian corn, pumpkin pie, football, and, of course, Thanksgiving Day. God has also designed seasons in each of our lives, to bring about a harvest in us. It is a wonderful time that the writer of Hebrews describes as producing in us a har-vest of righteousness and peace. Each of us would love to have this kind of fruit in our lives—to be right before God, more like His son Jesus and have that calm assurance that He is in control.

Farmers, who know all about the harvest, are, in many ways, connected to the land. It’s how they make their living. For some, their very livelihood and prosperity are linked to the harvest. Farmers who rely on a good harvest to make a living understand that careful preparation for the harvest will have begun months before any John Deere or Case combine can begin collecting ears of corn or bushels of soybeans.

I am certainly not a farmer, but I know enough to understand that a decent crop is not a guarantee. The land must be properly cultivated for a bountiful harvest to result. This includes plowing and disking the ground to turn the soil before planting, adding the proper nutrients to the ground, making sure plants get enough water to grow, and so forth. If I fail to cultivate the land to prepare it for planting or if I neglect my crops through the growing season, the harvest would be less than desirable. Every good farmer understands the need to cultivate and prepare the land, turning over the soil so nutrients, rain and seeds can make their way in deep. Proper cultivation sets the stage for a good crop and prosperity for the hardworking farmer.

This truth is no different when it comes to our hearts. Only a fool would think that his heart would reap a harvest of righteousness and take on the appearance of Christ without daily cultivation and care. Only when our hearts are properly cultivated can the Spirit most effectively form the character of Christ in our lives. Paul talks about this in Ephesians 3:17: "Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong."

That’s the kind of harvest God intends to produce in our lives. Strength. Depth. Character. The harvest is only possible if we’re willing to allow our roots to go down deep as we continually to trust in Him for the results.

In His Grip, Phil

Public vs. Private

Turning on the news and you will soon hear about a scandal knocking at the door of a high profile celebrity or politician. One would think that those who live in the public eye would learn the wisdom of Numbers 32:23 "...your sin will find you out." The truth is that this verse applies to everyone, whether you are followed by cameras or live a life of obscurity like most of us.

I think a lesson here is one about integrity.

Simply ask yourself this question: “How do I live when no one’s looking?” It’s easy to look like a person of integrity when people are watching, but do I live my private life with the same level of consistency as I live my public life?

Much of our lives are consumed with trying to get people to think about us the way we want to be thought about. John Ortberg suggests, “Human conversation is largely an endless attempt to convince others that we are more assertive or clever or gentle or successful than they might think if we did not carefully educate them.” Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:1 are hard to get around: “Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

I think celebrities think it’s possible to live one life publicly and another life privately. Check that...all of us live double lives to some degree. That’s not integrity; it’s a recipe for trouble and God’s discipline. We are to live with consistency in public and in private, because our Father “sees what is done in secret” (Matthew 6:4).

Since this is the case, being faithful in small, secret things is a big deal. It may be the case that God is far less concerned with our public life than he is in our private character. He may be more concerned with how we manage our home than our business. I'm not suggesting that God is not concerned with our public life - He is! However, allowing God's grace to change us and shape us in the small, secret places of our lives will enable us to live in the image of his Son in the big, public places.

In the end, integrity is about desire. Who we become reveals what we really desire. If you desire the praise of men, then you will become a certain kind of person in public. But if you desire the praise of God, then integrity (your behavior in private) will need to become a priority.

Doth We Petition Too Much?

My LIFE group is currently studying Dean Trune's book, The Path Toward Passion.  It covers nine spiritual disciplines that help us connect our heart to God's. This week's chapter was on prayer -- more specifically, how to pray humbly. Dean touched on five elements of prayer that are essential to the believer. They are petition, submission, obedience, confession, and repentance.

