Missional Church Leadership: A Conversation with Steve Timmis
Posted: March 22, 2012 Filed under: Church, Gospel, Interviews 3 Comments »As someone feeling called by the Lord to pursue church planting, there are not many better resources than the work of Steve Timmis. He and I recently Skyped (though my Internet connection and webcam had a mind of their own!) and I picked his brain about missional living and leading a missional church in particular. Steve was gracious enough to allow me to transcript some of our conversation for you!
For more great interviews and conversations, click HERE.
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Steve Timmis is the Director of Acts 29 Western Europe and an elder at The Crowded House. He also co-authored several books on the church including Total Church and Everyday Church.
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BRANDON: Total Church has impacted myself and many church planters. What is the story behind your writing this book with Tim Chester?
STEVE: We were getting some requests from publishers to tell the story of Crowded House, but we didn’t want to do that because we didn’t want to present Crowded House as being a model or any kind of example. We didn’t want to set it up like, “Aren’t we great?” What we decided to do was to write a pretty robust ecclesiology but to earth it with our own experience at Crowded House.
I’ve been doing church this way for years, like decades. I had a man come up to me in Sydney, and I recognized him straight away – he had been in a church I’d pastored when I was like 25 (and I’m no longer 25, as you can see). He says, “Timmis, you’re just a one-trick pony. This is exactly what you were talking about doing 25 years ago!” At one level I was slightly hurt, because I hadn’t come up with anything inventive. But one the other hand, I was encouraged that the core – and it’s definitely changed – but that the core theology, rationale, Christology, ecclesiology, missiology… that was forged way back then.
My principle influences have been Francis Schaeffer, the Dutch Reformers like Kuyper shifted my theology in a big way. I read Calvin’s Institutes when I was very young, and got a lot of my ecclesiology from the Evangelical Anabaptists of the Reformation period. Jonathan Edwards and John Owen have been big influences, as well.
BRANDON: I had heard you say awhile back that many times it takes guests of the Crowded House some time to get comfortable around your church because of how tightly knit you are. What is it about your church that would make guests feel out of place at times?
STEVE: If I said that, it would be Christians who would feel a certain sense of disconnect. We tend do church differently than most people, because our leading edge is our Gospel communities – living life-on-life together on mission is what is distinctive. Most churches struggle to live that out. Just today, I was coaching a senior minister at a large, solid evangelical church and some of the stories that he was telling me is that guys from his church would find it very odd at the Crowded House because of the emphasis of living life-on-life together on mission.
So, when people come and visit from elsewhere, they often comment on how I cope with people always popping in and hanging out at my house and people end up staying. For a lot of Christians, it’s just weird.
BRANDON: My wife went on a mission trip to England recently, and she told me that she’d never been to such a spiritually dark place. How is your church model particularly working in England? Is this church model of life-on-life more effective in that culture?
STEVE: English people are very private, and so in a lot of ways it’s quite counter-cultural. My conviction is that if human beings are made in the image of God, and God is in community, then community is something that is part of our identity as human beings. They might be afraid of it and are undoubtedly are putting all sorts of management techniques that aren’t right and godly to satisfy that desire, but it’s there. So there’s something that is inevitably attractive about the model. I think missionally it’s very effective.
BRANDON: What are some practical ways that church leaders can encourage their people to actually want to go out and be missionaries in their context?
STEVE: Fundamentally and ambiguously I’d say that it’s a Gospel issue. If they are averse to the very idea (and there’s a difference between that and just being afraid of the experience), then they aren’t understanding the Gospel properly. Church leadership is all about creating a culture at it’s very core, so leaders are responsible for creating, nurturing, and developing that culture. If the recognized leaders aren’t doing that, then they aren’t leaders whatever their title.
I think there are four principle areas to do this if you have a reluctant congregation, which many men have:
1) Preach it faithfully and biblically. You’ve got to show that this identity isn’t just “my thing” or a “new trendy thing” but that it’s core to Gospel purpose. I find it quite helpful to use aphorisms or sound bites with substance that help people grasp biblical truth memorably. You have to preach it consistently and publicly from “house to house” to quote Paul in Acts 20.
