CONNECT: Event or Lifestyle (Pt 5)

So, where are you at? Is Relationship good enough or do you want Fellowship? Have you ever tasted Fellowship? I’m betting that those who have tasted it will never settle for anything less.

Use this week of blog posts as a discussion guide for your group. Wrestle with the issue. Express the desires of your heart, for Fellowship, for each other, for the Lord. Are there things in your life that are choking out what God has for you? Does this sound like “crazy cult stuff”? Do you think that you’ll be just fine with how you have lived out your Christian faith, even on the day when the Lord judges your deeds by fire? Are you ready to up the ante? Are you convinced it’s time to say “All in!”?

How about those of you who are still on the sideline when it comes to CONNECT? Is it time for you to give group life a try? What might happen if you do? Want to know the worst? You may realize that you have been settling a lot in your faith. You might even find that you have to restructure your schedule to make room for what God wants to do. You might even find out that you have been missing out on the most incredible experiences of the Christian life, the very things you have been looking for since your first breath. But if there’s still breath, it’s not too late….

CONNECT: Event or Lifestyle (Pt 4)

That’s why CONNECT can’t be just another religious event on your calendar. It has to become the living out of what you have heard and what you believe as being instruction from the Lord who saved you.

But an event, even one that happens every Thursday or Sunday or Tuesday night, won’t get you there. CONNECT won’t create Fellowship. It’s the Spirit of God who does that. But CONNECT should possess all the right pieces to put your little band of Christ-followers in the right place for God to do what we know He wants to do among us.

And it can happen, even in Lancaster County! Let me show you a snapshot from one of our groups that is just starting to figure this out:

Just to update you all on our status.. I was hit pretty hard for a few weeks with some major spiritual warfare and depression.. Since my correspondence with you last, several of you have contacted us to see how we were doing. I wanted you to know that this meant a lot to us, and as I’ve thought about it over the past week, that’s exactly why we are in group together.. The easy thing is to go through life alone, and to never open up and share your heart and achings with others.. But this is contrary to the essence of the church.. We were made to be in fellowship with God and each other, and the fall has made the antithesis of that a natural tendency. I want you to know that I have a new appreciation for group in light of the past weeks and a better understanding of why and how we need each other, especially in times of static darkness. I’d like us to all be in prayer for how God can shape and mold our group into what He wants it to be and to do for: 1. His glory and worship, 2. A means of spreading the gospel of Christ, and 3. to be a safe and safer place where we, his church, can be real and live life together as seen in Scripture. Going through ruts is a powerful way that God can give us sensitivity to hurting people all around us.

Thanks all for your prayers and support during a tough time.. Please continue to pray for us.. I’ve caught a glimpse at the depth of the spiritual attacks that can come in times of weakness and I now see more plainly than ever that prayer is our greatest and most effective defense against darkness.

CONNECT: Event or Lifestyle (Pt 3)

So, why the big deal about Fellowship? Isn’t good Relationship enough? “Steve, isn’t this just you being a perfectionist again?”

“Good enough” is an interesting expression. The staff at my previous church were guided by that phrase. It was because we didn’t want to be paralyzed while we strove for perfection. But what does “good enough” look like in your worship of God? How about in your marriage? How about in your parenting? Isn’t the story of Cain one of offering God what he thought was “good enough” (Genesis 4:3-5)? Look at a similar story about the sons of Aaron who worshipped God according to their own standards:

Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over it. In this way, they disobeyed the LORD by burning before him a different kind of fire than he had commanded. So fire blazed forth from the LORD's presence and burned them up, and they died there before the LORD. Leviticus 10:1-2

Now, I’m not suggesting that settling for Relationship means that God will reject you on Judgment Day. But, I am saying that an earnest Christ-follower should seek to be obedient in every way. And the clear description of the new thing God created by His Spirit on Pentecost was characterized by Fellowship:

So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:41-47

If you let the Word speak and don’t cast your cultural preferences upon it, it’s clear that this Spirit-generated community was continually doing all aspects of life together, especially those that we would consider religious. And Christ had told His disciples, during His prayer for them and the church that He expected that the unity among His followers and toward the Lord would be so radically richer than anything in the world that the world would know the love the Father has for His Son and for His church (John 17:20-23).

So, you should answer for yourself. Is this a matter of personal choice or should we have profound conviction? Christ’s hope as He went to His death was that what would be born from His suffering would be a community which has been radically transformed by divine power. So, can you be satisfied with anything less?

CONNECT: Event or Lifestyle (Pt 2)

Years ago, I used to have quite the addiction to soda, especially colas. And I was a connoisseur! Oh yeah. I could tell the difference between Pepsi and Coke! Pepsi is hands-down better. But better still is RC!

