Confess, Repent, Forgive, Reconcile

Lately I have been learning some valuable lessons about how we grow in discipleship with one another.  Probably the main lesson is something I want to share here.  When fighting sin in our lives as a community, I believe there are four things we should strive for through the power of the Holy Spirit.  I believe these four things are meant to build on one another.

1)Confess

Confession is more than talking to a priest or admitting to God that you did something bad.  We must confess our sin to one another, admitting that we do not worship Jesus as we should.  This part of confession is the admission that we are sinners in need of a savior.  As John writes in I John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  If we are unable to confess our sin, then we are still hiding behind the lie that we have no need for a savior.  John continues in verse 10, "If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."  Confessing, or admitting to, our sin is crucial to our growth in knowing our need for Jesus.

Confession is also confessing that Jesus is Lord.  This means that we admit that He has defeated sin and death and is Lord over our sin.  Confessing Jesus is vital to reminding ourselves of the Gospel that Jesus is glorious because He has power over sin.  Otherwise, in our confession of sin, we will be left to think we have to fight it on our own.  But we fight sin by the power of the Holy Spirit, which is the same power that rose Jesus from the dead.  Without confessing Jesus as our Lord, we do not have the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us.  John says in I John 4:15, "Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God."  To fight sin, we must start by confessing that sin and then confessing that Jesus is Lord over the sin.

2)Repent

To repent means to turn around and head in a different direction.  Once we have confessed our sin, we must turn from it.  Biblical repentance is a result of God's kindness, revealing to us how far from Him we actually are (Romans 2:4).  Being so far from Him, we can't possibly know Him.  And knowing the Father and Jesus is the very meaning of life (John 17:3).  So, the sight of sin should grieve us to the point of turning from it and never wanting to see it again.  If we are grieved because someone calls out our sin, we will never really turn from it.  But if we realize how greatly we have offended God in our sinning, we will turn from it to pursue Jesus.  As Paul says in II Corinthians 7:9-10, "As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death."

Repentance is more than turning away from our sin.  If this is all we do and have no vision for where we are going, we are doomed to make a 360 and head back for sin.  That is why Jesus came, to reveal the mysteries of God.  He came to save sinners, so that they might have life and have it to the fullest.  Paul tells the church in Thessalonica, "you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God."  We don't just turn our back on sin, we now live in the power of God serving Him.  In repenting from sin, we turn away from it, but then we ask ourselves, "what will I pursue in Christ?"  Do we need to trust that He is ultimately good?  That He is more gracious than anyone else?  That He is greater than all my circumstances?  That He is more glorious than everyone else?  Turn from sin and turn towards our loving Savior.

3)Forgive

As we turn from our sin and turn towards Jesus, we have to be reminded that we have been forgiven for our sin.  As John said, if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us.  Most of us hang on to sin and keep looking back because we do not believe the gospel enough.  The gospel is the good news that for God's glory, Jesus died for our sin and was resurrected, so we might move from death to life.  We have been forgiven so we might live.  Jesus has already saved us from the penalty of sin, so we do not have to punish ourselves.  Colossians 1:13-14, "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." We should accept this forgiveness freely given in Christ, not trample it by punishing ourselves over sin.

We also must seek to forgive others as we overcome sin in our life.  Satan will attempt to lie to us, telling us that the blame for sin is laid at the feet of others.  But we take responsibility for our own sin.  And if anyone has sinned against us, we must remember that we are not their judge.  If Christ has forgiven us, how can we not forgive others?  To grow in our discipleship means to forgive others, just as we have been forgiven.  Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

4)Reconcile

The end result in all of this is to be reconciled.  This is exactly the ministry that Jesus came to do, to reconcile lost humanity to God.  His ministry was one of reconciliation.  Know that if we walk through confession, repentance, and forgiveness, we will be reconciled to God.  God reconciled us while we were His enemies through the death of Jesus.  He holds together that reconciliation through the resurrection.  Romans 5:10, "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."  So worship God!  If we believe that God has done all this in Jesus, then there is no condemnation.  We are free to be with our God.  Reconciliation.

If we are reconciled to God, we can be reconciled to one another.  We are ministers of reconciliation, seeking to bring others into unity through Jesus.  The work of Jesus was to save sinners and reconcile them to God.  But this has a byproduct as well.  Reconciled sinners are also reconciled to one another.  And as a reconciled community, we stand as a testimony to the redeeming, unifying work of Jesus to bring peace to all men.  Paul says it best in II Corinthians 5:17-21

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Elders and the Church

What is an elder?