2) Pray and sing for it. Not just the individual leader only, but he’s got to shape the whole prayer life of the church around it. Corporate prayer meetings have got to be missional and you’ve got to rehearse and pray the Gospel out. Even in terms of singing, we’ve got to sing missionally. Prayer and singing are great ways to capture the affections, and so leaders have the responsibility to put a lot of effort in creativity in those two areas to make sure that we’re not only informing peoples minds, but that we’re genuinely seeing their hearts captured by the Gospel and captivated by Christ. To love Christ is to want to speak of Him and desire His fame. If we don’t want to do that, then we don’t truly love Him.
3) Model it. You’ve got to show how the Gospel has captured your heart and stimulates your affections and that you’re talking about Jesus and commending the Gospel to people faithfully and engaging in people’s lives. One problem is that leaders love talking about theory but they don’t practice it in their lives. They talk about the church, but the reason why their church is institutional is because their leader tends to live institutionally. He lives a professional, a person with an 8-6 job rather than a person who sees his identity wrapped up in the community of God’s people.
4) Build structures. You’ve got to structure the life of the church around it. I think one of the dangers of the so-called “organic church movement” that we’ve sometimes been associated with is that it just doesn’t appreciate the necessity of structures. All life needs structure – just look at the human body. Build structures that demonstrate and celebrate the centrality of Gospel living for the life of the church. Where you put your money, effort, energy, resources, where you release people… they’ve all got to continue to hammer on that theme.
BRANDON: What is your opinion on how elders and church leadership should be structured in a church that is really trying to be missional?
STEVE: I don’t buy into the “first among equals” idea; I really believe in a collegiality of leadership where in particular areas one person will take the lead. What I try to do with our eldership, and we have eight in our gathering here, is to keep reiterating the vision and articulating it in different ways and engaging with them as best I can in different contexts. I am very content, not with power, but with influence. I do want to persuade people and be influential, but I can live without institutional power. Then, when the leadership has the same thought in mind, you’ve got to make sure that it filters through to the different leaders who are engaged with the people. You’ve persuaded the leaders, and they’re persuading others. So, when we come to any big decision we don’t just say, “We’ve decided this, do you agree?” because by the time we’ve presented it, it’s filtered through the life of the church.
My principle strategy for that is generally to have absolutely as much as possible in the open forum. I encourage leaders to talk about things at the leadership level. I’m not talking about personal pastoral issues, but in terms of vision and our whole sense of our direction and who God wants us to be because I think that’s the way that people become persuaded. So when it comes to making formal decisions, all the issues have been addressed and all the battles have been fought. We want to be as open as possible, and a value for me is what Paul says in 2 Corinthians, that we don’t do anything in secret but that everything is out in the open. Our default is to talk about it openly. Sometimes you can’t, but that’s our default. For us, a lot of this is going on all the time so that people are aware instead of dumping ideas on them and asking them to approve of it.
BRANDON: Do you hold to a strictly elder-led model, or more of an elder-congregation idea?
STEVE: We’re definitely elder-led, but my conviction about being elder-led is that you’ve got to have people persuaded. I’m not a congregationalist, but unless the people are behind it and sign off on it in terms of people being committed to it, then you can make all the decisions you want but it won’t do you any good. Leaders have got to persuade. So, if someone pushes back, I won’t just accept that, I’ll go after them in hopes of persuading them. I want all leaders to be persuasive for the sake of mission, for the sake of the fame of Jesus, for the glory of God.
Look
Posted: February 23, 2012 Filed under: Gospel Leave a comment »Look upward, and you will perceive no seat of fiery wrath to shoot devouring flame.
Look downward, and you discover no Hell, for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.
Look back, and sin is blotted out.
Look around, and all things work together for good to them that love God.
Look beyond, and glory shineth through the veil of the future, like the sun through a morning’s mist.
Look outward, and the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field, are at peace with us.
Look inward, and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keeps our hearts and minds by Christ Jesus.- Charles Spurgeon
Interview with Jeff Bethke
Posted: February 21, 2012 Filed under: Gospel, Interviews, Spoken Word Leave a comment »
Unless you live under a rock and completely avoid social media, you’ve at least heard of my man Jeff Bethke’s viral YouTube video “Why I Love Jesus, But Hate Religion.” If you haven’t, watch it below. At the time of this post, just six weeks after its release, the video is sitting at 19.3 million views (I remember when it was a big deal to get to ONE million!).
Jeff was kind enough to take a few minutes between speaking engagements and appearing on shows such as ABC Nightline to do a quick interview with me about his story and the making of his poems.
For more interviews like this, click here.