Dean writes:

"All elements need to be employed as we pray to reach the deep intimacy we seek with our Creator. Praying humbly means that I lay our everything in every corner of my being before God. He is ready and waiting for us. It is all about Him and not about me. Praying with reckless and relentless humility will lead us to God's heart."
(Trune, D. The Path Toward Passion. p. 63. Prayershop Publishing. 2009)

After studying the five elements of prayer, I asked our group which one we do more of and which one we do the least. Overwhelmingly, we agreed that most of our prayers take the form of petitioning God, while prayerful times of confession and repentance are seldom experienced. In other words, we're pretty good at asking God, but not so good at listening and submitting to God in our prayer time.

It isn't that petitioning God is bad, but often times our petitions are misquided. Our prayers are dominated with requests for things we want and need -- It's all about my life, my family, my health, my job, my friends, my, my, oh, my. We pray selfishly for God to fix this, give us that, bless us now, keep us safe, and while you're at it, do something about the weather. Again, those aren't necessarily evil or bad things to pray about, but who is the benificiary of those petitions? We are!

In order for our faith to deepen and our walk in Christ to take us to newer heights, we need to focus less on ourselves and our needs and more on God's kingdom and His will. Instead of us being the beneficiary of our petitions, let's make God's kingdom the beneficiary. Let's pray more like Jesus -- "Not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).

Here's a little excercise. The next time you pray, don't petition God for anything unless it is Kingdom related.

When the Earth Beneath Us Crumbles

Watching the videos and seeing the images of Japan's devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami leaves us speechless and numb. Each news report paints a darker picture than the one we saw the previous day -- thousands more dead, homeless numbers rising, damage estimates skyrocketing into the billions, and the threat of nuclear meltdown more imminent. It all makes our cozy lives and trivial compliants about the weather seem so small and meaningless compared to this great tragedy.

We are left with many questions. What can we do? How do we respond? Where is God in all of this?

This may sound like a Sunday School answer, but the first thing we can do is PRAY! Don't just talk about praying or say you will pray, but really pray. Find a quiet place and pray out loud to God. Pray for the victims and their families. Pray for the rescue workers. Pray for our missionaries in Japan. Pray that God will move and respond to those who cry out to Him (Ps. 107:6).

Yes, we can do more than pray, but we can't do more without praying. We can GIVE! You can give toward the relief effort by sending your gift to First Christian Church (please write "MSGF" in the memo). All donated funds will go directly to Mustard Seed Global Fellowship (MSGF). FCC's own Jared Henke, and his wife Stephanie, are missionaries with MSGF. They have a very good network with many of the Christian churches in Japan. This means they will be able to get aid immediately into the hands of Christians who are reaching out to the victims of this natural disaster.

Pray, give, and BE WISE! It is likely you will have those in your circles of influence who want to know where God is when such tragedies occur, or, worse yet, they blame God for it! If you can help them make sense of it, you have opened a door to share Christ’s love with them. Here are a few questions and answers that may help you in these discussions:

Why did this happen?

We live in a fallen world. All of creation is deteriorating because of one thing -- sin. Bad things happen to good and bad people because of sin. The Apostle Paul writes, “For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.” Romans 8:19-21 (New Living Translation). So, natural disasters happen and will continue to happen until the Christ returns!

Did God cause this to happen?

Yes and no. Because God is the Creator, He created a world where this could happen, or as some say, God allows it to happen. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that God purposely caused the destruction. Jesus speaks of a tragic event in His day and time in Luke 13:3-5 where a tower collapsed, killing 18 people. Jesus pointed out that God didn’t cause it to happen because the 18 were sinners. It just happened. However, it comes as a warning to all that if calamity does happen (and it will) we need to be eternally prepared!

What good could ever come out of something so tragic?

Tragic events cause us to stop and ponder the frailty of life -- we are faced with our own mortality. Knowing that life is fragile, leads us to evaluate our priorities, and for those whose priorities are skewed, it's a wake up call. In fact, Jesus in Matthew 24 & 25 and the Apostle John in the book of Revelation indicate that God allows such things as a warning of the coming day of the Lord –- or judgment day. Jesus says, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42, NIV). And, John adds the words of Christ, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (Rev. 3:11, NIV). In Japan, less than 1% call themselves “Christians.” As our missionaries and other Christians in Japan respond to meet the physical needs of those hit by this disaster, pray they will have the opportunity to share the eternal hope that is found in Jesus Christ.