            The concept of Elder (aged, mature, example among the people) is definitely tied to the concept of overseer (supervisor, looks after) and shepherd (pastoring the flock).  However, in I Peter 5, Elder is the noun, oversight and shepherd are the verbs.  We should be careful not to assign titles where they are unnecessary.  The less titles in the church the better.

            Taking a broad overview of scripture leads me to this conclusion.  Elders are mature men of the faith, equipped and called by God to set an example for the church in word and deed.

            This means that they are to be examples of what it is to follow Christ, prior to being recognized as an elder.  Whether it is an outsider or part of the family, others should look at an elder and think, “that is what it means to be a Christian.”  Not perfection, but a Gospel-centered, humble lifestyle that seeks to give God glory in every area.

            It also means that they should already be teaching others how to follow Christ.  They should be leading a Gospel Community, regularly involved with both believers and unbelievers.  All of their relationships should be intentional disciple making relationships.  One should be recognized as an elder among the people, not handed a title.

What does an elder do?

            In 1 Timothy 3, the term elder is not used, but the noun form of overseer is.  The description of this “office” is very similar to Titus 1 where Paul writes about elders.  It is probably safe to assume that the usage of Elder and Overseer is fairly interchangeable.  This makes a great deal of sense based on the OT usage of elders.  They were to look after the people, make judgments, and lead families in following God’s ways.

            It would seem that the responsibility of an elder should be to oversee the Gospel Communities.  This is where we live out our faith.  The best way to do this would be through two methods.

1)  Coaching the Gospel Community leaders in a cluster

2)  Meeting regularly to discuss matters related to the extended church family (teaching, discipline, support, planting, sending, etc)

            Elders, like everyone else in the church, should work within their gifting.  Some are teachers, some are pastors, some are prophets, etc.  No two elders are alike.  We must celebrate our differences so we can become a more holistic body.  Because of this, some elders will be paid by the church, some will not.  Some will focus on the gathering, some on church planting, some on global missions, some on gospel communities.  It will depend largely on their gifting by the Spirit.  What a freeing concept!

How do we recognize elders?

            As mentioned before, men become elders not through titles or elections, but through living as an example.  Therefore, we do not appoint, approve, or vote in an elder, rather we recognize elders that God has raised up.  They should be confirmed through a system.

            I Timothy 3 says, “if anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.”  The aspiration to be recognized as an elder should first come from the individual.  They may be encouraged by others and even “recruited” by current elders, but ultimately the individual should have to take the first step.

            Once they have submitted themselves, the elders should conduct a thorough investigation.  How are they doing leading their family?  How are they doing leading their Gospel Community?  What kind of reputation do they have at work or in their neighborhood?  This process should involve interviewing both the potential elder, his family, his Gospel Community, and several outsiders.

            After enough information has been gathered about the potential elder, the elder body should discuss whether the individual meets the criteria of scripture.  There are other factors that should come into play as well.  The 4 C’s (from North Point):

            -Character (I Tim 3, Titus 1, and I Peter 5)

            -Competence (can they coach others and teach people)

            -Chemistry (is “now” the right time for them with the current team)

            -Culture (do we agree doctrinally and philosophically)

How long should an elder serve?

            When we see the church as family, this question seems a bit odd.  Eldership is a role that the elder should continually aspire to.  In fact, if at any point he does not want the responsibility of eldership, he has neglected the first qualification in I Timothy 3.  Elders are elders for life, because that is who they are.

            However, because being an elder is based on who you are and not what you do, if the individual ceases to be worthy of the recognition of elder, he should also be stripped of the title.  All elders should be formally evaluated yearly and informally evaluated every day.  If the elder is failing to fulfill his calling as an elder, he needs to repent and take appropriate action.  If he refuses to act on his own, then the other elders must take actions to bring him to repentance and reconciliation.

Where is the Lord's house?

My trip to Myanmar made me think deeper about the issue of "places of worship."  In John 4, the Samaritan woman questions Jesus about the proper place for worship.  His response to her is that the Father is looking for worshippers who worship in Spirit and Truth.  But what about all of the examples in the OT where God calls His people to come worship Him in the Temple?  Or where the Psalmists long for worshipping in the Temple in Jerusalem on Mount Zion?  This seems to create a yearning for location specific worship.  Psalm 122 really had me thinking about this:

A Song of Ascents. Of David.  

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together, to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David. 

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, “Peace be within you!” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.

David had such a longing to go to the house of the Lord.  He loved the city, the brothers and companions there, and he longed for the peace of the city.  David's heart is not to be lost.  It carries into the life of a Christian.  But Psalm 122 is no longer about the city of Jerusalem.  It is about the church!