Brandon: Give us a little bit of your testimony and what brought you into writing/performing spoken word.
Jeff: I was raised in a single parent household all my life. Section 8 housing, food stamps, etc. I played the church game as a cover up for my insecurities and then lived the worldly life for the same reason. I came to faith four years ago and have only been writing the past year because I thought the medium was unique and hit home with my generation.
B: Your “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus” poem was a YouTube sensation overnight. How have you dealt with all the attention and what has changed for you since then?
B: There was some minor backlash from pastors and others that felt you were too demeaning of religion, something Christians and even Jesus technically practice(d). Did you see much of this on social media, blogs, etc. and what is your response?
J: Here’s my dissertation- :) http://jeffbethke.com/my-thoughts-after-writing-why-i-hate-religion-but-love-jesus/
B: Your next popular poem was focused on marriage (watch below). Is this a topic that you feel is misunderstood and overlooked by the world in general, and Christianity in particular?
J: Totally! I read Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller and it was a one-hitter-quitter to my soul. We have butchered marriage today which is God’s primary means of revealing Himself.
B: What’s next for you? Any new poems or other endeavors that we’ll be seeing soon?
J: Not sure! Still letting the dust settle; hoping to continue to do what I do! Thinking about doing poems in a more topical, systematic way (with Bible studies, etc.).
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For the love of God – Part 5: Reflecting God’s Love in… Church Discipline
Posted: November 23, 2011 Filed under: Articles, Church, Gospel 1 Comment »
Part 5: Reflecting God’s Love in… Church Discipline
I once worked at a church in which there was a major sin being committed between multiple members. These sins were rebuked by the pastor behind closed doors but never made public or disciplined formally by the church. Even as a wet behind the ears youth pastor, I felt as if there was something wrong about how it was handled. Sadly, this lack of discipline is running rampant in churches across the world. Sins are either overlooked or the offenders are slapped on the wrist and told to “do better.”
In reading the New Testament, there seems to be no such thing as a church without discipline. This principle is taught by Jesus (Matt. 18:15-20) and is seemingly commonplace for New Testament churches, most clearly described in Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth (1 Cor. 5). Jesus and Paul both agreed that where there is church, there is discipline.
In his fantastic book, Christian Fellowship, John A. James lists five Biblical instances that require church discipline:
- Scandalous vices and immoralities (1 Cor. 5:11-13).
- Denial of Christian doctrine (Gal. 1:8, 1 Tim. 6:35).
- Causing division (Tit. 3:10).
- Failure to provide for near relatives (1 Tim. 5:8).
- Unreconciled enmity (Matt. 18:7).
Of course, this list does not fully cover or typify the random issues pastors deal with. Many times there are areas that require personal discernment based on conscience. Regardless, discipline has an essential role in church affairs according to Scripture.
Let’s look at the two most particular ways that church discipline is an act of love between the church and its members.
To Keep the Body Pure
Paul makes it clear that any sin that occurs in the body of Christ can be devastating to the whole body (1 Cor. 5:6-8). Jesus came to die on the cross in order to save His people and present them as pure and without blemish (Eph. 5:27, Col. 1:22). How can His church be pure and beautiful, the way He designed it to be, if there is unrepentant sin being flaunted and unchallenged?
Simply put, the real problem is that church discipline is seen as hurtful instead of helpful. Christianity is often portrayed, and rightly so, as a faith of grace but widely ignored is the deserved wrath that believers are saved from. Perhaps the ignored and downplayed Final Judgment causes us to overlook the more minute judgments in the church is given authority to make as the representative of God’s Kingdom (Matt. 18:18, 1 Cor. 5:12).
To Return the Offender to Repentance
Paul is also very forthright in his belief that removal from the church is carried out in hopes that the person removed will realize the severity of their sin (1 Cor. 5:5). This act of “turning him over to Satan” gives the offender the opportunity to see what it is like outside of the grace and love of God’s assembly.
It is not loving to allow a brother or sister to wallow in their sins undisputed. As God judges those who sin against Him, He lovingly convicts His people through the Holy Spirit in order to produce mature fruit in us. Discipline in the church results in life within the body. As we are holy internally, we display holiness externally as a declaration of love to the world. There is no greater way to display God’s love than to radiate His very character for all the world to see. Some of the greatest stories of repentance and rejuvenation began with a person being held accountable for their actions.
