“Genesis: Life starts here”

“Genesis: Life starts here”

As most of you know I have been part of a home study for the past 2 months and I have to say it’s been an incredible experience as we have seen God working in amazing ways. There have been some really beautiful answers to prayer and encouraging things that have taken place.

A week ago I spoke with a young lady who has been having dreams about going to Africa and had a God given desire to go, so we prayed together and in just two days the Lord has opened the doors for her to go with Calvary Lake Arrowhead in June. Another amazing thing that happened this past Friday was when one of the young girls at the study shared how she has been praying for her mom and this week her mom has been picking up and reading her bible!! We are continuing to pray and hope she will join us some time soon.

Some of you may not yet know, as I don’t believe I have written about it, but we have moved forward and filed for our non-profit status and will became a state recognized church in the very near future, although it’s more important that we are recognized by Jesus than the state.

That being said we did have our first service this past Sunday (Easter as it’s called), what a great day!! We met in John and Tammy’s back yard, the weather was wonderful and we had a great time together honoring the resurrection of our Lord. I spoke from Luke 24 “the Road to Emmaus”, how Jesus showed up when they were in the middle of conversation about him. It’s so important that we keep the Lord in the midst of our conversation, and not just on Sunday’s or Easter services, but in our everyday life when we’re walking together on the road. It was also telling that the way Jesus chose to reveal himself to the two on the road wasn’t to remove the veil that hid his identity, but instead He took them to the scriptures, because as the Lord told us in John 5 the scriptures point to Him. So, how important are the scriptures for us today if we are going to get a clear picture of who Jesus is? Yeah, very.

I was thrilled afterwards talking with the people who were there as we continued the conversation about Jesus and His desire for our lives and to hear where they were on lifes road. I believe there are many who can identify with those two on the road to Emmaus, who believe in Jesus, but don’t yet fully realize who He is, that He’s alive and desires to walk with us still.

I'm looking forward as we We are going to search to get a clear picture of Him together
What a great beginning.

...Genesis: Life starts here

Doctrine, Culture the Eternal & the Emerging

Doctrine, Culture the Eternal & the Emerging

Every generation can be distinguished from other generations by a variety of things; music, clothing or even hairstyles (can you say mullet?)

I think it’s important when we discuss changes within the Christian faith that we are clear to distinguish the difference between doctrine (what we believe) and culture (how we relate those beliefs). For instance, there was a time when the thought of playing drums in a worship service was considered outrageous and in some places it still is, but style of music is cultural, not doctrinal. And years ago when the church was reaching out to those them there hippies, they put on rock concerts. Longhaired, bare footed preachers would say things like, "Jesus is far out". Now if we spent time arguing whether 'far out' should really apply to the Son of God or not, we would have failed to understand that 'far out' simply meant groovy, I mean outta sight, or well, you get my point. It meant good (not that I’m old enough to know about that). Now having long hair and saying 'far out' was not essential to reach hippies, but it could help remove some cultural road blocks in that emerging culture. I said in my last blog that I was going to talk about the things that I am for and against regarding what is called the emerging church and actually what I have just stated pretty much sums it up. I think it is crucial that we hold tenaciously to our beliefs (doctrine) and tentatively to our traditions (culture). If we are not careful, we can make how we communicate more important than what we communicate and become what Jesus referred to as old wine skins. The adage, "God said it, I believe it, that settles it" really doesn’t cut it in most of today’s culture. We need to ask ourselves what use is what we believe if we can’t communicate it effectively to those around us?

So then, how do we relate our beliefs to today’s culture? First, we have to listen. In our society, especially western societies, there are so many cultures and beliefs that one size of communication definitely does not fit all. Say, for example, you are having a conversation with a devout Muslim; do you think inviting them to a crusade is the best way to reach them? Even among Native American Indians the word 'mission' can have negative connotations, so really the only way to be effective in what we say is to first be attentive to the people we are saying them to. Because who knows, some Muslims have no problem going to a crusade, but for others, there is just no way.

I love the way Jesus dialoged with people. He didn’t have this air of being unapproachable or a “know it all” (even though He did). He would draw individuals in by telling them stories they could relate to and asked them questions, making room for them to connect to God personally. “What does it profit if a man gains the world and loses his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” “What good is it if you love those who love you, what reward is there for that?” We need to take a good look at how we communicate our beliefs to others. It's not about changing the message, it’s about engaging people in conversation with this message so that they are able to encounter God and find the life that is found in Him.

The Baby, and the Bath Water

The Baby and the Bath Water

About four and a half years ago I read an article in a worship leader magazine that absolutely thrilled me. The article spoke of the need to communicate effectively the message of who Christ is and some of the pitfalls that we can fall into by not understanding the changes in our emerging culture and the people we communicate with. Since then, the words ‘emerging’ and ‘emerging church’ have become quite the topic, and for good reasons.

Since that writing, I have read at least a half dozen books and who knows how many articles about the “Emerging Church.” Some of them have been interesting, some insightful, and some just plain anarchy against scripture, which is why I found it both amusing and confusing when I heard that some are saying that I’m a part of the emerging church. I wonder which one they mean.
It’s interesting (to me at least) that the people and ministries that I believe have been successful at reaching today’s culture and who I might consider “emergent” in that regard don’t claim that for themselves, but are labeled that by others, which I suppose gives me hope at least, but those who have labeled themselves as “emerging churches” I would have to describe as trying too hard just to be different.

With the array of thoughts on what the emerging church is (or isn’t), I want to address a few things that I have gained, as well as a few I reject. Hopefully this will at least clarify some of what has come to me about myself by way of others. First of all, I do not consider myself a part of the emerging church since there is no way to define what that really means. To quote my brother, “It’s like trying to nail Jell-O to the wall”... you just can’t make it stick to anything consistent. And truth be told, there is really only one church, and no person or denomination has claim to her. As I have been telling the Friday study group, we are not starting a church, we are the church! I did get that by the way from one of those books I read, but then its truth was taken from that other book, the bible.

Paul urged those in Thessalonica to examine (test) everything; hold on to what is good. I think it would be wise to have this attitude toward all the things we read (or hear). Whether they are considered secular, emergent or Christian. But it seems instead of testing all things we are quick to judge all things and lose that which may be good. I know from experience that it’s much easier to criticize than it is to examine and I have been guilty plenty of times of being quick to speak and slow to hear, contrary to James’s admonition to do the opposite. But we all need to realize that a hasty declaration may be followed by a regrettable conclusion and if we’re not careful, we will have thrown the baby out with the bath water.
I said I want to address a few things that I am for and against with what has been called the emerging church and I will in my next blog, as well as some new things happening in our Friday’s gathering. Until then “…this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.” (Phil.1:9 – 10)
Amen