On the Subject of Church Planting

Many people are unaware that Pat and I have been involved with church planting in our past ministry experiences. Our first church plant, Seedtime and Harvest Church (1984-89) has continued to impact the city of San Diego for the past 25 years with the fruitful ministry and the River of Life Church (1994-2002), now River of Life Foursquare Church located in Lakewood, has been winning souls and getting people filled with the Spirit for the past 15 years. These aren’t mega-churches but they have always been fruitful churches, planted on the solid foundation of the Word and the Spirit and the pastors we turned each of these churches over to have carried out that ministry effectively and faithfully for all these years. 

 No matter what title is pronounced upon someone, true apostolic ministry is evidenced by the ability to be a catalyst of new ministries and new churches. This anointing is evident from early in a person’s ministry.  This kind of ministry start up was nothing new to my husband Pat. He started a Christian coffee house outreach ministry back in 1978, just a couple years after being saved, that reached the Capitol Hill area and often had 15-20 witnessing teams on the streets each Friday and Saturday night bringing in the lost, often seeing a dozen or more new births each weekend. When Pat was hired on staff at Happy Church (now ORCC) as a youth and singles pastor in 1979, this anointing once again proved itself when the Denver Singles was birthed in 1981, one of the largest singles’ ministries in the city, ministering to 400-500 singles through a seven day a week program.  And even a few years ago, after we left our last church plant and spent a brief time at the Smoky Hill Vineyard, Pat raised up a ministry to several hundred people living out on east Colfax that is still being carried out by that church. At his present position, he keeps raising new ministries as the Lord leads.

Because of earlier start ups, we were not surprised when the Lord called us to San Diego in 1984 to plant Seedtime and Harvest Church.  Church planting in our circle was really pretty unheard of at that time. In fact the phrase, “pioneering a church” was often used back then because like the old pioneers, you pretty much launched out on your own to get it done. So that’s what we did. We sold our house and like Abraham left for a land where we didn’t know anyone and no one knew us.  Dr. Ken Stewart’s Grace Church in Tulsa, got behind us to pay for our meeting place for a year for which we will always be grateful. Other than their generosity, it was all by faith. Of course that was very challenging, but in truth, like the old saying, “the proof of the pudding is in the eating” or as some pastors said back then about adventures like this, “If it’s God, it’ll happen; if it’s not, it won’t last.” God had to prove He was in it. At the time, we would’ve liked more support but today, we’re glad we didn’t get it because we would have missed the many miracles He worked on our behalf, like the hundred fold return on a $100 offering Pat gave for another pastor’s building program that came the next day in a $10,000 check for our church.  He gets all the glory for both of these churches beginnings and their continuing contribution to His Kingdom. While establishing Seedtime in San Diego, we also had a hand in helping at least three other churches startup and become fruitful ministries to that area.

River of Life was planted the same way. Happy Church generously took an offering for us and we again launched out. We waited and waited for God to send us to another city but He wanted us on the west side of Denver, so we obeyed. We felt He wanted River planted by word of mouth and through small groups so people came to the church only because they knew someone else there. Over 70% of our people were in small groups. Over the eight years we pastored it, this church brought hundreds to the Lord and to the baptism of the Spirit. We had baptisms every couple months and always had a dozen or more to baptize.