In Hebrews 8-10, the author goes to great length to explain that the tabernacle, sacrifices, and law are all only a shadow of heavenly realities.  They were given to show us how dim everything is in comparison to the magnificent glory of God.  That glory was fully displayed in Jesus Christ.  What He came to do was to shine light on the shadows so that we could see clearly.  And that is why we see Psalm 122 in light of Hebrews 8-10, the church IS that city bound firmly together, the church IS the house of the Lord (I Corinthians 3:9-17, Ephesians 2:11-22, I Timothy 3:14-15).

So let us walk back through Psalm 122 through the lens of a church reconciled to God through the redemptive work of Jesus.

1)"I was glad..." - Someone who has been bought by the blood of Jesus has been born into a new family. The church is that family.  The Scriptures really do not entertain the idea of a lone ranger Christian.  Our heart is that we are glad to "go to the house of the Lord!"  And by house of the Lord we do not mean the church building.  We mean that we are glad to be gathered with our church family whether it be in corporate worship, dinner, serving our neighborhood, rejoicing over the birth of a child, or mourning the loss of a loved one.  A follower of Jesus is GLAD to be with the people of Jesus.  You will not know this gladness unless you've lived among the people, unless your feet have stood in the gates.  So taste and see that the Lord is good.  Enjoy the company of the house of the Lord.

2)"A city that is bound firmly together" - The church is united in the bond of peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.  You know that you have found a true church family when nothing can shake them.  It was recently shared with me that about 50% of the churches in New Orleans ceased to exist after Hurricane Katrina.  Why?  Because the storm washed away their buildings.  But those that continued to exist had a bond stronger than brick and mortar.  They were firmly bound together by brotherly love and service.  Our churches are only as strong as our dependence on the unifying work of the Holy Spirit.  If we have to manufacture community, then whatever we are being, we are not being the church.

3)"The tribes go up... to give thanks to the name of the Lord." - The church is a people made up of those giving thanks to the name of the Lord.  Thanks for what?  Not only thanks for His numerous gifts in our lives, but one particularly unifying cry of praise.  We thank Him for His unparalleled gift of salvation!  This is why there is no one like our God.  What sets our Lord apart is that Jesus came to die for us, defeated sin, death, and Satan, and is reigning in His church even now.  We give thanks for this!  A church must be characterized by their praise of the glorious name of Jesus.

4)"Pray for the peace..." - there are 3 areas that David prayed for peace and the church should follow suit.

• Bring security to those who love the church!  The Lord has given us much strength within the church, providing living stones (Christians) who stand firm for the sake of the Gospel.  Pray that their steadfastness will not waiver.  Pray that more believers will be secure stones in the wall and not be tossed to and fro by the cares of life.
• Peace among brothers and companions.  Pray for the unity of the church!  The glory of God will be displayed among the church if we are unified in Him.  If we have no love for one another, then the love of God is not in us at all and we are liars.  Pray for the kind of love that would cause God to die for His creation.
• Pray for the good of the church.  When was the last time you prayed that the church would be successful in God's mission to the world?  Pray that God would give the church favor in the workplace, marketplace, schools, and neighborhoods.  Pray that the church would be given opportunities to bless the city she lives in.  Pray for the GOOD of the church!

The Lord's house is His people.  The church is the Temple of the Living God, Jesus.  Do not look to this mountain or that mountain to find worship, worship the Lord in the midst of His people!  You will find many glorious, messy, truths about God among His church.  I hope that you will come and find Him among us.

What is a Gospel Community?

What is a Gospel Community?

A Gospel Community is a community of people continually encountering God in the gospel and engaging in God's mission in the world, as they enjoy God together.

We believe that God's people are meant to be communal and therefore are to live out the gospel in community.  This has to do with both encountering God regularly and being engaged in mission.  But ultimately, we live this way because we know that it is for our joy.

What is the Gospel?

Why use the term gospel?  Because the church is a people formed by the gospel and sent for the gospel.  So in order to understand who we are and what we do, we must understand the gospel.  This is how we talk about the gospel at Round Lake.

The Gospel is the good news that, for God’s Glory, Jesus died for our sin and was resurrected so we might move from death to life.

What is our mission?

To be witnesses for God’s Glory in the world by continuing the work of Jesus in word and deed through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Gospel Communities have 5 main identities:

1)Worshipers

We worship Jesus as God by living out the other 4 identities.

(John 4, Romans 12:1-2, Hebrews 13:15-16, Revelation 4-5)

2)Family

        We are children of God who live and care for each other as a family should.  

        (John 1:12-13, Galatians 4:4-7, I John 2:28-3:3)

3)Missionaries

We are sent by God to present the Gospel to all people.

(Matt 28:18-20, Acts)

4)Servants

We engage in serving God by serving others.

