In God’s Kingdom, leading behind a pulpit …
Is about as effective as leading behind a desk.
Category: Simple Discipleship
Christian mysticism says we die to self to lose ourself in a mystery beyond us.
Biblical discipleship says we die to self to find ourself as God authentically defines us.
Big difference.
Only when we get to the end of ourselves, can we find ourselves …
As God intended.
If we become myopic (i.e., nearsighted) by viewing everyone and everything in terms of our own God-given gifts, motivations and perspectives …
Or our own pet doctrines, understandings and sensibilities …
Or even our individual personality, including our hurts and achievements …
Then we will never understand or experience true church – ekklesia – as mandated in the New Testament.
Yet this is why most house churches become stiflingly insular and fail, and most legacy churches become stiflingly homogeneous and hierarchical.
Continue readingUnder the New Covenant, worship is not about “entering into God’s presence” …
With weekly church “services” – whether traditional or contemporary – designed to lead us there through manipulated feelings of intensity.
In fact, there are no such concepts regarding church or worship anywhere in the New Testament.
Nope, not, nada …
Just ain’t there.
Rather, the New Testament defines true worship as living holy lives of sacrificial obedience and obeisance to God, 24/7.
Moreover, under the New Covenant we are to be His temple, with His presence now in us …
Each and every one.
This is why the New Testament simply says that when we gather together, we should sing God’s praises to encourage one another.
That’s it – nothing more and nothing less – and the New Testament gives no other reason to sing when we gather as His church.
It also says nothing about gathering to “enter into,” “invoke,” “seek” or be “ushered into” God’s presence.
Until we fully grapple with this distinction, we will never understand why being the church as the New Testament actually shows it …
Looks so much different than church as we’ve otherwise come to know it.
Sola fide?
Yes, of course …
We are saved and live by faith alone.
The problem, however, is we no longer seem to affirm full faith …
As actually taught and understood in Scripture.
Continue readingIn the Kingdom of God, there are no spectators …
Except, of course, on Sunday mornings.
The old legalism said we must always “act good” …
While the new legalism says everyone else must now make us “feel good.”
Seriously, these things run in cycles …
As adherents of each diss anyone and anything that doesn’t feed their own insecurities.
Unfortunately, those who buy into each extreme – while still in it – seldom see how artificial and shallow it tends to be.
Which is why Jesus and His Word are about plumblines …
Not pendulums.
If, after the Cross, you’re still trying to invoke, approach or enter into God’s presence like in the Old Testament …
It ain’t true worship.
Under the New Covenant, we instead are to daily live worthy of – and in obedience to – God’s presence now in us …
Which is true worship.
Ignore this distinction, and you will never understand authentic church or real discipleship in the New Testament.
Christ’s finished work on the Cross …
Doesn’t mean that His work on the Cross is finished in us.
Staged “church” …
Is very scripted, professional and alluring.
But …
Is it New Testament?
Every church has some who are thinkers …
Some who are feelers …
Some who are doers …
And some who are relaters.
Only as they learn to esteem each other’s gifts above their own, can their own individual gifts fully blossom between them …
For the mutual edification of all.
“Unity” based on anything less, however, leads to strife …
Which helps explain why so many churches are unhealthy instead.
Wisdom requires perspective and balance …
Which is why we must not fall prey to swings of the pendulum.
The cross is where we are reconciled to God.
Unfortunately, too many think it’s where God is reconciled to us.
Folks have grown weary of books, blogs and sermons telling us “how to” …
By those who don’t do.
We need a lot more saying by doing …
And a lot less just saying, saying, saying.
This is especially true with how we are to be the church …
And then practice our faith outside the church in a troubled world.
The New Testament doesn’t say “church” is where we encounter or are ushered into God’s presence through “worship” or any other means.
There’s not a single verse in the entire New Testament to that effect.
Nope, not, nadda …
Just ain’t there.
Rather, the New Testament says that Christians already have God’s presence in us and when we gather together we’re to minister one to another …
Which includes congregationally singing God’s praises to encourage each other.
Big difference.
Let’s start being the church as God instructs in His Word …
Rather than feeding our own carnality and calling it “church.”
I understand why “church” is often reduced to sitting in impersonal rows to watch a staged, scripted “service” each week by the “senior pastor” and his “worship” team.
Although it has nothing to do with church as the New Testament commands it …
It does eliminate the hard work of actually being the church.
In contrast, the New Testament says we’re to be a functional community which, among other things, gathers together to unassumingly minister one to another …
By strengthening and encouraging each other through the diverse gifts and abilities God distributes among us.
God’s redeeming grace is the means:
He offers His undeserved mercy, truth and forgiveness.
Repentance is the only acceptable response:
I receive, submit and change.
Anything less …
Is a lie.
Mono-church?
When a church or movement organizes around the vision, natural abilities, or spiritual gifts of a particular leader …
It will grow rapidly at first but then stagnate as it eventually bumps up against his limits.
This is not how it should be.
“Church” must never become a platform for one particular person, ministry or mission.
True church in Scripture is the wonderful, dynamic, fluid, multi-gifted and fully participatory Body of Christ …
Where we all minister one to another and to a waiting world, each according to the unique grace and differing gifts God distributes among us.
There is no mono-church in the New Testament!
Lord, raise up true elders – “grown ups” among us …
Who guard your flock by teaching sound doctrine and confronting those who define:
Doubt as faith;
Obedience as optional;
Grace as merit;
Tolerance as love;
Truth as relative;
Perception as reality;
Morality as feelings;
Scripture as subjective;
Diverse gifts as distractions;
Unity as conformity;
Worship as an event; or
Church as a platform.
May we, Lord, understand the times and proclaim with Paul:
“Henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive …” Eph. 4:14
Churches focus on meetings, hoping community will happen.
It seldom works.
What, instead, if churches were communities where gatherings happen?
Maybe it’s time to stop doing it backwards.
I want a bumper sticker which says:
“My faith is bigger than some bumper sticker.”
What if “churches” stopped being a “service” where the few try to usher the many into God’s “presence?”
(A concept nowhere found in the New Testament.)
What if, instead, they became gatherings where all can express God’s diverse presence already in each of us, as the Holy Spirit directs, for the mutual edification of one another?
(Just like it says in the New Testament.)
Wouldn’t that be amazing?
These days, church “leaders” seem more interested in an elevated stage and delivering prepared messages …
Than living among us and making disciples as a prepared person.
The problem is …
Many folks seem to want it that way.
Nearly all heresy starts as truth out of balance.
When someone insists on one unifying “truth” that explains everything …
Watch out!
Even our personal perceptions of Christ Himself fall short …
No matter how otherwise accurate.
Plumbline Faith 