Christians are largely seen as hypocritical and no different than society. One possible solution to this evangelism-wrecking persona is to glorify God’s justice while simultaneously bringing to light the destructive nature of unrepented sin. Consider yourselves challenged.
May we model God’s love both in grace and in justice.
For the Love of God – Part 4: Reflecting God’s Love in… Church Membership
Posted: November 22, 2011 Filed under: Articles, Church, Gospel 1 Comment »
Part 4: Reflecting God’s Love in… Church Membership
For most, church membership is a box to check off the proverbial church to-do list. It is a tradition, a felt obligation, or a way to meet people and get “plugged-in.” What if church membership is more? What if church membership is part of God’s design in manifesting His love through the church?
You see, church membership is not specifically listed in the New Testament by name but it is certainly implied in many ways:
- Elders are given an office of authority to oversee the flock and are held accountable for their souls (Matt. 18:18-20, Acts 20:28, 1 Tim. 3:5, Heb. 13:17, 1 Pet. 5:2-4).
- Believers are seen as fellowshipping both at the temple (a designated place of worship) and in their homes (Acts 2:42-47).
- Believers are to exercise gifts as individual members of one local body (1 Cor. 12).
- There was a sinful person “among them” that was disciplined out of the group and the church carries out discipline and accountability (Matt. 18:15-20, 1 Cor. 5, 1 Cor, 6:15).
There are several other passages that could be added here, but this is a concise portrait of a group of people worshiping and living life together in a group setting. All through the Old Testament it is a major aspect of a believer’s life to go to the temple for worship and the New Testament consistently gives instruction to churches by letters written to them and their leaders.
The Kingdom of God
It is possibly a less “gray area” approach to church membership by saying that God’s work is done through the local church comprised of believers. Believers are adopted into God’s family (Rom. 8:15, Eph. 5:1) to receive His blessings (Eph. 1:14) and do His work (Eph. 2:10). Simply put, if we are God’s people then we are called to act like His people. This means that the life of a believer is now bound to advancing His Kingdom rather than the world. We are identified and called out (the Greek word ekklesia, meaning “assembly”) through our new lives in Christ. This call of God is a call of gracious love to His chosen people that should cause them to enact the same gracious love to the lost souls of the world.
Church membership is a covenant to God’s Kingdom work. Jesus specifically gives the keys to this Kingdom to His followers (Matt. 16:19) and tells them that this a blood covenant (Matt. 26:28). As with all divine covenants in Scripture, God establishes His Kingdom through these promises to His people. It is safe to assume that Paul and the other apostles were not mistaken in establishing local church gatherings everywhere they went. These gatherings, and still are, the perfect place to love one another and be loved by the leaders God has placed over you.
Without the church, there is no place for elders to teach and oversee or for believers to worship, fellowship, and provide accountability to one another on an organized and consistent basis. The question is not whether or not the church is important. The question is whether or not believers find it important enough to commit to.
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Up Next: Part 5: Reflecting God’s Love in: Church Discipline
For the Love of God – Part 3: Reflecting God’s Love in… Community Engagement
Posted: November 21, 2011 Filed under: Articles, Church, Gospel 1 Comment »
Part 3: Reflecting God’s Love in… Community Engagement
There are numerous evangelistic models that are being used in the church today. Everything from inviting people to service by offering them entrance into a raffle for a free car (which I do not recommend) to encouraging members to invite friends to special events (which has some positives to it). Regardless of your style or combining of these methods, one thing cannot be forgotten: loving and showing Christ to the community was the paramount aim of the New Testament church.
The First Church
The first instance in which Scripture talks about gathered believers post-Resurrection is in Acts 2:42-47:
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
This church did not only meet at the building of worship, they met in their homes. They lived life together. This was not a once a week social club, this was a lifestyle. They had several key distinctives:
- They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.
- They devoted themselves to fellowship.
- They devoted themselves to prayer (imagine that!).
- They had all things in common (they shared all property and possessions).
- They sold their belongings and gave to all who had need.
- They attended the temple and their homes together daily.
- They received food with glad hearts and praised God for it.
- They had favor with all people.
Take a moment to ponder what it would be like for your church to live this list out regularly. Notice that verse 47 says that people were being saved daily – just by watching these people live their lives! There was no magic formula and no persuasive gimmicks; they simply loved God and loved others. I’m confident that it wasn’t easy to love every one that they came across, but the Gospel was more important to them. Christ is manifested through His church and lives can and will be transformed through His people. Let us remember this, though: The Gospel will need to be clearly voiced in order for your community to understand why you live this way.
