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 It’s who we were originally made to be.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…

BLINDSIDED!

Have you seen the movie The Blind Side? This is a great movie about a true story. We won’t discuss that it’s about a member of the unspeakable NFL team in the Baltimore area. Rather, I’d like to talk about the idea of a “Blind Side.”

Are you familiar with the term? Your blind side is the place you can’t see. On cars, we call them “blind angles,” that place where the driver cannot see using peripheral vision or rear view mirrors.

Think about a time when something caught you totally off guard. You’re cruising along thru life when all of a sudden, WHAM!!! You’ve been “blindsided”! Do you know what I’m talking about now?

That’s what Sandra Bullock tells Quinton Aaron, playing the part of Michael Oher, that he was made to do… Watch the quarterback’s blind side!

So, tell me about your blind side. What does it look like? If you try to answer me, you’re mistaken. Because that’s the definition of a blind side, the place you can’t see!

How dangerous does a blind side sound to you? Well, scuba divers developed dive masks with side windows to increase their peripheral vision. That’s kinda a nice thing to have if you might encounter something like a shark, right? Add side windows, decrease your blind side. Sounds like a step in the right direction, agreed?

Let me introduce you to the Johari Window. It sounds like an exotic name, but it’s really just a blend of the first names of the developers, Joseph & Harry. The Johari Window is a tool to help you understand yourself better, especially how self-aware you are. Now, some of you are tuning out because this sounds too much like self-help psychology. Hang with me. It’s just a tool!

Everyone’s Johari looks different because it is determined by your own self-awareness and people whom you have invited into your life for accountability. If you are rather dull when it comes to introspection and self-analysis, your self-awareness is low. With good openness to accountability, your blind side can be radically reduced. However, teaming good self-evaluation with accountability, it can nearly be completely eliminated.

OK, now, back to God’s Word. The best way to reduce the likelihood of being blindsided in your Christian walk is a two-pronged approach:

First, it involves Scripture reading and prayerful reflection.

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-- he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:23-25

But also, it includes brothers or sisters in the Lord with whom you are doing life together, people who have access to you and with whom you are open about your thoughts and deeds, your struggles and your failures. People with whom you are intimate.

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Get Naked!!!

A couple weeks ago, we heard a message from Pastor Scott on Intimacy from the story of Enoch found in Genesis 5. I wanted to take the opportunity of that story to talk a little more about Intimacy.

In the passage, it said that “Enoch walked with God” (vv.22, 24). This is the second time in Genesis where we read about God walking around. Can you guess where the first time is? It’s Genesis 3, the story of the Fall.

It says that Adam and Eve heard God walking in the garden during the cool of the day (3:8). The idea behind the Hebrew word for walking (halak), which literally means “walking around” is the idea of “living out one’s life.” We would say “doing life” or, in CONNECT Ministry, “how you roll.” And since Adam and Eve recognized the walking about of the Lord in the garden, it’s pretty clear that walking about with Him was a big part of their life before they met a serpent and an opportunity to doubt God.

Before the Fall, Adam and Eve were described as “both naked and unashamed” (Genesis 2:25). But, once “their eyes were opened” (3:7), they covered and hid themselves in shame. So, life before the Fall could be characterized as walking naked with God.

Fastforward back to Enoch who walked with God. This is the picture of Intimacy that we get from the context of Genesis. The life that was pleasing to the Lord was the one that walked with Him in nakedness. There was nothing coming between Enoch and the Lord. There was nothing to hide. There was openness and transparency.

Now take a look around you. Look at the folks in your church. And the ones in your small group. And the ones in your family. I’m just betting that they are covered. They are covering their shame even as they are covering their nakedness. And I’m willing to bet that they are covering up before the Lord also. These are all signs of the curse!

So, get naked! Start with the Lord. Share your deep, ugly secrets. Open up to Him the dark places in your heart. Will they shock Him? Will they surprise Him? Of course not! He sees them all anyway! And He wants you to bring them before Him. But here’s the really scary part: He wants you to do that in Christian community also. Because you cannot have Intimacy with God and not with His people, the Body of Christ.

Start small, but get real. This is when groups really start to see life transformation. Because, guess what? We all have marks of the Fall in our life. And God has decreed that we would work all that out in redemptive community. So start by uncovering your feet. I bet they’re like mine and could use a cleansing.

Get intimate! Get real! Get naked! And ROLL!!!