The Puzzle, April 1-2, 2009
Everybody at the Beach
Paul wasn’t saying, “Timothy, you have the gift of ‘evangelist;’ he was saying, “Do the work of an evangelist.” While special gifting is usually helpful, it’s not always required. Some things are sufficiently important that they need to be done, whether anyone feels qualified or not. Evangelism is one of those things.
But I ask: Is the work of evangelism being done in the U.S.? It seems there’s hardly anyone out in the field! Those who feel called to full-time evangelism as a ministry are generally struggling, with a few notable exceptions. A church which is growing through evangelism is a rarity—only 5% of all churches are growing through conversion. Does the Gospel no longer work in America, or are there just not enough folks doing the work of an evangelist? Of those two, it has to be the latter.
What’s the solution? I think maybe the solution is for people like me, relatively “ungifted” in evangelism, to do the work of an evangelist, even if I’m not that good at it. I either need to do that, or link up with someone who is! Evangelism will probably never be a strength of mine, but that doesn’t have to stop me from being effective, particularly if I focus evangelistic efforts in directions where I do feel more “gifted.”
In the Church in the USA, we’re seeing a frightening lack of conversions. While the Church does some things quite well, it seems that much of the time we’re not even making much of an attempt at leading new people toward Christ. The Great Commission was for all disciples, not just the 10% who score high on “evangelism gifts.” We don’t get off the hook for evangelism just because we’re not “gifted,” any more than we got out of cleaning our room because we didn’t have the gift of “cleaning” or out of homework because we didn’t have the “gift” of homework. Paul didn’t tell Timothy to “get the gift;” he said, “Do the work.”
The Farming and Fishing Draft
If you’re shorthanded on a farm, ranch or fishing operation, whoever is around gets to do whatever needs to be done. They don’t have to be good at it; they just need to be there, although, of course, it’s better if they’re also good at it. My experience has been that they don’t ask for volunteers; they just start drafting people.I spent seven seasons as a commercial set-net fisherman in Alaska, plus some time around the fish canneries vital to the industry. What I see happening in the American Church makes me think of a fish cannery, waiting for fish! Try to track with me, in a hypothetical situation where there are five canneries in town, but only half a dozen fishermen out working. The season is open and there is plenty of crew at the canneries. The fishermen are good at what they do, they’re effective and the fish are plentiful; however, the fishermen are having to spend precious time washing fish and hauling them to the cannery. Not only that, but they’re having to wait around for paperwork, etc., at the cannery before they can get back to their nets.
Meanwhile, it costs much the same for a cannery to operate whether there are fish there or not, since the employees are getting paid by the hour, management is paid by salary, and the only way they make money is by processing fish. If there are no fish to process, they’ll shut down the cannery. By the same token, if the fisherman has fish but no buyer, they are worthless to him.
A Bold Idea to Save the Season
Let’s assume for the moment that the cannery and the fisherman are in partnership (which is not a long stretch—it’s often true, with some sort of agreement about having to sell to the cannery, in exchange for a loan, etc.). What should be done? The fisherman is struggling with his beach site because it’s just him and his son, and for whatever reason, he hasn’t been able to hire any crew.How about if the cannery supervisor buys commercial crew licenses for a bunch of cannery people, who are used to processing fish, and sends them down to the beach to be temporary fishermen? Under the guidance of the experienced fishermen, the cannery workers could do things like drive the trucks, fill out the paperwork, wash the fish and throw them in totes (they would do better at that than most of the fishermen, because they know what it does to the fish to mishandle them). When it comes to things like bleeding and icing the fish, they would do a better job than the fishermen normally do, and probably do it faster. Where they would struggle would be in things like actually picking the fish, and in complicated, demanding things like putting out the gear or operating the boat. However, there would doubtless be some of the cannery crew with experience in boat handling and also those who had picked fish before. In addition, there are those who take to picking fish pretty naturally, who would be fairly adequate to the job in a short time, even if they hadn’t done it before.
For fish on the beach, even a three-year-old kid can get one out, eventually! And most people can be trained to stack nets. The farm kids who came to work the canneries already know how to drive tractors and trucks. There are mechanics, welders, scuba divers and everything else in the ranks of the cannery workers.
Here’s the idea: Leave a skeleton crew at the cannery, and temporarily put almost everyone at the fish site. If there are any fish at all around, there will be adequate personnel to handle all the fish which can be caught at the site. Once the flow starts going toward the cannery and there are sufficient fish to crank the processing operation up, people can be gradually transferred back to the jobs for which they were originally hired. Expect to have a good number of the cannery people wanting to stay at the fish site, because it’s a lot more fun! Those who show themselves to be particularly skillful down there would do best to switch jobs, permanently, and if necessary, be replaced at the cannery by new hires.
The goal of this whole thing is to get fish to the cannery, so they can be processed and sold. Ideally, the cannery wouldn’t have to worry about it, since fishermen are very independent, and would resent anyone else even trying to “help.” In this situation, though, the sensible thing to do would be to do whatever it takes to catch fish. Otherwise, no one makes a living and everybody goes belly-up.
Aquarium Growth
Now to the Church. We’re not catching fish to process; we’re catching men out of which to make disciples for Jesus. We have trained professionals up at the church building waiting for this big harvest to come in so they can teach life skills and theology to the newly caught fish, except there aren’t any. The pros spend all their time in educating the already caught fish, and the farm-raised ones who don’t seem to appreciate being educated very much. A lot of time is spent in trying to figure out how to manage a cannery without new fish coming in. What cutbacks can be made? How can the cannery operate more efficiently? How can we keep the current fish happy, so they continue to support the cannery? Except we’re not running the cannery like a cannery; we’re running it like an aquarium. In an aquarium, you can only have as many fish as you have room for. If you exceed that by too much, you’ll lose all the fish. They’ll die.The aquarium mentality is part of what’s killing the effectiveness of the Church in America. Rarely are new fish from the wild introduced to any of the churches; they are just different fish, enticed from a different aquarium with the promise of a better deal at our aquarium. Whenever a new fish is introduced, the other fish pick on them or shun them, at least for a while. It’s the opposite of being eager for new fish to come in; new fish are basically unwanted and regarded as a nuisance.
Who is out there fishing? Just a few guys who “like that sort of thing.” They sometimes do pretty well, but it’s not often that they bring anything to the aquarium, introduce it to the other fish and have them fit. Something usually goes wrong. Sometimes what happens is that a bunch of new fish are introduced to the aquarium and the old fish leave! The overall numbers stay about the same as before, except all the names have changed. The worst part of this whole situation is that the fact that very few new fish are coming into the Church doesn’t seem to be very alarming. As long as the institution is able to continue, “we’re good.” Besides, “I don’t really like fish, especially the smell!” And, “I don’t have the gift of fishing. I don’t enjoy it, and I don’t think I’m good at it.”
I’m coming down to the solution suggestion.
What if, for a period of time, we put everybody on evangelism? Everyone down to the beach!
Everyone Down to the Beach!
Let’s put basically everyone on evangelism, at least long enough to get some flow going again. Not good at it? Doesn’t matter. Get down to the beach and see what you can do to help. You might learn something. Be willing to do what needs to be done that’s within your skill level, and don’t refuse to work unless you get to do something that looks “fun.” Listen to the people who are actually skilled and gifted in evangelism, and follow their lead and their instructions. You don’t have to be a natural in order to be helpful. When we’ve all caught a bunch of fish, then it’s time to exercise your spiritual gifts and do what you do in making Christlike disciples, whether it’s friendship, teaching, counseling or whatever. Until then, everybody on evangelism! Let’s get this thing going. It’s what Jesus told us to do, and the future of the Church depends on it. Not only that, but eternal life is in the balance for millions, while we sit at the aquarium, waiting for fish to catch themselves and show up for “duty.”Do the Work of an Evangelist
I need to devote some time to evangelism! Even if I’m not good at it, and I don’t get paid for it, I need to get out there and fish—or at least help someone else who is fishing. “Do the work of an evangelist.” Everybody down to the beach!The Puzzle, April 6-7, 2009
Neighboring Pieces
When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Acts 18:5-11What needs to happen in the Church? Christians, especially pastors, need to be guided by the Holy Spirit and not their circumstances!