Contextualizing without Compromising
It is vital to be aware of the context that your church is in. We can be effective in “fitting in” with our community while simultaneously “standing out” from it. For example, if your church is in an area that is 68% Hispanic, you want to intentionally reach them through Spanish ministries, culturally aware events, etc. If your church is in an 88% upper-class Caucasian neighborhood, your church should look much different. The point is, if you are trying to play an eight-track in a CD player, you’re not going to hear music anytime soon. One great lie of Satan is that we have to be so counter-cultural that we hide inside our buildings and wait for people to conform the image we want to project.
That said, it is even more vital to understand that God is sovereign and your efforts are not. You may attempt all the tricks and your church could still close. God’s Word is ageless and not culturally bound, therefore it can and must be preached the same everywhere. Paul provides a great example of this in Acts 17:22-34. Paul is sensitive and aware of the Athenians’ customs, but in the end he tells them that “the God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of Heaven and Earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” Paul is clearly uncompromising on his presentation of God. Let there be no contextualizing that does not include the clear proclamation of the Gospel and the need for salvation.
Meeting Needs
In the end, your community should know that you exist and feel the weight of their need for the God you are preaching. The culture today wants answers more than anything else. There is a desperate need and thirst for truth and the church has to be the answer. Where the church fails, society will fail. If the church isn’t meeting needs, the world will find a place to have them met. If someone is hungry they may feel the need to steal food, so be the ones to provide it. If someone feels depressed and is suicidal, be the place of refuge through the reflection of hope in God. The list could on, but you get the point.
Remember that the New Testament is largely written to churches and/or their pastors and the apostles’ missionary expeditions typically ended with the establishment of a church. The church is the heartbeat of evangelistic discipleship.
Meditate on this question: If your church’s doors closed tomorrow, would your community notice?
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Up Next: Part 4: Reflecting God’s Love in… Church Membership
For the Love of God – Part 2: Reflecting God’s Love in… Pastoral Leadership
Posted: November 20, 2011 Filed under: Articles, Church, Gospel Leave a comment »
Part 2: Reflecting God’s Love in… Pastoral Leadership
It is imperative to understand that there was no greater man than the God-man, Jesus Christ. I am aware that this should go without saying, but unfortunately many pastors spend more time attempting to mimic their favorite popular preacher than reading Jesus as revealed in Scripture. “Pastor” can be translated to “shepherd” and Jesus is, of course, the Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20).
The truth is that if your ministry is built around an impersonation of another man, you are only fooling your people and yourself into thinking you are something that you’re not. Furthermore, being a charismatic speaker in your own right or excelling as a budget-setter are not enough to see lives transformed. Your people need a pastor, not a hip motivational speaker. You must love them with the passionate love of God, doing everything in your power to show them the Gospel with nothing added to it.
Of course, at the end of the day pastors cannot do anything to save a soul, but they can preach and live Scripturally in hopes that God uses them. Our standard is fully laid out in Scripture through Jesus Christ and through the letters of His chosen apostle, Paul.
Jesus’ Example
There are several characteristics of Jesus Christ that encompass what it means to be a man of God. Here are three that I found to be of particular interest:
- Compassionate – Jesus not only felt compassion for the hurting (Matt. 14:14), but also felt compassion for unbelievers (Mark 6:34). It is crucial that we see the lost as souls in need of a Savior and nothing less. When dealing with unbelievers, also remember that we are saved by God’s grace and mercy, not by fear-mongering or intimidation.
- A Humble Servant – If anyone has the right to forgo humility, it’s the God of the Universe. But Jesus did not see it this way, going so far as to wash His disciples’ feet in order to set an example for them to follow (John 13:1-17). Not only this, but Jesus was willing to lower Himself in order to save others (Mark 15). The best leaders are not dictators; they lead by example and serve others.
- Defensive of God’s Name and Honor – Jesus was humble and compassionate, but He was not a choir boy. He did not allow His Father to be disrespected (Matt. 21:12-13). Notice in the aforementioned verse that Jesus’ confrontation did not scare people away, it drew people toward Him. Don’t be a jerk, but preach with conviction and people will believe in you enough to follow the One you’re heralding.