(Phil 2:1-11, John 13:1-7)

5)Learners

We engage in discipleship by teaching scripture to one another.

(Matt 28:18-20, Eph 4:11-13, II Tim 2:2)

The Hezekiah Commitment

Last month I preached a sermon on Biblical Giving.  At the end of that sermon (you can see the notes here) I reference a commitment to lead like Hezekiah does in II Chronicles.  I wanted to take some time to expand on that here.

Too often, churches accept the current state of things because that's the way they have been.  Leaders are guilty of the same drift.  Churches and leaders both get tired, worn out, and become paralyzed from continuing to pursue Godly change and repentance.  We stop asking the hard questions, stop looking for the areas to grow in.  I believe that giving and finances are one of those areas in the church.

We have accepted "giving to the church", the tithe, the need for buildings, programs, and debt as proper uses of how the church should handle her finances.  But in studying the scriptures on this subject I found some eye-opening realities.

The first and most challenge was the relative smallness of the "tithe" in all of scripture.  The tithe (meaning tenth) only consisted of a portion of the overall giving to the tabernacle/temple and priests in the Old Testament.  The tithe did not include sacrifices, offerings, freewill offerings, and many other forms of giving or sacrifice.  Why did we zero in on the tithe?  The NT only references in 3 locations, twice speaking against the legalism which it represented and once in referring to Melchizedek and Abraham.  So why do we perpetuate this concept?  I believe it limits our freedom in giving, uses a concept that is strange to people not raised in the church, and is not true to the NT heart of giving.  There is no where in the New Testament the idea that a tenth of what we have should be "given to the church".  You just won't find it.

So what does the NT say about followers of Jesus and giving (since it says so little about tithing)?  Well first and foremost it covers the same themes from the Old Testament.  Giving should be for the benefit of widows, orphans, those in hardships, the poor, and those working on the church (preaching, teaching, etc).  Too many churches today make business decisions with their money, not spiritual decisions.  I know the arguments against this stance.  That spending money on programs and buildings allows us to reach more people for Jesus.  Make that argument if you want, but the bottom line is you won't find support for that kind of thinking in the scriptures.  Money is meant to be a means of grace in the lives of those around us, not a way to attract the masses.

So my commitment is this.  As far as I am concerned, 4 categories take precedence in all financial decisions using money given by the church:
1)Caring for widows, orphans, and others in hardships.
2)Caring for the poor and impoverished.
3)Supplying the needs of those working on the church.
4)Supplying the needs of those spreading the Gospel globally.

I understand this leaves off a lot of what we do with money in the current church environment.  Am I saying the other uses of money are evil?  No, but what I am saying is that we have lost our priorities.  And I believe that when we pursue this kind of integrity with our spending as a church, we will see God move like He did in II Chronicles 29-31.

Hitchhiking Through Life

I've been doing a lot of reading in Genesis and a book entitled The Millenials by Thom and Jess Ranier.  The story of God developing the line of Jesus through Abraham has really gotten me thinking about how God is absolutely in control.  Even in the details.

The millenials are the generation born between 1980 and 2000, the largest generation America has ever known numerically.  They are now entering the workforce and facing some interesting issues.  But the one thing that continues to stand out to me is their sense of destiny.  They want to do something great, to change the world.

As the story of Abraham's family and the stories of the millenial generation intersect in my mind, the question of God's involvement in our lives stands out to me.  Joseph, Abraham's great-grandson, had to endure a near death experience from his brothers, being sold into slavery, falsely accused of sexual harassment, imprisonment, and being forgotten by the one person who could get him out.  But eventually, Joseph would see God bring about purpose in his life.

But what mattered more for Joseph was not the destination, but how he got there.  So many of us between 20 and 30 are trying to hitchhike our way to our perceived destination, looking for someone to give us a ride.  But there are no free rides to greatness.  God is working things out in our lives and our only responsibility is to be concerned with the present, how we live today.

If I could encourage my generation with one word it would be this, process.  God's end in our lives IS the process.  It is not so much about where we end up, but the how we get there.  Stop worrying about tomorrow, your 5 year plan, or what you want the world to look like after you change it.  Begin to focus on what God is laying in front of you right now.  Maybe you just need to get a job.  Maybe you just need to read your Bible today.  Maybe you just need to meet your neighbor.  But if we want to be a generation that changes the world, then please can we stop looking for someone to pick us up and give us a ride there.  Get out there and do something today.

Diagram of Identities (mostly borrowed from Soma Communities)

I am working on some things regarding what it means to be a church, especially what that should look like structurally.  I believe that God is calling our attention to examine our structures and what they say about what we believe theologically.  I picked up on this from Soma Communities in Tacoma, WA a while ago (thanks Jesse Kegg) and have been praying and thinking about it.  You can see their full identities and rhythms here.