 Some people assume because we didn’t stay in San Diego with the Seedtime church, that it must have failed. Or that because we aren’t with River of Life anymore that it must have shut down. That is misunderstanding how church planting takes place. Both of these churches are still thriving and blessing the Kingdom. We just obeyed God when our part of the planting was finished. After all if Paul had stayed at his first church plant, Christianity would’ve only reached Cyprus. Many church planters don’t stay with their church plants. They raise up or search out a pastor to take over and continue the ministry. The birthing of new churches takes place so many different ways, it’s a fascinating study.  We met one man and his wife in San Diego who had planted over a hundred churches in Australia and in the states independently. The longest they stayed at any one was less than a year, sometimes only a few months. While completing my degree, I took church planting courses at Colorado Christian University in the early ‘90’s and subsequently taught those courses at ORCC’s Bible College.  In the late 90’s, we had the privilege of being on a church planting team development group for the Rocky Mountain Foursquare District, at the district’s invitation.  What I noticed is not any of these methods are the same.  CCU’s church planting courses were a synopsis of how many of the Baptist “Community” churches were planted in our area which involved an in depth study of demographics, team member qualification, and strategic planning that often takes a year or more to implement but results in solid churches that remain. See www.churchplantingvillage.net for more on this.  Many of the Evangelical Presbyterian or PCA churches in the Denver Metro area were planted by one church planting team. We met with a member of that team back in 1994 to find out how they went about it with such success. They had a different method but the same basics of team development, community preparation, but instead of starting small groups they held a mass meeting usually at the neighborhood elementary school to launch a new church. There is now a EPCA church planting organization called Acts 29 (www.acts29network.org ) or Evangelical Free at  www.plantingchurches.com. Even the AOG holds church planting boot camps. Just Google “church planters, Denver, CO” and you’ll get a hundred sites on church planting groups.  The Foursquare Church has an extensively developed church planting school that also qualifies would-be church planters to make sure they have the right gifting, experience and solid marriages to plant a church. Since the nineteen thirties, Foursquare has been planting and sustaining churches worldwide (www.reachmore.foursquare.org). As we worked with our district’s church planting group, we heard of some couples who couldn’t qualify, at least at that point in their ministries, and we met a number of successful church planters, but we also witnessed a few starts that failed or never grew past the original group.   

Lastly, there are lots of churches across the US sending out “daughter” churches successfully.  These mother churches have an anointing to raise up and train pastors in ministry, then send them to un-churched areas. Some mother churches have hundreds of “daughters” across the nation. Most have a church planter school that prepares a team over a prolong period of time to know how to deal with the very different mindset and challenges of starting a new church. Startup churches don’t have nurseries, children’s church, or youth groups in place but these are developed as the right people are drawn in to head up these areas. Many people get excited about “going to” a new church start up but don’t realize if they are truly called there, they won’t be “going to” it but will be serving in these areas. We were amazed at the people the Lord brought to us to fill these ministry positions. The other interesting thing was that as the church grew past a certain size, we would see the original “helpers” leave to go to another small church where they would be needed again. Small churches have a completely different mindset than larger churches which is quite a paradigm shift and completely unrealized until it is experienced.

Pastors Marilyn and Wally have been equipping pastors for other churches for years “unofficially.” I’d love to know just how many churches have their ties back to the Hickeys through pastors who have come out from their ministry. They’ve been apostolic all these years – we certainly have always considered ORCC (Happy Church) our mother church and they have always been and will always be our “parents in the faith.”

Holy Spirit Series: Rivers of Living Water

Post 3 – Rivers of Living Water

Please read John 7:37-39  Jesus prophesied an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that would be as rivers of living water.  He did this during the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles, when the people would build and live in booths for seven days, they thought, to be reminded of their wilderness journey, and how God’s presence “tabernacled” in their midst. However, God’s intention was to make them thirst for His Presence again.  The Feast of Booths was celebrated in the fall (Sept/Oct) at the beginning of  planting season. At this time, every seventh or Sabbath year and in the year of Jubilee, the word would be read to the people in the square of the Water Gate by the pool of Siloam. You can find this demonstrated in Nehemiah 8. Each morning at day break, the High Priest with a golden pitcher in his hand, would lead a procession from the Temple on Mount Moriah over to Mount Zion in the old City of David, then down to the pool of Siloam, fill the pitcher with water, then proceed back to the Temple where he would pour out the water on the great altar. This procession was accompanied with trumpet blasts and singing and shouts of praise. It was to remind them of 3 distinct things:

1)     Of the Water from the Rock in the wilderness; God’s provision for the children of Israel in the desert

2)     The promise of the forthcoming “latter rain” in the spring which brings the best harvest.