Paul’s Exhortation
Paul, the greatest church planter that the world will ever see, used many characteristics of Jesus and general attributes of mature faith as guidelines for elder qualifications in 1 Timothy 3:2-7:
“An overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.”
Pretty self-explanatory, I’d say.
The Word is Enough
The Bible is the perfect, unblemished, inerrant Word of God. This is where pastors direly need to turn for answers to all questions relating to ministry. It is great that God has used men to grow churches, to preach the Gospel, and to impact the world for Christ. It should bring us joy to see God’s Kingdom work being done, but it should not breed a want for someone else’s God-ordained abilities. God’s love is unending, contagious, and powerful and Christ’s perfect reflection of this love should be our standard in church leadership. You cannot show love to someone more than by showing them Christ (1 John 4:9-10).
As Jared Wilson has so aptly put it, “Someone will always have better coffee, music, facilities, and speaking. Showcase Christ and His Gospel. No one can improve on that.”
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Up Next: Part 3: Reflecting God’s Love in… Community Engagement
For the Love of God – Part 1: God’s Redemptive Love for the Church
Posted: November 19, 2011 Filed under: Articles, Church, Gospel Leave a comment »
Part 1: God’s Redemptive Love for the Church
History has an impeccable way of giving mankind a glimpse of what to expect in the future. As mankind experiences the thrill of a job well-done and the misery of a decision gone wrong, we find that history is the greatest teacher. Empirical knowledge allows us to go left instead of right, to vote yes instead of no, and to prepare for the worst. Any gray-haired veteran of life will take every opportunity to tell you, “Don’t do what I did.”
In the same way, Biblical history teaches us about ourselves, our condition, and our God. If there is a lesson to be learned or a false step to be taken, the pages of Scripture reveal the outcome and afford us the opportunity to attempt at avoiding disaster. Perhaps the most beautiful picture of this, to me, is God’s covenantal love for His Church. Above all else, the Bible is a sixty-six book love letter written to us from God revealing who He is in relation to who we are. That is, that He is infinitely holy, glorious, loving, and just. These attributes are played out over and over as He deals with those He calls His own. If we allow the knowledge of the history of God’s love to lead our churches forward, we may be able to position ourselves in a way to best affect our city, our country, and our world. After all, understanding God’s immutable attributes allows us to respond appropriately in every aspect of our lives.
In order to fully understand this concept, let’s take a walk through the pages of Scripture.
Genesis 12:2-3
God appears to Abram, later Abraham, and makes a promise to him:
“I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, andin you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
The Lord is making a covenant with Abraham and is essentially saying, “Everything that happened in the Garden is going to be fixed through you.” The Kingdom of God is coming, through a chosen people, to redeem mankind to the perfect shalom it was created for. Redemption is being set in motion.
Deuteronomy 7:7-8
God makes another proclamation of covenantal promise to His people by referring to the original promise He made to Abraham and the patriarchs:
“It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set His love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that He swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations.”
The Lord is a faithful God, who keeps His promises and never lies (Titus 1:2). God chose to free Israel frombondage not because of any merit of their own (sound familiar?), but because He is a God who can do all things but one: lie. Redemption is given through freedom from slavery.
Matthew 16:15-18
Jesus, the in-the-flesh fulfillment of God’s promises, makes a vital declaration to His disciples:
“[Jesus] said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in Heaven.’And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.’”
First, remember that Jesus chose His disciples, not vice-versa. As His chosen disciples, they are heirs to God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12. The Kingdom of God, a blessing to all nations, would continue to be established by the faith of God’s chosen people. Redemption will come through the incarnate God Himself.
Romans 5:8
Paul sums the fulfillment of Jesus’ Matthew 16 statement like this:
“God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
The covenant between God and Abraham is fulfilled once and for all in the death, burial, and resurrection of the awaited Messiah. Redemption has a name: Jesus Christ.
The Role of the Church
Of course, the Church is the body of God’s chosen people, but the local church is a centralized representative of this body. As God’s children saved by grace through faith, we reflect and bear the image of Jesus Christ, who reflected God perfectly in every way (Eph. 4:24, Col. 1:15).
As Jesus has given us the keys to His Kingdom, we are the torch-bearers of the fulfilled promise of Genesis 12. We are commanded to reach the nations with the Gospel, teaching everyone about this great salvation (Matt. 28:19). Do not be fooled, the Bible is about God. It is His Kingdom that is unfolding. He just loves us enough to prepare good works for us in the midst of it (Eph. 1:3-14).