This diagram is meant to help the church examine her main identities, with worshipers being the central identity that informs all the others.  It is also interesting that these identities are not just true for the church, but for anyone that worships anything (which is all of us.)  Take sports for example.  If you worship a sports team, then you will belong to a family (the fanbase), you will be a missionary (trying to convince others why your team is the best), you will sacrificially serve for the sake of the team (miss bdays, have people over to watch the game, etc.), and you will learn as much as you can about the team.  I would love to hear the thoughts of others on this.  Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Pray For Evangelists Around the World

Here is an excerpt from a letter from Jerry Thaprom, an evangelist we support from Round Lake Christian Church.

In recent months two major supporting churches have decided to discontinue their supports due to their budgets and this really hurts our ministries especially the Myanmar evangelistic and church planting work.

So my wife I have been contemplating what to do since we can no longer maintain the work in Myanmar with this situation so we have been praying a lot and are waiting for an answer from the Lord. So the good news from you for your continuous prayers and financial support is definitely the answer we have been waiting for.  So we praise the Lord that He has heard our prayers through you.

We have been delegating ten evangelist families to carry the work of evangelism and church planting in Yangon (formerly Rangoon) and one in Shan States and another one in north Burma. These evangelists are those we know personally and they are fully dedicated and love the Lord with their hearts and are trustworthy people. The know the language well and Burmese culture so as a result, nearly 500 people have turned to the Lord and were baptized within a period of five years since we have started the work.

These Christians scattered in ten different locations, or communities around Yangon proper, mostly at villages.  These evangelists have been so faithfully carrying the work around the clock.  In recent years unlike before the Burmese people have shown the unusual interest in Christianity because  the Lord has been touching  their stubborn hearts so that they may be saved, and also the political unrest and Buddhism can not offer them any hope. As they are in this situation they observed Christians around them and eventually they wanted to turn to the Lord, and this leads them to Christ. So it is the momentum for Myanmar for us to present to them the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Praise God!  Our giving for the sake of the Gospel bears fruit in the lives of men and women in places we have never seen.  Please pray for Jerry and his wife Boonporn as they continue in the work of the Gospel.  Also pray for these evangelists who are sharing the good news that for God's glory, Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected so we might move from death to life.  

Resurrection Implications

Does the resurrection of Jesus from the dead have any implications other than to verify the story of Jesus?  Yes!  It has implications for all of creation and it has special immediate implications for those who believe in it.

For All Creation


Romans 8 makes it very clear that all of creation is eagerly awaiting the day when God will make everything right at the revealing of His children (Romans 8:19-22).  All of the world - fish, animals, birds, plants, people, and on and on - are fully aware that we live in a world of futility.  That no matter how much we accumulate, no matter how good we are, no matter how long we live, we all end the same way, in death.  Death is the unmistakable sign of destruction for all of us.  It points to the fact that something in this life is seriously off, that it all must either be a sad, twisted joke or that it's all very broken and needs fixing.

And this is the power of the resurrection for all creation!  For Jesus to actually raise from the dead means that death no longer carries with it the same power.  It shows that death is defeatable, that it is all in fact broken but someone is fixing it.  And that someone is Jesus.  His victory over death signals to all the world that in fact something is being done and it gives power to His promise that He will return to finalize the change.  So for now, the implications for all creation of Jesus' resurrection is that He will make all things new (Revelation 21:5).

For Those Who Believe In It


But Romans 8 has something in particular to say to those who believe and trust in the power of the resurrection.  Paul states in Romans 8 that based on the resurrection of Jesus (Romans 8:11) we no longer should trust in the things of our flesh but in the gift of the Holy Spirit.  But what does that mean?  It means that we have been saved to something much bigger than just existing as people that go to work, watch sports, eat food, and raise families.  It means that we have been saved to begin a new life of joining God on His mission of reconciliation.  Look at Paul unpack this in II Corinthians 5:14-21

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 

The implications for those of us that believe is that we are new creations!  We have a mission to live.  We don't just exist in this world, we live with a purpose.  We join God in making all things new.  By the death and resurrection of Jesus we are declared to be the righteousness of God.  This gives us hope that we can actually see victory over futility in the world around us and that we have a message of hope to proclaim to the oppressed.

So if we claim to believe in the resurrection of Jesus, are we living like it?  Or are we content to say that we know that Jesus died for me and that's good enough?  Because if we end with the death of Jesus for our sins, we are not preaching the full Gospel.  Jesus also conquered death which tells us that death has no hold on those who have faith.  Trust in the power of His resurrection and get on board with God's mission of reconciliation in the world!