This passage is one more example of how the Early Church was under the direction of the Holy Spirit, not Headquarters or even the missionaries. The vision given to Paul by the Lord helped him know just what to do, plus providing him with peace.
The way to find God’s will is to pray. We need to check with God about everything. There are so many ways to get it wrong. Usually, I find that I make my mistakes when I assume the answer and don’t think I need to check with God on that one!
Paul felt a keen responsibility to give his fellow Jews every opportunity to receive Christ. When they came out against him in opposition, he was released from this responsibility, and placed it back upon them. In terms of location, though, he merely moved next door! The Christians used the synagogue parking lot for their overflow meetings at Titius Justus’ house, with Paul as teacher.
What does this say about some of our present situations? People need to stay put when God tells them to stay put! The conflict that Paul faced in Corinth was something he had come to expect. It was coming from his own people, the Jews, and it was over the same old thing: Jealousy. Paul could have simply left Corinth, but God made it clear that his work was not finished, yet, so he stayed.
I’m thinking of pastor after pastor who is living in conflict with his church. The church people mistreat him, attack him, vilify him, until finally he says “Enough!”, shakes out his suit at them and piles his family into the moving van to try ministry in a less hostile environment, which often isn’t. The church tosses its head in bewilderment and begins the search for a replacement, the pastor trudges down the road toward his next assignment, and very few people are finding Jesus.
What’s wrong? Instead of going to God in prayer, people go to each other and gripe. Lines are needlessly drawn in the sand over petty things, while the big things of the Gospel are ignored. Major decisions are based on pride, instead of leading sought through prayer.
Answers from God
When the answers come from God, they are specific to that situation at that time, and because they come from God, they are right. When He makes it clear what we are to do, we can rest easy—now we know what to do! Caution: It’s not always the same answer for what appears to be the same scenario.There are pastors who need to tough it out and stay until God releases them, instead of when the opposition starts doing their thing. There are others who need to let go of their pastorate and allow God to guide them into a place where they can spend their time teaching the Word of God, rather than babysitting cranky Christians. There are some, like me, who were supposed to resign, keep loving their former parishioners, and hang around town, ministering wherever there is opportunity and following only the direction of the Holy Spirit, without the benefits and banes of church boards, church politics and church salary.
What I most needed at the time of decision was solid leading from God. That’s exactly what I got, through prayer. There is nothing which brings more peace to a heart than surrender to God’s will, followed by clear direction from the Master. When we choose to be guided by the Holy Spirit, He makes sure we get it right. He also brings peace.
Neighboring Pieces
One of the major questions of this work called “The Puzzle” has to do with where we fit. Much like a jigsaw puzzle, each of us needs to know where we go in the scheme of things and what is our purpose. When I think of witnessing and discipling, the “puzzle” analogy helps shed some new light on it.In a jigsaw puzzle, each piece usually is in contact with four other pieces, with occasional exceptions. It can’t be just any piece which attaches; it must be the right one, and properly aligned. To me, this is a good picture of someone who needs to be touched with the love of God. Like a puzzle piece, generally there aren’t many people who have that sort of access to a person’s life. Only a very few people are “touching” their lives. If they are going to receive the Gospel, chances are it will be through one of that small number of people who fit in a place next to them. Some people only have one or two people they will allow to get close. Some don’t have that many. A lot of folks have at least three or four whom they listen to. We are like that puzzle piece which interlocks with theirs. Not just any piece will fit. Only one will go in that spot. They may have other sides to which a piece will attach, but there again, it has to be the right piece, not just any piece.
In thinking of witnessing and particularly discipling, I am thinking of this question: Who are the people in my life where I am the only piece that fits on that side of them? There are obvious ones, like my wife and children. I need to never forget that! There are also some people God has placed in my life who don’t have anyone else whom they let in that close. There are people whom no one else understands in the way I do. There are folks who have granted me a certain degree of access, who listen to me, who might not listen to very many other people. And there are plenty of people who could care less about me or what I say or do, plus some who do but to whom it would be inappropriate for me to get very close.
I think I need to make a short list, and focus on those people, where it’s only my piece which fits with their life on that side. I believe I’m still supposed to assign myself to evangelism and “Do the work of an evangelist,” which could include complete strangers, but the biggest impact of my life will probably always be in the realm of those who are “attached” to me in some way. For some of those people, no one could take my place. When it comes to a puzzle, not just any piece will do. It has to be the right one. It also has to be properly aligned.
Finding Our Fit
Can we agree that God has a place for all of us? Each one of us is a piece of the puzzle. When we’re trying to find where we fit, we can’t just glance at the possibilities and assume disqualification. We need to look at all the possibilities before determining that this is not our place. Just because one side doesn’t mesh with the neighboring puzzle piece doesn’t mean it’s the wrong piece; it may just be the wrong approach. Trying a different side of the piece may result in success. When all options have been exhausted, though, it does us no good to attempt to cram ourselves into a situation where we don’t fit. We can take peace in the knowledge that we fit somewhere—just not there.We’re back to prayer. God has created each one of us to be a valuable, indispensable part of the puzzle. If we ask Him, He will show us where we fit. He’ll let us know what to do. Lives will be changed because of ours. When we allow God to place us where He chooses and we submit to His leading so we’re pointed in the right direction, He will use us to be of tremendous help and blessing to others. No one else can take our place! God didn’t have to make it that way; He just did. He didn’t just want us to think we were important; He wanted us to be important. Places, everyone.
The Puzzle, April 8, 2009
Missionaries of Encouragement
After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. Acts 18:18-23
Following a lengthy and productive stay in Corinth, Paul and company finally head for home. On the way, Paul visits Ephesus, where the door seems to be open for ministry. Though Paul feels he must continue on his journey, he promises to come back “if God wills.” That’s a good disclaimer to put in!
Once back home, Paul checks in with everyone, but doesn’t seem to stay long before resuming his missionary travels. Paul is the circuit-riding missionary! This is at least the third time he’s been at some of the churches in Galatia and Phrygia. Ministry is really very limited unless there is some sort of continuing relationship. No matter how outstanding someone’s ministry is, nothing takes the place of living out life together in the presence of other believers. The purpose of Paul’s third missionary journey through Galatia was strengthening the disciples. It makes me wonder, who’s doing that in America?
Here we are in one of the largest mission fields in the world. Wouldn’t it be good if there were some people who felt God’s calling to be circuit-riding strengtheners of disciples? Could it be that God no longer calls people to ministry like that, or is it that those who are called don’t respond because it doesn’t fit any recognized ministry “slot”?
Missionaries of Encouragement
I think we need some missionaries to America, people who have a region on their heart. These traveling folks would not take the place of local pastors, but they could be quite effective as church planters, evangelists and “apostles of encouragement.” I know we have denominational leaders, but their influence is often mostly in the realm of administration, rather than evangelism or vision-casting for the whole area, and they have so many fires to put out that it’s rare that they would have opportunity to merely encourage people on a regular basis. Even if they do operate more like apostles, their authority is limited to their own denomination, and others don’t even know who they are.What if there were some traveling apostles who reported back to someone like Paul did, but who spent most of their ministry in starting churches and encouraging disciples, and in assisting church leaders as they work together in their city or area? I’ve heard of something like this happening in at least one place in America.