The church is the cornerstone of God’s work in creation, as history has shown us, and this series will tackle what this reflection of divine love looks like missionally.
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Up Next - Part 2: Reflecting God’s Love in… Pastoral Leadership
Church Planting in the U.S.: A Discussion with Tim Brister
Posted: November 9, 2011 Filed under: Church, Gospel, Interviews, Pastoral Resources Leave a comment »I recently interviewed one of my favorite guys and a man that I’ve done some good Kingdom work with. Enjoy!
For some other great interviews and conversations, click HERE.
TODAY:
Tim Brister is the Director of the PLNTD Network and Associate Pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida. He also blogs at the popular Provocations & Pantings.
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What are the biggest cultural challenges that you see hindering the Gospel in your country?
TB: My one word answer would be idolatry. But to be more specific, I would say that our culture provides many functional saviors or god-replacements that have brought about increased slavery and dysfunctional living, ironically being lived out as a self-salvation project. Seeking to be free, people have become enslaved. Thinking they are living independent of God, they don’t realize they are only under the present judgment and facing the coming wrath of God. Unlike many addictions, idolatry springs from good things that have become ultimate things. Our culture has defined themselves by the good things God has blessed us, and the in our depravity we have turned God’s blessings into a curse. Only when the kingdom of God comes in the power of the Holy Spirit can captives be set free and functional saviors seen for the sham they really are.
What would you say is the biggest reason for a need for church planting in your country?
TB: Every generation is a responsible steward of the mission God has given us. That mission is to make disciples who gather as new churches (local expressions of the kingdom). We need church planting first and foremost in our country because the church is the only “institution” God has promised to build and bless. Our country is not promised God’s blessings. The same is true for parachurch organizations, educational systems, or government programs. The church is not only uppermost in God’s plan. It is God’s plan for His people. Therefore, we should devote our lives to joining God on His mission to make His name great through the proclamation of the gospel, advancement of His kingdom, and planting of new churches.
Cultural context aside, what general advice would you give to a man who is considering planting a church?
TB: Generally speaking, I would begin by saying know God well. That may sound simplistic, but often times church planters spend more time considering the context rather than communion with God. We need me who know God and commune with Him, men who are fluent with the gospel and find their lives shaped and saturated with it. The calling of a church planter is certainly important, but what is preeminent in my mind is whether that prospective planter has a cursory knowledge and experience with God or whether he is, in the words of John Piper, “God-besotted.” Given all the challenges and difficulties church planters face, those who know God best are best equipped to handle the various seasons they will encounter.
What encouragement would you give a planter who may be thinking of “throwing in the towel” because perhaps things are not going how they had hoped?
TB: Realistically speaking, I believe every church planter will be able to attest that things that did not go exactly as they envisioned. Everything looks great on paper or in a proposal, but when everything unfolds, there are surprises and disappointments that will be inevitable. In some situations, it may very well be time to “throw in the towel” in the sense that God may have other plans than what you intended. On the other hand, I believe that we are living in a time where endurance and perseverance are well-worn virtues of yesteryear but a rare find today. My encouragement would be not to think too self-referentially or make decisions when you are depressed or frustrated. Seek counsel from those who will speak plainly in your life and help you keep a kingdom-first perspective on all your labors.
Lastly, I encourage the church planter to reflect on the last days of Jesus’ life on earth. His mission appeared to be a waste of time and effort. His disciples all turned back and denied Jesus. He had no visible “fruit” and even on the cross His Father turned His back on Him. At any point, Jesus could have thrown in the towel. He didn’t when he sweat drops of blood at Gethsemane, was whipped to the bone, or when nails pierced his hands and feet. At the end of the day, this vision of our Savior who “for the joy set before Him” endured the cross (Heb. 12:1-2) should inspire us in the race marked out for us. Because of the resurrection, Paul exhorts us that we should be “steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord” and encourages us that “no labor is in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58). Abound in the work. None of it is wasted because Jesus is risen and will raise us also. Believe that the Lord of the harvest will bring an increase. And find your identity not in the work or the harvest but in the one who rejoices over you as His adopted son.
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For some other great interviews and conversations, click HERE.