In His Grip.

Phil

FCC partners with CCB!

I am pleased to announce our new partnership with Church Community Builder (CCB). CCB is a web-based church management system, which provides calendaring, scheduling, church membership and record keeping for the local church.

More than anything else, CCB will provide the means for people who join First Christian to be connected to one another. FCC members will be able to interact, encourage each other, promote fellowship in small groups and communicate with each other.

Up to now our database has been maintained in house on our own server. As technology continues to change, it has become more difficult to maintain our software and database and deal with compatibility issues. Since CCB is web-based, we will no longer have to worry about maintenance or compatibility issues. In fact, being web-based means that all of our members and leaders will be able to access our online community with a web browser.

When the new website for First Christian is up and running, there will be a place where members of First Christian can log in and check out their small groups, serving groups and individual messages. If they would like (their option), they can provide additional contact information for other members of FCC to get in touch with them. Think of CCB as an on-line church directory, which never becomes out of date! Yet, unlike public social networking sites like Facebook, the on-line directory for FCC will be private, only available to other people who are part of the church.

In addition, FCC members will be able to view their donation records on-line all year long - not just at tax time. This information is secured and backed up by CCB, and can only be accessed through your private username and password.

Currently, we are waiting for our data to be migrated into CCB. I will keep you posted as we implement this new website.

In His Grip,

Phil

The Simple Church

Our preaching series to begin this year has been about asking the difficult question – Are we the church God wants us to be? It's a chance to ReFocus our spiritual lens on the simple mission of the church – to love God and love people.

Sometimes in order to accomplish more we need to simplify and do less. It is possible that our approach in "doing" church (and life) has gotten so complex that we're not as effective as we can be. How can there be time in a follower's life to "go and be the church" if he or she is expected to attend church three or four times a week, be in a small group, serve in a ministry, etc.? The truth is that we're good at "doing" church, but are we good at "being" the church?

The church in Thessalonica became a "model to all believers" (1:7), a group of people "making it their ambition to lead quiet lives." Their lifestyle was—in a single word—simple: simple Christians living simple lives. In contrast, Moses was not living in simplicity, and was confronted by his father-in-law to change. Solomon in Ecclesiastes reveals a life of regrets. He pursued wine, women, work, wealth and wisdom, a complex life. Yet, in the end, he admitted the conclusion of the matter: fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man. He admitted there was a more simple way to live.

Are we living lives in community that appear to be simple or complex? Like Solomon, will we realize that a simple life of pursuing God is what truly matters in life? Like Moses, will we take deliberate action to simplify our life?

Jesus, the Prince of Peace

There's a story about two families that lived side by side in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. They hated each other and for years they quarreled and fought. The feud started when Grandpa Smith's cow jumped over Grandpa Brown’s stone fence and ate his corn. Brown shot the cow. Then one of the Smith boys shot two of the Brown's boys.

'n jist like dat, day was a feudin!

Bill, the oldest of the Brown family, decided to even up matters, especially since his own daddy had been killed. But before Bill could act out his anger and revenge, he was called away to war. While he was away his mother had a hard time providing for the family.

One Christmas the head of the Smith family took his wife and children to church. Usually he stayed outside, but it was so cold he decided to go in and wait. The sermon was on Christ, the Prince of Peace. It struck Smith’s heart. On his way home he passed the home of the Browns and he began to realize what a crime he had committed in killing the breadwinner of the family. He prayed, but he also did more. He determined secretly to help them. He hired a small boy to carry a basket of food to the Browns every day.

When Bill came home, and heard of this kindness, he decided to find out who the generous helper was. He followed the little boy—to the door of Smith’s house. He could not believe his eyes. When Smith answered his knock, he smiled and declared: “Shoot me, Bill, if you want to.”

But Bill said he had come to thank him for taking care of his family while he was gone. Then Smith explained to Bill how he had come to a change of heart. He had heard the story of the first Christmas, the story of the Prince of Peace and it changed him.