These would not be self-appointed leaders, but God-appointed ones, affirmed by the Body of Christ. Their mission would not be to have authority over others, but to serve others in a region or mission field for which they had a heart burden. Their role would not be administrative, but creative—using their gifts to expand and strengthen the Church, across a geographic area. This would be in contrast to those whose responsibility is to oversee churches within a particular denomination. The American “missionaries” I’m envisioning would not be responsible to find new pastors for open churches or tackle administrative issues. They would be free to encourage, strengthen and serve, across denominational lines, wherever they found a welcome. Their burden would be for a geographical region, rather than a doctrinal distinction.
How large of a geographic area? I think it would vary. It could be a city, a state or a region of the country. I picture apostles of encouragement with a home region which they visit frequently, while making cross-country mission trips from time to time.
How would anyone decide where they were to go? The same way Paul and the other apostles did: Pray. Ask God where He would have you to go, then obey the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit might lead people to places they had never been before, He might lead them to stay home, He might lead them to return to certain spots again and again, like Paul repeatedly going through Galatia.
It’s obvious that not everyone would be called to be “missionaries to America,” but doesn’t it make sense that some might? I think it’s a matter of disciples paying attention to the Lord’s call, even if it might seem foreign to our established parameters. And what a great ministry it could be (if God wills): Strengthening and encouraging disciples in an area assigned by God.
What do we do? Listen, and obey God.
The Puzzle, April 9, 2009
Finding the Church Asleep
And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” Mark 14:32-42In His hour of greatest need, Jesus brought along the disciples. He stationed the larger group at a distance, while the Inner Circle of Peter, James and John were invited to proceed farther with Him, with instructions to “Remain here and watch.” Not one time, but three times, Jesus returned to the little group, only to find the Church asleep. They had no answers or excuses to offer Him.
Jesus knew that in a matter of hours, His earthly mission would be complete, along with His earthly life. Everything would soon be in the hands of the Church—those He had trained and commissioned to carry on the work of the Gospel. Peter, James and John represented the best He had. And they couldn’t even keep watch with Him for one hour?! Some Church! No worries about handing everything over to these guys!
It ended well, though. Once they got past that horrible period between the Last Supper and the Resurrection, the Early Church proved herself fully capable. All she needed was a Risen Lord and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. The rest was the history we call “Acts.”
Still the Same Church
It’s still the same Church, the same Risen Lord, the same Holy Spirit. Yes, all those original disciples have gone on to their reward, but we are their spiritual descendants, recipients of the same gifts of the Holy Spirit and salvation. The same Jesus comes to us. The same Jesus finds us asleep, like He did Peter, James and John.Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. Jesus’ instructions to Peter would be good ones for us to follow, in 2009. It doesn’t mean we never get to rest or sleep, if we would follow Christ. It means we will sleep a whole lot better if we would pray first, and we would live more effective lives if we would keep our eyes on Jesus and not so much on the many doors to temptation. (It also helps if we don’t buy or rent temptation and bring it home with us)!
When the Lord passes by His Church in America, what do you think He finds? Does He find His Church watching? Praying? Fully engaged in the mission of the Gospel? Or does Jesus find His saints in America mostly sprawled out on the floor, fast asleep, with a self-induced cultural hangover? Should have watched and prayed a little more, tried to “identify with the culture” a little less, I think. Anyway, like Peter, there’s not a lot to say when Jesus looks at us and asks, “Couldn’t you even watch one hour?”
Still Sleeping
Jesus comes to His Church in the U.S., and finds a groggy bunch of believers. He has asked us to watch and pray, but with all the other things in our lives, we’re a little sleep-deprived, already, and, well... there are people who are better at that sort of thing than we are, anyway. Jesus Christ, the Risen Savior, has left it all totally in the hands of the Church. And the Church is asleep. If a crisis comes, with temptation ramped up to a degree we thought unimaginable, will we be ready? It’s time to wake, watch and pray.The Puzzle, April 10-13, 2009
Stop Global Whining!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 103:1-5
If God had a bumper sticker, I think it would say, “Stop global whining!” Psalm 103 is the opposite of whining; the psalm is so full of praise for God that it’s actually difficult to stop reading it before coming to the end of its twenty-two verses. This is just one of the many psalms of praise David composed. No wonder he was considered “a man after God’s own heart.” If you want to feel the blessing of God, just praise Him!
From Wonders to Whiners
The Church in Acts was a Church of wonders and signs. Confronted with persecution, the Early Church went to prayer. Rather than asking God to remove the adversity, they asked God for courage and boldness—and got it. Signs and wonders often accompanied their witness, and so did evangelism.When we flip ahead twenty centuries to the Church of today, particularly in America, what do we hear? Whining! About what? About everything! There is whining about the culture—the whole “The world is going to hell in a handbasket” thing, which is exactly why we need to convince the world to head for heaven instead of their currently programmed destination. There is whining about the state of the Church, sometimes even indirectly incriminating God in the process! And, what I consider most odious, there is whining—lots of it—about each other.
Stop the Whining!
Jesus made it clear that we are to love one another; why then is there so much complaining about each other? So many unresolved conflicts? So many divided “fellowships”? Then, after we’ve griped about the unbelievers, griped even more about fellow believers, and even muttered a little something about the raw deal we’ve been getting from God Himself, lately, we expect jaded non-believers to come flocking to our doors so we can tell them about this great way of life called Christianity?! The flow in the American Church right now is out, not in. Maybe this is why! Instead of blessing, there’s a lot of blasting going on, and folks have gotten tired of it. Lighting up the welcome sign or throwing some money at advertising doesn’t improve the atmosphere that much, when people who were merely a little curious about God head for the Church, only to hear what sounds like a domestic quarrel going on inside. They quietly turn around and head home, still Savior-less, but glad to at least have avoided having to listen to any more whining than they already had in their lives.The solution? Stop the whining! About what? About everything! It does no good! Whatever the subject, whining is really poor evangelism! In fact, it drives people away from Christianity who might otherwise have been interested. If our complaining is helping to keep the people God loves out of His Kingdom, I would expect for Him to bring that up, someday! Remember the story of the Israelites in the desert? Of all their acts of disobedience, it was their lack of faith expressed by their complaining which seemed to tick Him off the most, with some pretty dire consequences for them! Let’s not push Him like they did! Stop the whining!
What About Our Rights?
What about our rights? We’re not in the Old Testament times, nor are we in the same situation as the people in the book of Acts, living in the Roman Empire. In the United States, we are living under a democratic system which includes numerous constitutional rights. At least in theory, our government belongs to “We, the people.” We can vote to change things. We’re in a different situation than Peter and Paul were. We’re in a democracy; they weren’t. Christianity is not officially the national religion, but in practice, nothing else comes remotely close to it, in terms of numbers. Roman money didn’t say “In God we trust” on it. Ours does.So, I don’t think God expects us to let our civil rights be trampled when we have access to the law, and can save ourselves and our loved ones needless pain. Where I think we’re making a big mistake is in our whining. It doesn’t accomplish one thing, except to make people not want to be Christians! If we have a legitimate means of preserving our rights or the rights of others, I think it’s fine to use those means, just like Paul did, on several occasions. But when Paul was on trial for his life, he didn’t argue about his mistreatment, even though he had plenty of evidence to do so. Instead, he considered his trial an opportunity to give his testimony in front of governors and kings and even Caesar himself, and he did it boldly, yet respectfully, and without whining.
Whining—Poor Evangelism
I don’t think we’re to put our heads in the sand, the convent or the monastery and try to ignore the horrific problems in our sin-filled world. I do think we’re a lot better off in pointing people toward a wonderful Savior than we are in “tsking” over their sin. John 3:17 reminds us that Christ didn’t come to condemn an already condemned world, but to save it. He didn’t save it by whining about how bad it had become; He saved it by laying down His life for it. Then He commanded His followers to do the same. Whining isn’t part of the Great Commission.America needs to turn toward God! Especially the Church! If the Church disciplined herself to bless God instead of blasting one another, the culture, and sometimes God Himself, the culture would have a new respect for our beliefs. As it is, they often see us as a bunch of whiners, and too often, they’re right!