Ministers of Reconciliation
Posted: November 3, 2011 Filed under: Daily Life, Gospel, Testimony Leave a comment »
In a world of subjective truths, complete equality, tolerance, and acceptance, Christianity has become nothing more than “another” religion in the eyes of many. Western culture in particular is grievously enamored with the idea of self-reliance, self-dependence, and self-worth. Christianity is extremely counter-cultural because it teaches the actuality of human depravity, the necessity for a Savior, an other-worldly focus, and an eternal view of our temporal lives. For the world at-large, this is something that is considered intolerant and outdated, a tradition steeped in tradition, and a stumbling block to progress in the world. For Christians, however, this is true reality. This is life for the human race
Perhaps a substantial reason for the negative view of Christianity is the attitude and actions of Christians themselves. As a world religion, the stigma of dependence on something outside ourselves is already a built-in excuse for the world to reject us. In addition, Christians mistake their salvation as a license to be self-righteous and judgmental, wondering why the world is not intelligent enough to “figure it out.” As the Pharisee in Luke 18, we often look at the world around us exclaiming, “Thank you God that I’m not like these tax collectors!” As the story goes, the Pharisee has much to learn from the tax collector whose only justification is in the mercy of God, not in his righteous (or unrighteous) works. I have encountered many non-Christians and de-churched Christians who use Christian hypocrisy as the chief reason for their unbelief. Often times this is a copout, in my estimation, but just as often it is as real to them as Jesus is to us. For Jesus to be a catalyst for change in the world, Christians must first wear His name with humility, dignity, and fervor.
As Jesus so clearly states in Luke 19, even if we do not worship Him, creation itself will cry out His name. He doesn’t need us to change the world but, nonetheless, He uses us as agents of reconciliation (2 Cor. 15:14-21). It is our duty and obligation to speak truth into the world (Matt. 28:18-20), and there is no “out clause” for the Christian. We are to be salt and light in a tasteless and dark world (Matt. 5:13-16), loving Him and others because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). There is a story going on all around us, a story God has been writing since before the foundation of the world. Again, He doesn’t need us, but He wants us and uses us. Acts 17 tells us that God has appointed to every person the time and boundaries in which they live so that they will find Him. So, for the Christian, this means that not only are you in the time and place that you are to find God, but those around you are in a similar position. You cannot save His elect, but it is your burden as a Christian to treat everyone as though they are. As the great Charles Spurgeon once said (and I paraphrase), “I believe that God will save His elect, and I also believe that if I do not preach the Gospel He will lay the blood of the lost at my doorstep.”
A non-Christian reading this essay may have no clue what I am talking about. Heck, a Christian reading this may be confused, but the Bible is the only authority Christians have to stand on and we must plant our roots firmly in it. In the end, we do not know the answers to every question about how and why God saves anyone, but His Word is very clear that the proclamation of His Gospel is a key component to transforming the world (Romans 10). The world cannot be ultimately changed for the better by new legislature, war, personal enlightment, or secret philosophies; it can only be changed by the sin-stomping, life-altering, culture-scandaling, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father but through Him and by Him (John 6:44; 14:6).
This is our hope, and this is hope for our world. May we as Christians reflect Christ in a way that is not self-righteous and proud, but rather humble and sacrificial. Perhaps one of the most telling verses in the entire New Testament comes in Acts 2. After hearing the preaching of the Word, the early Christians went about their daily lives following the apostles’ teaching, sacrificing for one another, and spending genuine time in community. The result? They were loved by those around them and “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (2:47). People were being saved just by watching these Christians live their lives! This is the Gospel at work in the world, changing lives through lives that love God and love others. The word being preached is extremely important, as seen earlier in Acts 2, but there is so much more to it. Jesus will be a catalyst for change in the world when Christians obey Him the way these early Christians did.
I was first introduced to church at the age of 14. Following my parents’ divorce, I was subconsciously chasing after self-worth and the approval of others. I found that at church. There were people there who loved me, who invested in me, and who genuinely wanted to show Christ to me. All of these factors taught me things about God, but I was always provided with a list of rules to follow in order to convince God to love me. It wasn’t until the age of 21 before Christ took full hold of my heart. When hearts are transformed, actions will follow. At first, I was more like the bratty kid who does chores begrudgingly rather than a respectful and loving son, obeying out of love, respect, and appreciation for my Father. It is paramount that Christians be ministers of reconciliation, watching Jesus grab hearts not through our Pharisaical attempts at righteousness, but through our works of love aimed both at Him and at His image-bearers. Christ does not need us, but He uses us. May we be faithful stewards of this responsibility.