Have a Blessed and Merry Christmas.

Phil

Joseph, Mary, and Hebrew Marriage Customs

When reading the Christmas story from Matthew's gospel it is helpful to have an understanding about Hebrew marriage customs.

Parents arranged the marriages of their children; contracts were negotiated and the young couple entered into the covenant of marriage. After the arrangement was accomplished, the two were considered married and were called husband and wife. They did not, however, begin to live together or engage in sexual intimacy. Instead, they both continued to live at home with their parents for one year. During this waiting period, the husband would prepare a place for he and his bride to live (usually a room attached to his father's house). The waiting period was also to demonstrate the faithfulness of the pledge of purity given concerning the bride. If she got pregnant during this waiting period, she obviously was not pure, but had been involved in an unfaithful sexual relationship. In the case of marital unfaithfulness, the marriage could be annulled. If, however, the one-year waiting period demonstrated the purity of the bride, the husband would then go to the house of the bride’s parents and, in a grand processional march, lead his bride back to his home. Then the husband and wife would consummate their marriage.

It was during this one-year waiting period when an angel told Mary she was with child. She knew she had been faithful, but Joseph did not (vv. 20, 23). Very little is known about Joseph, but one can imagine how his heart must have been broken. Although the marriage was pre-arranged, he must have genuinely loved Mary. His love for her was demonstrated by his choice not to create a public scandal by exposing her pregnancy to the elders at the city gate. According the Law of Moses, Mary could have been stoned to death (Deut. 22:23-24). Instead, Joseph decided to divorce her quietly, severing the marriage covenant.

Now, in light of this background, I encourage you to read Matthew 1:18-25.

Christ the Savior is born!

Phil

Stick to Our Mission

God has uniquely called the Church to present the Gospel in an uncomplicated and common sense way.

And all God’s people say… Amen! That’s a given isn’t it? I think we would all agree. But what if I put it this way: “I believe God has uniquely called First Christian Church of Salem to present the Gospel in an uncomplicated and common sense way.” Do you still agree? I hope so. The point I’m trying to make is that we must take the mission of the Church personally. Each and every one of us should commit to that mission. It isn’t someone else’s mission – it’s your mission and my mission. We should want First Christian to truly be a church passionately committed to Christ, His Cause, and His Community. Everything else is a distant second.

When we commit to the mission, when we give ourselves wholly to the mission, when we live and die for the mission, then nothing else can sidetrack us – Satan and the gates of Hell will not prevail. When we’re on the frontlines of this spiritual battle there’s no room for bickering and complaining because…well, we have a mission to accomplish. Will we have disagreements, yes, but we should never let our disagreements and preferences stand in the way of accomplishing our mission.

With a passion and zeal for the lost and hurting world, First Christian must look for ways to build bridges to a cynical and jaded society. We must take a different approach in reaching out and helping people along the journey. That means we must stress cultural relevancy and utilize all means, all medias, all genres, all styles, all things to communicate the gospel message.

In His Grip,

Phil

21

I don't get it. Why is it that when kids turn 21 they think they need to buy and consume alcohol? Is there some sort of rite of passage that I missed? Is there some great temptation that overcomes them, or is it just because they can? Does it magically turn them into adults? Perhaps it makes them feel better about themselves. Maybe it's just peer pressure. I wonder, did they smoke a cigarette when they turned 18? Is that the same thing? Are they going to go rent a car at the age of 25?

I find it odd that one of the first things a person does with their newfound responsibilities as an adult is to do something that is irresponsible? (I know, I know, I can hear all of the "adult beverage" drinker's protest: "I drink responsibly." "I don't drink and drive." "I can handle it. I'm always in control." "The Bible doesn't really say it's sinful. The apostle Paul told Timothy..." blah, blah, blah.)

I guess my point is not to argue about the immorality of drinking (that's for another discussion), but instead to consider the message Paul told the Corinthians. Paul wrote that just because something is lawful, does not mean it's beneficial (1 Corinthians 10:23).