3)     The prophecy of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the coming of the Messiah

So get the picture, the people are coming out of their booths where they are remembering and thirsting for the presence of God in their midst. They gather at the Pool of Siloam waiting for the priest to come fill the pitcher so they can celebrate God’s faithful quenching of their thirst, remember the promise of the latter rain, and the prophecy of the coming Messiah and His outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  Of course these are types and foreshadows of God’s redemption plan. Now let’s read John 7:37-39 again with this picture in mind:

37 “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus (the Rock that poured forth the water in the desert(I Cor. 10:4)) stood (took the posture of a Prophet, the High Priest of God and the Messiah) and cried out, saying, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink (Lit., let him keep coming to me and let him keep drinking). He who believes in Me, as the Scripture (Is. 44:3; 55:1; 58:11) said, ‘From his innermost being ( Lit., out of his belly) shall flow rivers of living water.’ 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (Joel 2:28, John 1:33)

 As He prophesied here, Jesus went on to finish the redemption work of the cross and resurrection, then ascended to heaven so He could receive the promise of the Father and as Messiah, POUR OUT THE HOLY SPIRIT. Jesus told the disciples to wait for the promise of the Father, which they did, gathered in the Upper Room.  Guess where that Upper Room was in Jerusalem?  It was on Mount Zion, by the pool of Siloam by the Water Gate.  Could God make the picture of His plan any clearer? We read in Acts 2:1-4, on the day of Pentecost, Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit upon all the 120 there and the rivers of living water began to flow. Peter preached what this meant in Acts 2:10-41 (from Joel 2: 28) and 3000 were added to the church that day.

 Just as The Rock that followed them in the desert was replaced with a springing up well (Num. 21:16-18), the Holy Spirit comes:

• To live in us as the well of eternal life, the very presence of God remaining tabernacled in our spirit for our salvation, quenching our thirsts for His life.
• To be rivers of living water upon us flowing out of us for the sake of others.

Revelation 1:15 says Jesus voice is “like the sound of many waters” and later in 19:6 the Church’s voice is as the “sound of many waters.” I know my words are not so completely overtaken by the Holy Spirit today but one day we will not only be as He is but our voices will actually sound like His.

The night I cried out to God and turned control of my life over to Him (“please take control before I completely destroy it ” were my exact words), I was awakened. I found myself sitting straight up in bed, raised there by some unseen hand, my eyes wide open. I glanced at the clock, 3:00PM. A mighty sound approached from the left corner of the room, like a freight train coming through the wall. The sound became a distinct awesome voice moving as in slow motion from the one corner toward me coming so close it had to have touched the end of the bed “Get out! Get out as fast as you can!!” the Voice loudly warned before receding back toward the adjacent corner of the room, exiting just as suddenly as it had come. The air lightened and the stilled room darkened again, becoming ever so quiet. Stunned and unable to move I sat wondering, “What was that?” The Voice had sounded so familiar yet I couldn’t place it. In spite of its awesome power, the manner reminded me of my grandmother’s voice, for it had the same unconditional love in it that had always made me feel safe and secure, especially in my trying teen years. But it couldn’t have been Mamaw, as we had affectionately called her. She had passed on eight years before. No it wasn’t her, but it was someone like her or maybe…someone she was like. Her voice had come so close to sounding like His, that I was able to recognize Him speaking to me that crucial night.

I hope, no I desire above all else, that someday my voice would be so full of the Spirit it would be “as the sound of many waters” to someone thirsting for Him. That His Presence in my spirit and the washing of the word will wash away every trace of the bitterness life can bring and only leave behind sweet quiet waters for others to find rest beside.