Not only do we need to discontinue the whining, but in its place we need to substitute “blessing.” Blessing is a discipline of the mouth, traced back to the heart. Blessing comes from a mind and heart which have determined to find opportunities to build others up, not tear them down. This particularly involves the mouth, which is the best indicator of the attitude of a person’s heart. Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (What’s inside the vessel is what spills out, when you bump the vessel).
David had disciplined his attitude to be an attitude of blessing God. He then instructed his soul to do the same. He instructed his soul to bless God, knowing his mouth would follow suit, and also knowing that praise which comes from the mouth but not from the soul is empty. Again and again, David gives his soul this vital command: Bless the LORD, O my soul! Four times in this psalm alone he pounds in the instruction, which, if consistently obeyed, will result in lifetimes of blessing for the worshiper and his descendants. What a powerful way to live! Beats whining!
Set the Tone
The Early Church set the tone for Christianity. What the world saw in Christianity was a way of life which centered on worshiping and praising Jesus Christ. Is that what they see in the Church, today?The world is listening to the Church, and we are sometimes setting the tone with whining, when it should be a tone of blessing and joy. I look around at the people in our community, whose spiritual gift seems to be complaining, and they don’t need anyone getting them started! They need someone who is having such a great time serving Jesus they can’t resist joining us. They don’t need any more fuel for bitterness; they already have accumulated plenty! People around here lay up reasons for bitterness like some people store firewood! “Got enough bad stuff to dwell on to last you through the winter?” “Yep. Need any more?” “No, I think I got plenty.”
Discipline of the Soul
If we would just discipline our souls to bless the LORD, that one adjustment to our attitude would do wonders for the culture! It would help greatly in setting the tone. If we could reduce the whining and increase the blessing, toward God and toward others, the atmosphere of the Church would be changed for the better, and our witness would be much more powerful than it is, now.How do we do it? It starts with concentrating on Jesus, not ourselves. Psalm 103 was written long before Jesus’ earthly ministry, but look what happens when you take the statements about the LORD and turn them into questions:
Who forgives all your iniquities?
Who heals all your diseases?
Who redeems your life from the pit?
Who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy?
Who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s?
The answer is Jesus. There’s no one else like Him. No one else can forgive our iniquities, redeem our life from the pit or promise us eternal life. As long as we have Jesus, what do we have to whine about?! If we will discipline our souls to bless the LORD,...and forget not all his benefits, we will set ourselves up for a lifetime of blessing which extends even to future generations (Ps 103:17). If we let God train us to bless others, rather than complaining to them or about them, we help to set the tone for all creation to realize what a wonderful, glorious God we have, who understands us, loves us, and is willing to redeem forever all who look to Him for help. We have the best job in the world, as followers of Jesus Christ. It is to tell the world what a glorious God we have, along with the Good News that He wants to be their God, too.
The Puzzle, April 14, 2009
Prescription for Continuing Joy
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the LORD.
Psalm 104:33-34
I love this psalm describing our world and the God who made it! I’ve read it on mountaintops in Alaska, and sat smiling at the wonders of a God like this.
Something happens in our hearts when we glorify and honor God for His creation. There is blessing. There is joy. When we acknowledge God as Creator and we appreciate His splendor, His wisdom, it’s like plugging in to God’s joy! The opposite happens when we allow ourselves to be puffed up in pride in our own knowledge. Pride in ourselves diminishes our enjoyment of God, and very easily turns to sin. Honor toward God always leads us in a good direction. It’s a great habit to pursue!
Prescription for Continuing Joy
This little two-verse section of Psalm 104 is like a prescription for continuing joy: Sing to the LORD. Sing praise to God. Rejoice in the LORD.It’s simple, but effective. When we instruct our mouth to praise God, when we tune our heart to His with music which honors Him, we enter into blessing. How? By getting the focus off of ourselves and our wisdom and accomplishments (and problems), and putting the focus on a God who is wonderful beyond our imagination. We finish up by “rejoicing in the LORD.” What is that? To delight in Him. To revel in knowing Him. To examine His wonder from every angle, to recount His blessings, to smile over His character, holiness and purity. To “rejoice in the LORD” is to be so thankful that there is a real, living God who loves us, who is our Savior, that we can hardly stand it. Think of a loving dog, so excited about the master being home that his whole body is quivering with excitement—that kind of rejoicing. The dog is rejoicing in the mere presence of his master. We can rejoice in the LORD like that. (The shaking is optional, but the joy is the fun part—keep that.)
Joy Thief
Do you know what steals our joy in the LORD? Pride.It’s pride in our dignity, which wouldn’t allow us to look foolish to those who don’t love God very much. We hold back in our praise for God because we don’t want to draw disdain from other people who think we’re being undignified. We lose the joy of abandon in the process. It’s like the little girl who outdoes the dog in exuberance when Dad comes home when she’s five, but who doesn’t want to be seen around the same man when she’s thirteen, because she now cares what her friends think, and it’s no longer cool to think Dad is great.
Pride in our learning is another one. I watched love for God leak out in a Christian seminary at about the same rate “knowledge” about Him was going in. The more people considered they knew about God, the less they seemed to be in awe of Him. God never changed, but they did. They went from humility to an overweening pride in their vast knowledge of Him; in the process they seemed to lose all the joy—of serving Him and of getting to serve others in His name. It was sad, but I saw it happen. I tried hard to not let it happen to me. What helped to keep from losing the joy in the LORD was disciplining my thought life. I chose to put my faith in God, not myself or in mankind. I chose to believe the Bible, including the parts I didn’t understand and the parts disregarded by others. I chose to base my joy on my relationship with God, rather than my circumstances. (That was a life-changing choice)!
We’re Not that Smart
Let’s face it: We’re not that smart. Some of us are used to being at the head of the class, but the brainiest geek among us can’t reach the bottom rung of God’s information ladder. Some people think they’re smart because they can sort of understand a part of Creation. God did Creation! He didn’t read a book on it, or write a dissertation; He did it! And He started with nothing. He is worthy of our praise! And if we want to be joyful, all we have to do is plug in to that wonder, and “rejoice in the LORD.” That kind of joy is the continuing kind.God wants us to rejoice in Him. When we do, it all fits together. We receive blessing, even as we give blessing toward God. We rejoice in the LORD, only to find more joy in our lives than we could have imagined. Not only that, but it’s not dependent upon our circumstances. It cannot be taken away from us.
Do you want continuing joy? Here’s the prescription: Rejoice in the LORD. Simple. But very, very effective.
The Puzzle, April 15, 2009
For 27 years, Carl Cady has been one of my dearest friends. I first met him when we ministered together in Alaska, planting new churches in neighboring towns. He has always been a wonderful friend and an example of godly devotion. I asked Carl what he felt needed to happen in the Church in America; the first thing he mentioned was “A Revival of Desire.” I asked Him to be a guest author today for The Puzzle, and explain what he meant by that. Eight years ago, Carl began a ministry called International Friends of Compassion. Many amazing things have happened through this ministry, but what Carl is writing about, today, is the difficult process through which this ministry was birthed.
A Revival of Desire
It all began when I was introduced to a man in a refugee camp in northern Indonesia. It was sweltering hot and he told me that his son had died. This was my first time in a refugee camp and I witnessed the hopeless expressions on the faces of these Christians who had fled their villages, following the attacks by Islamic militias in the Maluku Islands. I could see the suffering of the people and now I was holding in my hand the picture of this man’s three-year-old son who had died of malnutrition. I walked with him to the cardboard enclosure where he and his family lived. It was raining hard and the floor was mud and the puddles were getting bigger as we spoke. I could not speak the language, but the interpreter didn’t have to communicate my heart for this loss. The multitudes in these camps were in dire need of food. I realized it would take only 20 cents to feed one person a day—that was one dollar a day for a family to have enough food to survive.