Celebrations, Cathedrals, and Cells

I am so thankful to those who have gone before us in the faith.  Men like Peter, Paul, John, Augustine, Justin Martyr, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and on and on.  Throughout every generation God has raised up men to call His people to follow after Him.  Even more amazing is the continuity of the message, that Jesus died for our sin and was resurrected so that we might move from death to life.  Glory to God for His unchanging nature and sovereign will!

But there is a great need in our day for repentance and reformation as well.  We have certainly not arrived at the final coming of the New Jerusalem and eagerly await our Bridegroom's arrival.  But until He comes, we continue to be purified as His bride.  And in that purification is the need for a reformation of church structure.

All around the world the reformation has already begun.  Churches in Asia, eastern Europe, Africa, and South America have already discovered the power of being gathered together by God's Holy Spirit.  My prayer is that God will continue to bring about this reformation of church structure to His Church in America.

One author, Wolfgang Simson, has referred to what I am talking about as "Cathedral style meetings".  I do not agree with all that Mr. Simson has to say, but on this point I find his analysis intriguing.  What we see in the New Testament and early church history are two distinct meetings in the church family.  There was an organic movement happening in the homes of the people.  This was the natural start of the church in Acts 2 and continuing on.  But also the church was gathered together in large groups for worship and teaching on a regular basis.  They often found themselves in synagogues, schools, amphitheaters, and the temple courts.  But each gathering had separate purposes, with the home based movement being the foundational gathering of the church.

With the rising of the Roman Catholic Church a new phenomena was begun, Cathedrals.  Cathedrals sought to bring together the large "Celebrations" and the small "Cells" into one meeting.  This structure has persisted to this day creating churches that are building, clergy, and program centered or as I say "centralized."  But the church is a movement of God scattered by the power of the Holy Spirit to advance the good news of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection!  The church is a messy, decentralized movement of believers witnessing about the Glory of God to the world in which we live.

I am not advocating the abandonment of all our buildings, structures, and responsibilities.  I AM advocating the rediscovering of a balance between celebration and cell.  Not a cathedral with a good small group program, but a true rediscovery of the necessary balance between the church gathered and scattered.  Many churches have already identified this necessary reform and have acted accordingly.  My prayer for us at Round Lake is that we will as well.  And in all things, may God be glorified through His people in whatever form He gathers them together!

Ministry Priorities

Recently something has been bothering me.  Why does it seem that so many well intentioned members of God's people get distracted from doing the things that God has designed them for?  If we hold to a Biblical understanding of the church then we know that God has given different gifts or tasks to the various members of His body.  Some are prophets, some are teachers, some are administrators, some are hospitable, some have the gift of mercy, and so on.  But it seems that we find ourselves sucked into the lie that good christians possess all the gifts and can be anything at any given time.  And I believe it creates ministry distraction.

The apostles were faced with a serious dilemma in Acts 6.  There was a problem with the distribution of food to the hellenist christian widows.  Because the church had been growing so rapidly in those days, the issue I'm sure was rather large and needed immediate attention.  So it was brought before the leadership, specifically the Apostles.  What a test this is!  Serving and distributing food to widows is a critical aspect of the ministry of the church.  At the same time, for the disciples to undertake this task would mean that they would have to cut back on their ministries of prayer and the word.  What would they decide?

I could ask here what would you choose to do.  But I am not going to ask that question.  Instead, what have you done in the past?  You see I believe that we often choose to do the things that we feel need to get done, even if someone else should be doing those things.  The Apostles could have chosen to serve food to the widows and we would have applauded them for this.  But instead they made the harder decision that most of refuse to make.

They put it back on the church.  They said find 7 men that could do this task, because we have been commissioned to ministries of the word and prayer.  Notice that they acknowledge the significance of this ministry, but that they understand that the rest of the body has responsibility here.  I wonder what the people thought?  I know the pressure in most churches.  "Oh well, they don't have a servants heart, putting it back on the church."  "That's just lazy."  "How much time do they really need to pray and preach?  I mean isn't being a christian about helping people?"

But I know for a fact, from experience, that the pressure of others is nothing like the pressure I put on myself.  "What will people think if I don't do this?"  I have tried in the past to measure up to "their" expectations many times in ministry, uncertain of who they really are.  "They" always seem to show up in leadership meetings, nameless and faceless, but having lots of pull.  Thank God that the Apostles were not this insecure.

The appointment of these 7 proved to be the right decision.  But it wasn't the right decision just because the church grew and Stephen and Philip turned out to be powerful witnesses to the Gospel.  It was the right decision because the Apostles stayed focused on their role in the body.  They would not be distracted by good things, they were focused on the right things.  