But then I realized that I was putting on a pound or two. I know that none of you have ever experienced that. It’s just me. I was bulking up. So I decided to drink diet cola. Now, I know that there are quite a few folks out there who made that switch successfully, but I couldn’t do it. The artificial sweeteners left a horrible taste in my mouth. It was so bad that I decided that I would rather drink less soda and get a really good one than to compromise on taste to consume gallons.

That’s similar to the difference between Relationship and Fellowship. Fellowship is the real thing while Relationship is something that we settle for to quench our thirst. Our relationships are usually pretty surfacy. We have relationships with neighbors, co-workers, friends, and even family. But Fellowship is something special, like Relationship on steroids!

Biblical Fellowship is something created by the Spirit of God. “Kononia” comes from a group of words meaning “something in common.” The Greek dialect in which the New Testament was written is called “Koine” Greek, because it was the common language of empire of Alexander the Great. It was the means of universally conducting business among the various ethnic groups across the kingdom. And “Kononia” literally means “communion with, participation in, or sharing together.” And the Christian experience is inherently communal. When you are saved from God’s wrath, you are saved unto the church.

But we settle for Relationship even when it comes to our faith. How many people, when asked where they experience “communion,” would say “At church!”? But this betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the richness of the word. Biblically, Sunday morning is “ekklesia,” the word we translate “church” but which literally means “gathering.” At Grace, a few times each year we have a special service which we call “Communion Service.” At that time, we usually share the Bread and Cup, footwashing, and a love-feast. All of these activities hold in common the person and work of Jesus. We have Fellowship with one another because we share in Him.

And the reason that I say we settle for Relationship is that the number of people attending our Communion Service is a mere fraction of those who gather on Sunday morning. That’s because we have convinced ourselves that the relationships of Sunday morning are as good as it gets, God’s very best for us. It’s a knock-off!

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t gather on Sunday morning. We are instructed to gather as God’s people, to come together in His presence and to sing His praises. We are to hear the preaching of the Word. But, we probably won’t find Fellowship on Sunday morning. More likely, we will bring Fellowship into the Sunday gathering.

CONNECT: Event or Lifestyle (Pt 1)

What is that thing that you have to have? You just can’t go on without it. You even tried something that you were told was a good substitute, but there was really just no comparison.

If we’re honest, we really long for meaningful relationships. Sure, some of us are less relational than others, but God has wired us all for relationship. That might be because we are made in His image and He is relational. Or, it might be so that we will seek Him in a significant way. (For my Calvinistic brothers, “so that we will find His grace irresistible.”) Bottom line, we were made for God! And, we have a deep-seeded need for others. That’s why the person who has been reborn will love God and love others. It’s who we were originally made to be.

That was our discussion at the Fireside Chat last Saturday night. We talked about being made for Fellowship. The problem is that we seldom, if ever, experience authentic, biblical Fellowship. Instead, we settle for a cheap knock-off, Relationship.

My next post will deal with the difference between Relationship and Fellowship. But let me leave you today with these thoughts:

When we were done with our 2-hour Fireside Chat and everyone was invited to mingle or leave, most of the 21 people present stayed an extra hour. And Shawna and I left the host home with the other lingering couple more than an hour after that. We didn’t just envision biblical Fellowship, but we began to seek after it!

Once you have experienced the Real Thing (no, not a Coke!), you’ll never settle for anything less!

Fireside Chat

Tonight, most of our group leaders are going to be gathering at our Leadership Fireside Chat. This is an informal time to connect as leaders in CONNECT and to discuss the ministry, its present health and its future.

This time around, we are discussing CONNECT: Event or Lifestyle? The topic will center upon a biblical definition of Fellowship. Our hope is that everyone will come to a fuller understanding of the calling of the church. We are here to glorify God. We do that by allowing our understanding of Him to pour forth from our lives. And, foundational to that is the community He has created by His blood.

If you're a Leader who could not make it to this Fireside Chat, connect with your Coach for what you missed. If you're a group member who would like to attend the next Fireside Chat, you are welcome to attend. Talk to your Leader or Coach about growing in your understanding of CONNECT at Grace.

Death of America?

Do you love America? I mean, love everything about our position of prominence in the world? Do you sort of expect that America will be a superpower in the world forever, at least until the Lord returns and gets our permission to change things a bit? (Does sarcasm communicate well thru a blog post?)

I’m betting that you’re probably expecting America to be a/the leader when it comes to the global scene. Oh, sure, there are a few ultra-liberal, Hollywood-types who think we are the most evil entity on the planet, but I trust that they don’t spend too much time in our neck of the woods.

So, what would you think if a Chinese economist stood before you and told you that America’s time in the spotlight is over and it’s China’s turn to rule the roost? How would you feel if he told you that China is already the #2 economy and will surpass the US in the next decade and lead the world for the next 500 years? What would you do as an American Christian if he asked for your blessings for China to develop as a Christian nation?