I left the camps in Northern Indonesia and came home to my nice home and regular income. I was concerned about what I saw in those camps, but was not ready for what the Lord was going to tell me. I was in prayer for the people living in the horrible conditions of these camps and I heard that gentle vice I have come to know as the voice of the Lord. He said, “You have unrestrained desire.” I had not heard that before and wondered what He was telling me. My wife and I began to seek understanding and direction. It was a period of reproof that brought us to an understanding of what He was telling us. You see, I would just buy whatever I wanted. I was unrestrained in my desires. I would see it, and if I wanted it, I would get it. I did not seek the Lord, and my appetite was unchecked. Now, the Lord also showed my wife and me that desire was not wrong–but desire gone wild or unchecked is destructive. We had just bought the whole lie that to be satisfied we had to have whatever we wanted. O.K., I was seeing it, but then He asked us to go another step deeper. He told us to, “Sell everything that will sell. I said EVERYTHING.” He was weaning us from our wrong desires. Now, I do not recommend this to everyone. This was our Divine exercise. I am just telling you what He required of us. Well, the house sold in six days and the other things we had sold–sold–sold. My boat and motor sold, and many of our treasures. I can tell you I felt a sense of freedom. We had just let go of years of our lives and I knew what He wanted us to do with our profits. The satisfaction my wife and I had was the fullest measure of contentment. What we had left, He wanted us to have.
That began the radical change and understanding of desire. What the Lord wants from us is to find His desire and submit to Him in every area of our lives. Just take a minute and think about what would happen if we had a revival of desire, where we who call on the name of the Lord completely surrender to His desires. Our desires and appetite have controlled us long enough. We get, and are not satisfied—we try the next thing to satisfy our desires. It is like drinking saltwater–we drink but are still thirsty. God wants us to be satisfied with Him alone. He wants us to have our desires be in perfect alignment with His heart.
I believe we need a Revival of Desire for the Lord–where we have a life of prayer and we find His desire. We would do well to find real contentment. Contentment is being satisfied with what you have—it is getting runaway desire under control.
What is your greatest desire? Is it for God and the people He loves? What would it look like if even one church got hold of this? What could one small band of believers do to change their community if they were satisfied with a simple life and sought to meet the needs of those who are struggling around them? Read the Book of Acts and you will see where this started. If it seems I am stepping on toes or being radical, maybe it’s because of how far we have drifted from the commitment level of those Early Christians. Just think what could happen if some of us had a Revival of Desire, and that desire was for God, not for things.
http://ifcus.org
The Puzzle, April 16-20, 2009
God’s Traffic Lights
And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. Acts 16:6And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. Acts 19:8-10
Paul and company walked across the province of Asia without preaching, on Paul’s second missionary journey. Why? The Holy Spirit had forbidden them. On the way home, Paul had made a brief stop in Ephesus, received a good welcome, and had promised to return to them, “if God wills” (Acts 18:21). His third missionary journey was a beeline to Ephesus. Upon arrival, Paul jumped right into ministry among the Jews, with a three-month stint in the synagogue, until opposition arose from some in the synagogue. Paul took his disciples and left. He began a daily ministry in the hall of Tyrannus (apparently 11 A.M. to 4 P.M. each day), which continued for two years. Altogether, Paul spent three years in Ephesus. Through his ministry, the residents of Asia heard the Gospel, both Jews and Greeks.
How can one person reach a province more than 200 miles wide? If you’re in the right spot, you don’t even have to travel! I used to joke that if you stood in the terminal at Anchorage International Airport for a year, you would see everyone in the state of Alaska. It wasn’t really a joke; it was pretty much the truth. For one reason or another, nearly everyone in the entire state would be there, usually several times in a year. Ephesus must have been like that. Ironically, one of the biggest draws to the city of Ephesus was a pagan temple which was one of the “seven wonders of the world”: the temple of Artemis (also called Diana). Factors like the harbor and the temple made Ephesus a prime location through which to reach the whole region. Paul was able to sit still and teach, while the results of his ministry went everywhere. They might have come to see the temple of Artemis, but many left with the truth of the Gospel.
Power Evangelism
It didn’t hurt that Paul’s ministry was accompanied by great power. Not only did he give thorough instruction each day for two years; there were so many miraculous signs and wonders being done through him in the way of healing and deliverance that people got in the habit of taking handkerchiefs or aprons which had touched Paul to their afflicted friends, and they got well! God’s grace was on the apostle. Artemis had a pretty hard time keeping up with Jesus, when it came to results! The sense of awe was only magnified when the seven sons of Sceva tried to horn in on the Gospel, and were publicly exposed (in every sense of the word) as frauds!There were some key evidences of God’s work among the Ephesians. One was a huge bonfire, fueled by books of magic flipped onto the flames by recent converts from sorcery to Christianity. The value of the books would today have come to around six million dollars!
Another indicator that things were changing in Ephesus was the reaction of the local silversmith’s union. They were not pleased! They felt this preacher posed a threat to their livelihood, which principally consisted of making silver shrines of Artemis. Her popularity had taken a dive since the apostle hit town. Led by Demetrius, the silversmiths started a riot. Demetrius would have been better off to just start making silver handkerchiefs that said “Jesus is Lord” on them.
Timing
They had a tremendous revival in Ephesus. Here’s my question: “Would this have happened had Paul gone there years before, when he first intended to?”I don’t think so. I don’t think the timing was right, yet. And maybe there was something which needed to happen, in the “surrounding” thing, where they first encircled Asia with the Gospel, then came back to it. I don’t know. It does seem, though, that Paul had the time of his life in Ephesus. It was a powerful ministry, which reached both Jews and Gentiles. I’m guessing that one of the most fulfilling, enjoyable ministries of his life was in Ephesus.
Principles to Learn
What can we learn from Paul’s Ephesian ministry? The pattern of his ministry in Ephesus is, I think, the one closest to the way we have come to expect ministry to take place, in the U.S. In Ephesus, Paul let people come to him, then he taught them. In most American ministries of today, the idea is to establish a nice facility, provide worship services and programs which people find attractive, and let them come to us so we can share with them about Jesus. Sometimes, this works. More often, not. A generation or two ago, in the days of easy church growth, it must have seemed that churches just grew automatically. These days, particularly on the skeptical coasts, it’s hard to get people into a church building who aren’t already Christians.Here are some principles which seemed to work for Paul, which may be applicable to us as well:
*Go where the people already are, or where they’re going to be.
Had Paul promoted the Gospel in a remote part of Asia, where people would have had to travel far out of their way in order to find him, I don’t think he would have been able to sit still for three years and reach the whole region the way he did in Ephesus. Paul’s ministry wasn’t to people who were on some sort of religious pilgrimage, looking for answers; it was to people who had wound up in Ephesus for one of the several reasons Ephesus was a destination city. Since they were already there (or lived there), since the hall of Tyrannus was a neutral, public kind of place, and since Paul’s ministry was every day, he was able to reach people opportunistically whom he would not otherwise have reached.
*Reduce barriers to the Gospel as much as possible.
There were few barriers to the Gospel, the way Paul was presenting it. He had successfully countered the obstacles which would have deterred some, such as thinking they needed to be Jewish (had he kept meeting in the synagogue); having to go find him (they were already in Ephesus); not being there at the right time (it was every day, and it included the time of day when people would not be working due to the heat). Another barrier Paul reduced was the “one-way” communication barrier, which turns many people off. Rather than lecturing for hours each day, he was “reasoning” with the people who came. This means they had a chance to talk back and ask questions. When we’re asking people to adopt an entirely new lifestyle, doesn’t it make sense to give them the chance to at least ask questions? It is true that some will respond based on nothing more than an impassioned speech from a preacher (particularly when powered by the Holy Spirit), but there will always be those who need to be persuaded interactively if they’re ever going to be convinced. Paul was reaching both.
*Go in the flow of God’s power.