So where are you in your ministry priority?  What's the one thing God is tugging at you to do it?  Why aren't you doing it?  Let me suggest some ideas for finding out your ministry priority:

• Pray that God would show you how He wants to use you in the body.
• Get a copy of The 3 Colors of Ministry and begin discovering your Spiritual Gifts.
• Write down on paper what are the things that God has specifically designed you to do.
• In one sentence, what is the one ministry that you should be doing within the kingdom?
• Stay focused on the ministry He is giving you to do.

"Zeal For My House Will Consume Me!"

For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me. (Psalm 69:9)

How does this picture make you feel about the man holding the whip? Just pretend you don't know what's going on here. What are some thoughts that come to your mind? Do you think of someone who is honorable and right? Do you think of someone who is loving and caring? Probably not.

We have trouble with this account in scripture because it doesn't fit our neat and tidy understanding of Jesus as the lowly servant who takes it on the chin. He gets angry. He gets aggressive. He gets downright violent. But if scripture teaches that He is without sin, then what drives the Son of God to the point of passionate, zealous anger towards what is taking place in the temple.

The answer is found in John 2:13-22. At the time of the passover, Jesus heads to Jerusalem. And coming upon the temple he finds the buying and selling of sacrifices there. He finds men changing out foreign money for the local Jerusalem currency. These are services of convenience for the travelers to the temple. But God is not concerned with our convenience, He is concerned with the state of our heart. And these money changers and sacrifice sellers were busy turning a profit on the religious needs of the day. Their hearts were waxed cold and the glory of God was far from them.

As Jesus fashioned the whip that He would use to drive them out, the passion must have grew within Him. You see the temple was not just a place for religious activity to occur. It was not just a place to visit. It was truly the place that God had promised to meet His people on earth. It was where He agreed to reveal Himself to them. It was not the temple that Jesus was zealous for, but for the glory of God. Which, being the son of God, was His own glory.

Yes, I am saying that what made Jesus so angry was that the people were defaming His glory. They were not just making a mockery of the temple, but of Jesus Himself. Jesus' ultimate passion was that the nations would see His glory and worship it. Does it sound selfish? Well not quite when you read on in John 2.

Jesus' glory is defined and shown by His death and resurrection. That's what He meant when He said, "destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." To display His glory for the nations meant their salvation! The glory of Jesus is our greatest benefit. So of course He was indignant when they defamed His glory, because they were defaming the very glory that could bring them salvation from eternal damnation! The thing Jesus was most passionate and most zealous for was His glory that would bring salvation to the world. He is passionate about His glory which makes Him passionate about us!

But what dug into my heart in this text is this question... what are we zealous for? Are we this passionate about the glory of God? Or are we more passionate about America, sports, or our wealth? What do we pursue at the cost of everything else? I'm afraid that the american church has become more zealous for herself than for the glory of God in Christ Jesus. We have become more zealous over matters of form and outward expression than for the glory that dwells in the temple. How do I know this? By the very lack of manifestation of the glory of Christ. When zeal for the glory of Christ returns to our churches, then expect that glory to show up in power and might. Bow down and be amazed at the Jesus who turns over tables. Oh that we might get zealous for the glory of our risen king Jesus. What would it look like if He turned over some tables in our hearts?

Let US Choose A Leader?

While in the Wilderness, the Lord spoke to Moses and told him to send one man from each of the 12 tribes of Israel to spy out the promised land. The men went and came back. 10 of the 12 men gave a fearful report and spoke against treading into unknown territory. They were afraid of the tall people that inhabited the land and all of the unforeseeable dangers. But the Lord was not asking for their opinion on whether to go or not.

The people heard the report and were afraid. They began to speak out against Moses and the plan to enter into Canaan. Here is what is recorded in Numbers 14:1-4:

Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

It is also interesting to note that in Numbers 12 Aaron and Miriam had also questioned the leadership of Moses. And the Lord rebuked them as well. The people here are so angry that when Joshua and Caleb speak up and warn the people, the people pick up stones to kill them. But then God shows up in power. Numbers 14:11-12:

And the Lord said to Moses, "How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they."

But Moses, just like in the golden calf incident, chooses to turn down God's offer and pray on behalf of the people. He begs forgiveness for a people who had rejected his God given leadership. What a powerful testimony of leadership. God listens and instead punishes the rebellious adults above the age of 20 to wander for 40 years and then die.