ALSO WANT TO REMIND YOU TO CHECK ONE OF THE BEST SERIES I’VE HEARD IN YEARS ON THE HOLY SPIRIT BY PASTOR ROBERT MORRIS, GATEWAY CHURCH  http://www.gatewaypeople.com/index.php?action=res_series_details&sid=170

Holy Spirit Series: Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Continuing with our study on connecting with the Holy Spirit, let’s look in John 4 where Jesus spoke to the woman at the well. In verse ten, He says to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” He is speaking of the Holy Spirit who is also the gift of God, the gift of the Father (Matt 7:11; Acts 2:38; 8:20; 10:45) and of the water that He could give her, a type of the Holy Spirit, the water from a well of eternal life. Like a well, the Holy Spirit quenches the thirst of every human soul with His indwelling presence which gives new life to all who come to believe Jesus is the Son of God who died for our sins and was resurrected to give us new life. The Holy Spirit indwells us from the moment we believe and confess Jesus is Lord.

At our recent Women’s Connect, I used a drop of food coloring in the bottom of a glass  set inside a clear glass pitcher. When a little water was poured into the glass, the colored water appeared representing the Holy Spirit’s presence inside our hearts at our new birth.  

John 4:14 “…whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.” This indwelling satisfies our hunger and thirst; the filling of that God shaped hole in every human heart.

But Jesus didn’t stop there, “…Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” He prophesied that this water would “spring up.”  In Num 21:17, God’s people broke out singing: “Spring up O well” Do you remember that old song:

“Spring up, O well, within my soul; spring up, O well, and make me whole.”

Jesus wanted her to know that there is an additional dimension of this “Water” that was available to her. As John the Baptist said of Jesus in John 1:33, “He is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.” 

 Now there are at least three baptisms for believers in the New Testament.  The following chart tells how each takes place:

Baptism In (subst)   Agent            Uniting Us In His:____

Water (Rom 6:5)         Believers          Death and resurrection

Body of Christ (I Cor. 12:13)  Holy Spirit   His Church

Holy Spirit (Jn. 1:33; Acts 1-2) Jesus     His Essence & Power

As you can see the substance, agent, and purpose are different in each one. Focusing on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit we see that Jesus is the agent who performs this baptism. The substance we are baptized into is the Holy Spirit and this baptism unites us to His complete filling, His essence, presence and power.  A look at the original word for baptism helps us get a clearer picture of this:

Baptismo: the process used in pickling or dyeing cloth:

1)     In dyeing cloth, it meant to immerse the cloth until every fiber was permeated/ united with the dye and changed to the color of the dye.

2)     In pickling – another word, Bapto meant to temporarily dip the “cuke” into boiling water, preparing it for change but our word, Baptismo meant to immerse in vinegar until a permanent change took place.

 So to be baptized in the Holy Spirit means to be immersed until every part of our being is permeated and united with the Holy Spirit of Christ and we are overwhelmed with His fullness. The process of change is begun. As we continue to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18) transformation will continue throughout our lives until we are thoroughly “pickled” in His Spirit!

2 Cor. 3:17-18 Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory…this is the ultimate makeover!

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be My witnesses…

Acts 2:33 “Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.”

Remember that glass in the pitcher? If we pour the water into the glass until it not only fills but overflows and even fills up the pitcher. The glass is not just filled but immersed in the water – that is Baptismo – that is what the baptism in the Holy Spirit is supposed to look like: Not just in us, but filling us and upon us.

Putting on the Spirit: He not only indwells us, but springs up from inside and clothes us with His Presence, His Person and His Power, becoming our constant source of Life and a source of life for others.

The Holy Spirit Series

As promised, I am posting the teaching we are doing in Women’s Connect here. Check out the new page “The Holy Spirit Series” above or http://theriverblog.wordpress.com/the-holy-spirit-series/  to start reading these.