No one could deny the power of God in the ministry of Paul in Ephesus. There were genuine miracles of healing and deliverance taking place on a continuing basis, and the credit was going to Jesus Christ. When the sons of Sceva attempted to start their own healing franchise, it wasn’t the name of Paul they tried to use on the demons, but the name of “Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” The response of the evil spirit? “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” One of the most hilarious sights ever in Ephesus must have been seven men overpowered by a demon, bailing out of a house and streaking for safety. Apparently it wasn’t just getting the name right that counted; it seemed you had to have a real relationship with Jesus before you got the power that went with the Name.
That hasn’t changed, has it? We can “Jesus’ name” all we want, but if we’re just repeating an incantation and expecting results without benefit of a life aligned with His, we’d better not be tackling anything requiring much power! We’ll be sorely disappointed. The reason Paul experienced so much of God’s power in his ministry is because Paul could be trusted with it. Can we? Or will we take the first chance to divert a little of God’s glory toward ourselves? When I look at the majority of people who publicly claim some special healing power or gifting from God, it’s not Jesus’ name they’re proclaiming; it’s theirs. Meanwhile, our healing God continues to work miracles around the world. His tendency? Use people who give the credit to Jesus, without trying to siphon some off for themselves. Here’s the bottom line principle of this, I think: Operate in the will of God and for His glory, and we will have the power and resources we need. The Church will not grow without the Holy Spirit. Without Him, all we have is an empty lecture hall.
*The most powerful testimony is a changed life.
True spiritual transformation took place in Ephesus. Two huge examples of the effect the Gospel was having on society were the six million dollar repentance bonfire and the fact that the silversmith’s union was panicking because of reduced demand for their idols. The people of Asia weren’t just learning about Jesus; they were living a new life. That’s the way it still should be. People shouldn’t have to wonder if we’re different, once we’ve made a commitment to serve Jesus Christ.
*The most effective evangelism is daily.
Paul’s ministry wasn’t once a week. It was daily. Christianity is a daily walk. Limiting our relationship with Christ to one day a week makes about as much sense as being married one day a week. If we’re married, we’re married all the time! If we’re committed to Jesus Christ, we’re committed all the time, not just when we’re in a church building or on Sunday. If that’s not the way it is, we shouldn’t call it “commitment.”
If it’s revival or an awakening we want to see in our land, we’d better be thinking “daily.” I’ve tried to come up with a period of great evangelism, anywhere in history, which was not daily. I came up empty.
Could it Happen Here?
Could what happened in Ephesus happen in the USA? Sure, it could. Actually, it has, several times in our history: The Great Awakening, The Second Great Awakening, the Welsh Revival of 1904-1905, plus some others. Each time, there was evidence of changed lives that anyone could see. Conversions numbered in the thousands. Churches filled up. Law enforcement officers had little to do.What needs to happen in America?
We need a few six million dollar repentance bonfires. We need for the tastes of the culture to change so drastically that it panics Hollywood, because people are ignoring the junk they put out, in favor of things that are pure and wholesome and even Christian. We need to have such a paradigm shift that a bunch of laws and causes become irrelevant or are abandoned. If millions of Americans fell in love with Jesus for the first time, would we need laws preventing same-sex marriage or abortion?
I’m all for changing the laws to reflect the moral values of the Bible, if that’s an option. But what I’m committed to is praying for the change of our culture, to the point where such laws are irrelevant, because most people would never do those things, anyway, legal or not.
What do we do?
What do we do? Find where the Holy Spirit wants us to work, and get with it! Utilize whatever methods He leads us to use, realizing that they may well differ from the next person, the next town or even the last time we were here in the same place! It’s like sport fishing; every time seems to be different, requiring different methods, even in the same stretch of water. We need to pay attention to the Holy Spirit, who is willing to help us if we’ll listen. We need to pray for guidance, we need to pray for instructions, we need to be bold and obedient. And God will take care of the sons of Sceva; that’s not our job.Where do we fit?
We fit where God has placed us. That might be for three months, three years or the rest of our lives. God might tell us “No” when we’re looking at what seems to be a perfectly good idea, only to bring us back to the exact same spot, later, with His blessing. He may have us go door to door, or He may have us find a spot while He sends people our way. We may start a ministry, or we may end up adding blocks to a building someone else started. We’ll probably have some folks who are looking to us for guidance, and that’s probably a good thing. We need to do a good job with them, even if it’s for a short time.If we don’t err on decisions by assuming we don’t need to pray, or refusing to pray because we might not like the answer, God is going to make sure we wind up where we’re supposed to be, when we need to be there. God is able to do stuff like that—right? Check with God, verify it, then proceed. And when the lights are green, it means “Go.”
The Puzzle, April 21-22, 2009
Nation Changers
Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” Acts 19:21
If we will let Him, God will use us to change our nation.
How? The same way He used Paul to revolutionize the province of Asia, during Paul’s three-year stay in the major city, Ephesus. Acts 19 records a major riot in Ephesus. Who caused the riot? A silversmith named Demetrius got the people stirred up, but the reason the craftsmen were upset is because one man, Paul, had been so effective in proclaiming Christ that the shrine makers for the goddess Artemis feared their business was going down the tubes. The Gospel had changed the economy. Not only that, but there had recently been a bonfire, where converts to Christianity piled six million dollars worth of their own sorcery books, etc., on it and watched their old belief system go up in smoke. You can believe that had an effect on the local populace!
God used one man to change that part of the world. Before Paul’s arrival, the Ephesians were worshiping Artemis and money. By the time he had “reasoned” with them daily for three years, the whole province had been exposed to the truth of the Gospel, and paganism was on the run.
God-powered and Spirit-led
Paul’s secret wasn’t something he got out of a church growth seminar. He was God-powered and Spirit-led. God supplied not only the power for incredible miracles of healing and deliverance which freed people in Jesus’ name; He also supplied the apostle with divine direction.How did the Early Church get it right so many times? Easy. It was the Holy Spirit who was leading the Church, not men.
Is that the way it is, now? Oh, sure, we pray before the committee meeting, but are the decisions made in that meeting coming from the Holy Spirit or from the most dominant human in the room? When it comes to future planning, isn’t our usual method to go to a conference or to cook up an idea, make plans, then resolve to “get ‘er done”? Paul’s way was to “resolve in the Spirit.” There’s a difference. Rather than trying to get God to buy into His idea and sign off on it, Paul was trying to get on God’s wave length; God was making sure the attempt was successful.
Often, our own plans only mess things up, because after we’ve made them we won’t listen to the Spirit. We’d be better off doing it Paul’s way, learning what it is to seek the Spirit, then going whatever direction He leads us, even if it doesn’t make sense (like being led to leave, when you’re finally seeing some fruit from your labors).
Evangelistic Reasoning
I think Paul was led to leave after the visible results started because his main work had been in preparing for the bonfire. The Ephesians didn’t know about the Gospel before Paul preached it to them. Now, they understood. The reason they understood was that Paul had “reasoned” with them daily for three years. He had taken pagan idol worshipers and gradually brought them into an understanding of what it meant to follow Jesus Christ. He had taught them, answered their questions. He had started where they were and led them all the way to a life-changing faith in Christ. This bonfire of repentance had been three years in the making. When it was over, Paul knew by the Spirit that his part was done.Wouldn’t it be great to see revival fires burning all over this country? People confessing their sins publicly, scorning their old habits and lifestyle to the point it actually started affecting the economy? Before that happened in Ephesus, though, there was a thorough “reasoning” of the Gospel through Paul and his associates for a period of three years. I think that’s a place we often overlook. Sure, it would be great to have massive repentance and the wonderful changes which follow—but does it happen that way, when people don’t even really understand the Gospel or their need for a Savior? Not usually. The Wesleyan revival which was so effective in changing the British Isles didn’t just start out with repentance and societal change; in fact, I think they said the lag time between exposure to the message and conversion was an average of two years. First, they learned. Then, they committed.