Well, that’s what happened in a challenging session at the Leadership Summit last Thursday. Chinese economist, Dr. Peter Zhao Xiao, speaking thru an interpreter, said that China will rise to world dominance economically. He also explained that his study of America taught him that our success was due to our Christian ethic. Therefore, he implored the church of North America to commit to developing a vibrant Christian influence in China.

So, what do you think, Christian? Ready to hand the reins to China? Not now? Not ever?

But isn’t that what we do all the time? Isn’t there a season when we realize that our time is waning and it’s time to pass the baton to the next generation? Now, I know that there are many who continue to hold firmly to the baton, and it can’t be pried from their clenched fist. “Like my gun, you can have the baton when I’m dead and can’t fight you for it, maybe.”

That was the case with King Saul. When David was anointed to be the next king of Israel, Saul didn’t take it too well, trying repeatedly to pin the lad to the wall with his javelin.

But that is not the Christian way. That’s not the way that John the Baptizer modeled. Speaking of the appearance of Jesus, he said,

He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30

And Jesus, at the end of His earthly ministry told His disciples,

But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. John 16:7

Face it, we all will likely die before Jesus returns. It has been that way for 2000 years. And the church is only one generation from extinction.

So, who are you pouring into? Who will carry on in your absence? It’s never too soon to start preparing your replacement. Are you a godly “father” in the church? What young man are you mentoring? Are you a “seasoned” woman? Are you dedicated to teaching the young about being godly wives? (Titus 2:2-5)

Or, if it’s God’s desire to move global prominence to China, will we fight Him to keep it?

Consumer Christianity

So, what do we get if we don’t use the right scorecard? Well, in plain English, we get a product other than what we desire or intend. If our scorecard doesn’t reflect our mission, then we will strive toward something other than what we are supposed to strive for.

The 3 B’s create a culture of consumerism as churches strive to attract and keep a crowd. Honestly, this is the second post I have written today on this subject. The first one turned out too harsh. I don’t mean to attack, but to challenge.

Rather than disciples for Christ, we make consumers of a product. If they like what you offer, they demonstrate it by returning and offering you a few bucks for it. If they don’t like it, they either leave or let you know what you need to change. So, the ultimate human product of the ministry is Sunday morning critics. Sounds neat, doesn’t it? Does it sound like it’s pleasing to the Lord?

I’ll be honest again. The thing which produced this series of posts was our Youth-led Communion Service last Sunday night. Frankly, every Communion Service should be packed to overflowing as the Lord’s people come together to celebrate Him. Furthermore, our annual Youth-led service is a time for the younger generation to share what God is doing in their lives and for the older generations to express their support of and confidence in that new generation. But we had fewer people show up for Communion than we did for the last PrimeTime Hymn Sing. Have we created a culture of consumerism? Have we communicated that Grace is here as a product to be consumed rather than a self-replicating community bringing glory to God?

All I’m saying, folks, is that we need to focus our entire ministry upon the mission that the Lord gave to His church. If we miss self-replicating and end up on self-serving, we end up with a church like the one in this video…

So, what’s it all about, anyway?

Lately, I have been thinking deeply about every aspect of ministry. Not just individual areas, but how things fit together. And just so you don’t think that this is purely an organizational analysis, I have been considering this all in light of a new scorecard.

Well, the expression “new scorecard” indicates that there was an “old scorecard.” Since the days of the Church Growth gurus, the scorecard has been the 3 B’s: Bodies, Budget, and Buildings. That’s what churches measured in order to determine if they were “healthy.” Now, don’t hear me wrongly. I believe it’s very important for leadership to track these areas of ministry. But, since we seek to feel good about what we’re doing and if we use these measures as the indicators of success, we have now determined how we will move forward in ministry, namely in ways that show advancement in these categories.

But is that what we should really be measuring to determine if we are doing well has a church? While I believe that we should still measure in these areas, isn’t there a better, more biblical way to measure health in the church? At the heart of these questions is the fundamental question of what the church is. Or rather, What is the purpose of the church?

Well, not to get into a lengthy ecclesiology (theology of the church), the purpose of the church is to bring glory to God,

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6

And the method by which the church glorifies God is found in the Great Commission,

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

And finally, the manner in which this is done is found in the Great Commandment,

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:36-40

So, I am considering a new scorecard. Rather than the 3 B’s, how about one that I picked up while reading recently. How about we measure:

• People who are being transformed to be more like Christ,


• Congregations that are acting like the Body of Christ, and


• Communities that are beginning to reflect the Kingdom of God.

Later, what’s at stake if we don’t get this right…