There are a couple of powerful lessons here. One is that we should trust a leader who has been given spiritual authority by God. Now understand me, this is not measured in terms of positions, titles, or claimed authority. Spiritual authority is handed out only by the Lord Himself. The greatest in His kingdom are actually those who become least, and that's why Numbers 12 says that Moses was the meekest man in all the world. Those who imitate Christ in being servant leaders have this spiritual authority.

But so often I see churches rejecting Godly leadership out of fear. Fear of change, fear of the unknown, fear of losing something, or fear of other people. Notice that the vast majority of people were against Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb. In our churches today in America we would have settled this with a vote. And we would have been the ones wandering in the wilderness! We must understand that in God's kingdom we do not follow the wants of the people but the commands of our king, Jesus. As Isaiah 2:22 says, "Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?" Our only fear is of the Lord and we must follow Him and listen carefully when leaders who have a track record of following Him point in the direction that they feel God is leading us.

The second thing to notice is the heart of Moses. Rejected, despised, and ready to be killed by the people, he never ceases to pray for them. They wanted to KILL him. I have been disliked and kicked in ministry, but to my knowledge no one has attempted to murder me. Slander maybe, but not physically take my life. And yet Moses prays that the people might be spared from the wrath of God. This is a Godly leader.

If you are in leadership in a church, you must have a heart like this. A heart that says no matter what the odds or difficulties, you won't tuck your tail and run. You trust in God for vindication and pray for the souls of the people entrusted to you. They are sheep and are in need of the Good Shepherd. Our primary work is to seek out the face of God and pray that He might bring forgiveness and healing one at a time. And those that need to suffer His wrath, we must allow Him to bring the punishment, not us.

What a lesson this is for me. I must pray for those who persecute me. I must pray for those who are my enemies. I must pray for those who betray trust. I must pray for those who attempt to injure me. I must pray for any and all that hate me. This is compassion. This is mercy. This is Godly leadership.

The sad thing is that people will rarely choose leaders like this. They will choose Aaron's who give them up in the hard times. They will choose Saul's who rule harshly. They will choose Eli's that don't know how to control their own homes. They will choose kings that let them do whatever they want.

But pray with me now that God will send His leaders. Spiritual men with His anointing. Men ready to call His people to repentance and will pray for their souls. Men who are not trying to be Savior, but lamps pointing to the Morning Star. Men who will not quit when they are rejected, but will fall down in mourning and pray for the people.

How apocalyptic are you?

Pastors are the persons in the church communities who repeat and insist on these kingdom realities against the world appearances, and who therefore must be apocalyptic. In its dictionary meaning, apocalypse is simply “revelation,” the uncovering of what was covered up so that we can see what is there. But the context in which the word arrives adds color to the black-and-white dictionary meaning, colors bright and dark—crimson urgency and purple crisis. Under the crisis of persecution and under the urgency of an imminent end, reality is revealed suddenly for what it is. We had supposed our lives were so utterly ordinary. Sin-habits dull our free faith into stodgy moralism and respectable boredom; then crisis rips the veneer of cliché off everyday routines and reveals the side-by-side splendors and terrors of heaven and hell. Apocalypse is arson—it secretly sets a fire in the imagination that boils the fat out of an obese culture-religion and renders a clear gospel love, a pure gospel hope, a purged gospel faith. (from The Contemplative Pastor by Eugene Peterson, page 50)

I want this to become something of a job description for me. My role in this world is not to run a church or to administrate church activities. It is to "rip the veneer" off of the spiritual struggle going on in places unseen. We are so confused by the church is and is not in this world. Unfortunately, many times we do not realize that the church is the place where the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of this world do battle.

This is a concept from Matthew's gospel that I have begun to see all throughout scripture lately. The visible, local church is not the kingdom of heaven. Mingled in among God's people are all kinds. Those on the brink of believing, those who openly reject truth, those who hide sin, those who are wolves in sheeps clothing, snakes, and devils. There are blind, deaf, mute, crippled, and spiritually dead people within the visible church. The kingdom of heaven do not consist of these. So why are they in the visible church? Because the visible church is where the kingdom of heaven does battle on the kingdom of this world.

I am discovering more and more everyday that my role in all of this is to bring this real battle to the forefront of our minds. We all too often, myself included, forget that this battle is very real. We wage war on one another and destroy ourselves, not recognizing the spiritual battle at hand. Satan is excited when we forget about him, when we blame one another for his work. He does not mind not getting the credit.

But we must recognize the spiritual reality that comes with Ephesians 6:10-20:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

It is my duty to equip as many people as possible for this reality. To aid them in being on the alert, to help them put on all the pieces of armor, to put the sword in their hands, and to lead them into prayer. Everything must become about this. Seem intense? So is the fight. Your marriage is about this. Your parenting is about this. Your work is about this. Your life is about this. So how apocalyptic are you?