A Nation Needing Answers
We have a job to do, in America. The job is not only to evangelize the nation; first, we’re going to have to “reason” with the nation. We need to present the case of the Gospel, being careful to answer all the questions, and start where people are, not where we think they should be.Two things we’re dealing with are biblical illiteracy and a confusing witness. The biblical illiteracy is self-explanatory: People simply don’t know what the Bible says. This includes many who attend church services. By “confusing witness” I’m referring to the many people claiming to be Christians, yet living like the world. What’s a non-believer to think? If Christianity is so life-changing, where’s the evidence of change?
Starting from the Beginning
It looks to me like we need to start from either the beginning, or wherever people are in their knowledge of spiritual things, then build our case for Christ. I think we need to begin discipling people, even before they’re Christians, rather than focusing so much on “conversion,” then just going on to the next person while leaving them to figure it all out for themselves. It doesn’t seem that many are responding to our evangelistic efforts (when we get around to making them), and when they do respond, they’re not maturing in Christ, because (A) no one expects them to, and (B) they’re pretty much on their own.What do we do?
We preach a life-changing Gospel, not a watered-down version which only confuses people.We focus on reasoning with people, starting where they are, rather than assuming they know what we mean when we talk about conversion, etc.
We disciple people, starting before they’re even Christians, and starting from the beginning, if need be.
We make our plans in the Spirit, instead of in the committee.
Where do we fit?
We’re the people whom the Holy Spirit can move around, because we listen to Him.We’re the folks God uses to change entire nations, by doing nothing more than living for Christ and using the talents and opportunities He’s given us for His glory. The riot in Ephesus was about what? It was about one man who had changed the minds of the people of Asia, through nothing more than talking with them on a daily basis for three years. One man was a threat to the entire Ephesian economy! God uses His people for mighty purposes. If we will let Him, He’ll use us to change our nation.
The Puzzle, April 23, 2009
Encouragement To Die For
After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia. When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia.
Acts 20:1-3
Paul’s third missionary journey was winding down. After a huge riot in Ephesus in Paul’s honor, it became apparent that it was time to go. Prior to the riot, Paul had already “resolved in the Spirit” to pass through Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem, though it was in the opposite direction.
There was something very important Paul wished to do in the places where he had begun churches. What was it? Encourage. The purpose of the entire trip seems to have been encouragement. It was that important to Paul. Not only did Paul focus on encouraging the disciples in Macedonia and Achaia; his last act before departing Ephesus was to encourage the disciples there.
The Power of Encouragement
What makes encouragement so powerful? Many times it’s the difference between going on and throwing in the towel. A few words of affirmation from a leader can inspire for a lifetime. Discouragement is powerful, too. A single comment can be the tipping point which turns everything to failure.Paul realized the power of his words. He wanted the new believers to succeed. He went far out of his way in order to bless them. They would themselves endure trials, but they would not forget the trials endured by the apostle just to get to them and tell them one more time that he believed in them.
The Importance of Encouragement
Is encouragement really that important? Paul thought it significant enough that he was willing to risk his life to deliver it, despite serious threats. It’s one thing to deliver words of affirmation when they conveniently roll off the tongue; it’s quite another to deliver them, knowing this trip may cost your life.Incidental encouragement is nice, but the best encouragers I know do it on purpose. They’re not deciding if they should say something encouraging; they’re only deciding what encouraging thing they should say or do, this time. Their lives are always pointed in the same direction. Their goal is always to build people up, never to tear them down. Bring up a bit of gossip about someone, and their customary reply is that they love that person and have been praying for them. Gossiping around a committed encourager is like spitting into the wind, except less rewarding. Committed encouragers are people you love to see coming and hate to see going. They decided they were on your side before they ever met you.
Encouragement on Purpose
I think we would do well to copy the Apostle Paul, particularly if we are in a position of influence. Those who hold the title of pastor, overseer, superintendent, etc., often find themselves with little time for anything except putting out fires, listening to complaints, fixing problems. Once the marriage is toast, the more churchy of the marriage partners brings the remains of the relationship in to the pastor for an autopsy. The church is already scattered across the county, and the district superintendent is then summoned to put the thing back together or find a new person to preside over the mess. Would a little relationship maintenance have prevented most of the disasters church leaders see? It definitely wouldn’t have made things worse!Encouragement is not the sort of action which begs for attention. That’s why, unless it’s done on purpose, it won’t often happen. Encouragement is a little like changing the oil on a vehicle. Oil changes don’t require a great deal of labor or expense, nor do they nag at the owner. The vehicle won’t stop working because you missed the recommended time to change oil. The engine will keep going and going, until eventually, something gives out, probably prematurely, because no one properly maintained the vehicle by regularly changing the oil.
We don’t have to encourage others, but when we do, it’s life-giving, it’s refreshing and it’s fun for both the encourager and the encouraged. Encouragement strengthens relationships, keeps people from quitting (or breaking), prevents many, many problems from ever getting out of hand in the first place. Encouragement is important enough to risk our lives for! At least Paul thought so, and I agree.
The Encouragement Tour
How about an encouragement tour for church leaders? Which would be more fun, to visit the people for whom we’re responsible with the principal goal of loving and encouraging them in any way possible, or to wait until something breaks and we’re called in to sort out the mess? Encouragement on purpose is to die for.The Puzzle, April 24, 2009
Killer Sermons and Fewer Funerals
On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted. Acts 20:7-12
I’ve preached some pretty bad sermons, but none of them has killed anybody, at least as far as I know. On the other hand, if putting people to sleep counts as homicide—well, in that case, I’m one of those serial dudes.
At least Paul’s preach-a-thon had a happy ending. The reason? His faith. How many of us, having caused somebody to nod off and plop to the ground from a third story window, would have reacted like Paul? Let’s see, what would I do? First, I would be angry at myself for not foreseeing such an incident and preventing it. I might be upset at God for letting it happen. (“I was doing this for you, God, and you let somebody die on me!”) I might be permanently crushed by the experience, and spend the rest of my days in grief over the loss. What did Paul do? He bent over him, took the young man up in his arms and felt God’s resurrection power bring him back from the dead. Then he finished his sermon!
I have a hard time picturing myself reacting to that one that way. Why? Does the same Spirit live in me who lived in the Apostle Paul, or is this a different, 2009 American Version of the Holy Spirit, not to be confused with the First Century Missionary Version? I’m pretty sure we’re talking the same Holy Spirit. Then why the big difference in reaction to life’s circumstances? I find myself going to pieces over even little stuff; Paul expects a resurrection—and gets one! How many days have I wasted in whining to God about this or that?
Living Closer to God
I think I have to face it. He’s the same Holy Spirit, but Paul was living closer to God than I am. Paul was much more dependent, more on task than I think I’ve ever even attempted to be. I’ve brushed against Paul’s kind of faith a time or two; Paul lived there. So did many of the First Century believers.If He’s the same Holy Spirit, where did Paul and I part ways? I said “Yes” to God many years ago, releasing all of myself to Him, not just the sins. It made an immediate and monumental difference in my life, when I switched over from calling my own shots in life to being guided by the Holy Spirit. There’s no denying the difference between “before” and “after.” Prior to my surrender, there was an ongoing struggle between my will and God’s. Afterward, I had never felt such peace and joy. It never felt so good to lose a battle!
That was the last battle I fought against God. It was an unconditional surrender. I have not been a perfect subject since that day, but I’ve no longer been a rebellious subject, resentful of the Spirit’s control. What used to be my life is now God’s. I love Him. I love serving Him. I love being guided by Him.