Hmmm. Just because you turn 21 and can legally buy and drink booze, does not mean it's beneficial. He wasn't being legalistic. He didn't say they were going to hell. He simply wanted them to move their lives toward holiness.

Am I there...holiness, that is? Nope. Do I want to get all legalistic on you? Nope. Am I going to encourage you to move your life toward holiness and purity as I am trying to do the same in my own life? Absolutely!

Just something to think about.

Counting Conversions, pt. 2

Often times the measure of success for a church or ministry is based on the number of decisions or how many people are involved in ministry. Luke recorded some growth numbers in the book of Acts (2:41; 5:14; 11:24). It isn't wrong to measure success mathematically, but how we define "decisions" can be misleading. Some count the number of hands raised while heads are bowed. Others teach that all you need to do is to pray a simple life-changing prayer. Honestly, I think these sort of things lead people to think that we can save ourselves by making a "decision." And let's not forget to point the finger at ourselves. How many have been baptized thinking that was it, and yet their life doesn't come close to resembling a disciple of Christ. Ouch!

George Whitefield, who was a leader in the 18th century Great Awakening, said "There are so many stony ground hearers, who receive the Word with joy, that I have determined to suspend my judgment till I know the tree by its fruits. I cannot believe they are converts till I see fruit brought back; it will never do a sincere soul any harm."

A century later, Charles Spurgeon said "Do not, therefore, consider that soul-winning is or can be secured by the multiplication of baptisms, and the swelling of the size of your church… Lay aside such numberings of the people, such idle pretence of certifying in half a minute that which will need the testing of a lifetime."

These two preachers of the past reflected the teachings of Jesus who said "All men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).

Do the seeds of the Gospel still fall on rocky, hard-pan soil, or among thorns? Certainly. So how do we know the composition of a person's conversion soil? FRUIT. True conversion is the supernatural work of God bringing about a changed heart (good soil), which naturally leads to a change in our behavior. Changed behavior (from ours to Christ's) bears good fruit. This is good soil conversion – and from good soil comes good fruit.

Have you made a decision for Christ? If so, praise God, but we will know that you are a truly a Christian (a follower of Christ) by your love (fruit).

Counting Conversions, pt. 1

In our church newsletter was a list of individuals who recently made a decision for Christ. That's exciting! It isn't about bragging or displaying a trophy on the mantle, but rather so you can celebrate along with them. However, this has caused me to wonder and ponder this whole idea of reporting decisions.

We see it often: A church holds a revival, or a special play or concert, and then claims hundreds or even thousands of decisions for Christ. A sports ministry claims 5,000 decisions in one year. A movie leads to 12,000 decisions in a month. A crusade reports 1,800 decisions in one weekend. I've even read where one man's ministry claims to have influenced over one million decisions for Christ. Really? I'm impressed…I think.

Maybe I'm being too pragmatic, but are preachers more persuasive today? Are we creating an environment that's more conducive for people to accept Christ? Have our methods of evangelism improved so dramatically over the past century that our success stories now dwarf the efforts of some of history's greatest missionaries? Consider this:

William Carey, who is known as the father of modern missions, was in India for seven years before he baptized his first convert.

David Livingstone, who pioneered medical mission work, served eight years in Africa before seeing anyone converted.

Adoniram Judson, who is believed to have been the first missionary sent from North America, was in Burma six years before he saw one person come to Christ.

Hudson Taylor who immersed himself in the language and culture of China, waited ten years!

With that bit of information from church history, how can we explain the fact that a group of students on a week-long mission trip, claiming hundreds of converts, end up being radically more effective in initial outreach than the most well-known missionaries in church history? Were the missionaries of the past simply not smart enough or passionate enough to come up with innovative and culturally relevant outreach techniques? Was God not moving then as He does today? Could it be that there is really some massive revival going on today, that wasn't going on during the greatest century of missions?

Or could it be (and I think it is) that Christian ministers and missionaries of past centuries looked at lasting conversions, where as today we're more concerned about counting immediate "decisions".

Next week, I'll explain. Here's a hint – it has something to do with fruit.