The Difference
So, what’s the difference between Paul and me? Paul loved Jesus. So do I. Paul had surrendered His life to the Holy Spirit. I’ve done that, too. Paul completely depended on the Holy Spirit. O.K., that’s where there’s a big difference. I try to depend on the Holy Spirit, but often revert to depending on myself, even as I try to serve God. Put another way, I try to serve God while depending on myself to do it; Paul tried to serve God by depending on God. That’s why I end up whining, and Paul ends up with a resurrection. All “myself” could come up with is whimpering; the God on whom Paul was leaning doesn’t struggle with self-doubt nor is stymied by death. “Hey, he’s alive! Now, back to my sermon. As I was saying, our God can do anything!” It seems to work better to depend on God!What We Lose
If we want to live Paul’s way, though, there’s a cost to consider. It’s a tough price for Americans; we like to depend on ourselves, including in the Church, where we talk faith in Jesus but rarely allow ourselves to get in a position where we have to exercise it. Here’s what we lose when we live like Paul: Control.To depend on God is to lose control. But unless we release our grip and are willing to be led by God and depend on God, we probably won’t be seeing many miracles, or even conversions. When I depend on myself, I have control. The problem is, I don’t do miracles and I can’t save anyone. Paul depended on God, who can do anything! Should I depend on myself or on God? God. Fewer funerals.
The Puzzle, April 27, 2009
How to Transform a Country
Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. And when they came to him, he said to them:
“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:17-21
Paul’s three-year ministry based in Ephesus resulted in the spiritual transformation of the province of Asia. The apostle knew this would be his last trip through, when he called the Ephesian elders to him for a farewell speech. In the course of this tearful address, he outlines principles for spiritual transformation. We’re going to spend some time on Paul’s speech to the Ephesian elders, because, indirectly, he’s explaining how to change a nation. I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking of a nation which needs this kind of change—I’m very interested in what we could do to help see it happen.
Spirit-led
I think it’s important to go back and review how Paul came to minister in Asia in the first place. He went there at the guidance of the Holy Spirit, being willing to pass over it the first time through, because the Spirit said “No” at that time. In other words, he was willing to wait on the Spirit. Paul was Spirit-led. If we skip that concept, we might as well forget about real transformation, because it won’t happen, at least not through us. The Early Church believed in the Spirit’s leading. The Twenty-First Century American Church tends to go more toward conferences and plastic notebooks. We still talk about the Holy Spirit, but it’s not often that I hear of a major decision based solely on the Spirit’s leading, without having had to also garner the approval of some committee. Let’s think about it for a second. If the Holy Spirit orchestrated the spread of the Gospel in the First Century, successfully, would He be competent to do it again in this century? Should we go with the church growth experts or with God? I wonder which one would know more about revival. Spirit-led. If we don’t have that, we can forget the rest.Humility, Tears and Trials
When you hear about serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials, doesn’t it make you think of the Church in America? No? Me, neither. Would that have anything to do with the revival void in the U.S., while less fortunate (and less proud) places worldwide seem to be experiencing significant revivals without us?Humility is sorely lacking in our neck of the woods. Paul chose humility. He did it on purpose, as a missionary. In intellect, Paul towered above virtually everyone he met. In accomplishments, education, experiences and knowledge, Paul had every reason to feel superior, particularly among idol-worshiping pagans, the kind of folks who would flock to the temple of Artemis and bark “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians” for two hours, not even knowing why they were doing it. Instead of leading with pride, Paul practiced humility. It helped people find Jesus, who also chose humility over the rights of deity.
We ought to try that. In the United States, we have a lot, but those who don’t know Christ have to ignore our condescending attitude too often before they can ever see Jesus in us. As missionaries to America, humility would be much more attractive to people than the pride they seem to sense in us.
Tears
So, what’s the big deal about tears? Unless they’re faked, they show we care. They indicate that we actually care about the person, not just about ourselves and whatever we think we’re getting out of practicing our religion. Paul not only led with humility, he led with love—to the point of tears.Trials
We’ve not experienced much in the way of trials for exercising our faith in Jesus, here in a land that still has “In God we Trust” on its money. That could change! Whether it does or not, we need to determine what we’re willing to give up in order to serve Christ. Jesus said if we’re not willing to give up everything for Him, we can’t be a disciple. That message has often been ignored as of late, in America. When it is, it just shows the world we’re not serious about serving Christ; we just think we are.Humility, tears and trials. Hey, that’s just the beginning of what Paul went through, as God used him! But the result was, a whole country was changed! Is America worth going through humility, tears and trials to see transformation?
The Puzzle, April 28, 2009
Non-shrinking Ministry
“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:18-21
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Acts 20:26-27
“I did not shrink...” Twice in the same speech, Paul uses this term to describe his preaching to the Ephesians. It would have been easier to have stuck to topics which met with favor among all, but Paul didn’t do that. He preached the whole Gospel. Whatever they needed to hear, he told them, whether it was received well or not. Paul’s boldness and courage paid off, in terms of a solid ministry foundation in Asia; it also cost him, when some of these same Asians who were Jews caused trouble for him wherever he went for the rest of his life!
It’s easy to want to shrink back when faced with what we know to be harsh consequences for delivering the whole counsel of God, when holding back a little might at least save us a beating and keep us in the good graces of our hearers. How many times have we justified our approach with the thought that at least this way they’ll keep listening, what good would it do to drive them off, etc., etc. How easy it is to go for years and years and never get around to some of the portions of the Gospel which are hard to swallow. I’ve heard and preached thousands of sermons in my lifetime, but I could probably find dozens of passages which never found their way into a single sermon I’ve heard or preached. Are those parts of the Bible not really scripture? We have an obligation to declare the whole counsel of God, not just the parts we like best. Notice the two specific themes Paul mentions: repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Why would anyone shrink back from preaching repentance? That one’s pretty easy! No one likes repenting! Repenting is hard work. It’s humiliating, humbling. I’ve heard people who worked through repentance describe their lives: “I was undone.” “It just wrecked me.” “I couldn’t get up off my face for hours.”
Whatever the description, you can tell the difference in people who have really repented. They’re not the same person, anymore. They also don’t have to try to convince you they’re different. Anyone who knows them at all can easily see the change. So, why don’t we routinely preach a Gospel of repentance? People don’t like to hear it, for one, and it’s not fun to tell people what they don’t want to hear. We shrink back, knowing this message won’t play well to our audience. It’s the only thing that will change their lives, though. I could fill the rest of this page with Jesus’ quotations about the necessity of repentance. And if we’re talking the transformation of a whole country, it won’t take place without a lot of repentance.
Faith, Too
Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. This one’s easier to talk about. It’s also easy to veer off into “faith in faith,” “faith in ourselves,” “faith in someone else’s faith,” etc. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is what we need. It’s also what our culture needs. Once they start trusting in Christ, the next thing we’ll see is rapid change in the right direction! I’m not in agreement at all with those who would skip over the talk about Jesus, because it might be considered offensive by some. There are places where the term “God” is fine, because it’s so generic, but try to insert “Jesus Christ”? The reaction is the sort of thing which causes folks to want to flinch or shrink, next time—exactly what we shouldn’t do, if we’re serious about our culture going toward God instead of sliding toward hell. We talk about faith in our Lord Jesus Christ because that’s the only way we get to heaven. It’s not the “best” way or “our” way; it’s the only way! Jesus’ words (John 14:6), not mine.The Approach
In a skittish, weird culture like ours, we’re not going to pressure wash many people into the Kingdom by the fire and brimstone preaching of past generations. At the same time, repentance and faith in Jesus are not mere “methods” to be applied whenever they seem to work, but crucial steps necessary for salvation. If we are trying so hard to lure people into the Church that we ignore what will get them to heaven, we’re not doing anyone any favors! Do we lead with repentance or in-your-face evangelism? Probably not. We had best lead with love. But true love means that eventually we get around to all the parts of the Gospel, including those parts where we might have a personal struggle, ourselves. If we’re looking at transformation—and we are, we need the whole counsel of God, not just what plays well. Lead with love—but make sure they get everything they need to be ready for heaven.September Puzzle Archives
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