I also want to share a link to Pastor Robert Morris series on the Holy Spirit, probably one of the best I’ve heard in years: http://www.gatewaypeople.com/index.php?action=res_series_details&sid=170

Consumer or Disciple

 “Wait and listen, every who is thirsty!  Come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!  Yes, come, buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing].” (Isaiah 55:1 AMP)

Isn’t this the oddest advertisement?  We know the scriptures were written for all time, even for our society today.  This scripture sounds a bit like the familiar commercial spots we are bombarded with daily only with a new “spin.” At first glance it looks like the kind of ad that sounds too good to be true.   Something for nothing!  We know that cannot be. We must have read it wrong.  Sure enough, on our second reading, we realize what is being offered is not free at all.  Instead, its price is self-surrender. That costs us everything, our very life!  But now, we find we are hooked.  We have read it twice and like all well written ads it has stirred up the hunger and thirst that lies deep within us.  We know we have to have this spiritual wine and milk but are we able to afford it?   Are we able to pay the price for the drink we so desperately  need?  Are we hungry and thirsty enough?

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot.  So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.  Because you say, “I am rich and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.  Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore and repent…He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (Revelations 3:14-22)

 There is a great renewal taking place throughout the Body of Christ.   Some of it is evident in public meetings but much of it is taking place quietly and deeply in the hearts of believers.   There are hot spots where the Harvest is being reaped, but there is still a vast majority of the American church that  suffers being lukewarm.  That is no secret to most believers.  I heard it said recently that lukewarm comes from the hot being mixed with the cold.  Indeed Jesus said He wished we were one or the other.  We go to our “hot” hopping revivals but return to our cold Christian walks.   Secretly we ask ourselves, “Why is that?  Why can’t I maintain the zeal of those times?”  If our walks are not on fire too, mixing the two only produces lukewarm Christianity. What is the cause of this lukewarmness anyway and how has it come upon us? The American church today is made up of Christians who have been believers for many years and a new generation of believers.   Many of us can remember the church thirty years ago that was on fire winning the lost in multitudes, and making disciples steeled against compromising with the world.  Who would believe that was us two decades ago?  We hardly resemble our early selves. What changed in us over the years?  Could it be we compromised with the world’s system too much?  Could it be we started to compete with the world rather than overcome it? 

 In the account of Jesus cleansing of the temple of those who were selling and exchanging money, the first three gospels record Jesus’ words as “It is written, And My House shall be a House of Prayer but you have made it a robbers’ den (Matt. 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45-46).” 

 John’s gospel however adds this illumination, “And to those who were selling the doves He said, ‘Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a house of merchandise.’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for thy house will consume me.’” 

Has commercialism killed our zeal for the things of God? When the American church last experienced great harvest we were truly consumed by zeal for His house. Back then we dared those to whom we witnessed to sell out to Jesus, to “come and die” and become His disciple.   Today, we peddle the blessings of God in the world’s market place with the latest of its techniques, trying to be relevant.  Back then we were not satisfied until we saw a new convert baptized, trained, practicing the disciplines of a Christian walk and winning others to the Lord.  Today, there is no sign of that kind of zeal.  We just hope those who come to the altar this service will show up again next service so we can catch their ear for a little while longer.  We want them to hear the church’s commercials, birthed out of our well designed marketing plans strategic to producing supporters.  Because we have adopted using the same commercialism that bombards them daily out in the world it is no wonder that most believers in our churches have now been made consumers and not disciples. 

 The consumer and disciple hold vastly different  attitudes.  Consumers come to meet their own need. They come to look over the merchandise.  They come looking for a bargain.  They come to be sold something.  If the sales pitch is good enough, they will buy into it.  If we sell them well enough, they will buy into the announcements.  That is if the price is not too high.  It is the same with the offering.  If we sell the building fund with the right slogan, gimmicks and enthusiasm, they may buy into it.  The sermon, once the vehicle for proclaiming the gospel, is no different, nor the altar call.  If we offer them a deal they cannot refuse, they will likely respond with a commitment. Because we have encouraged this consumer mentality in the people by selling them the kingdom rather than proclaiming its truth, we now have to market ourselves at every turn or the customers will move on to the church down the street.  So we hire professional musicians for the best music.  It does not matter that they may not even be born-again, just as long as they can play.  We build the most appealing buildings on the most commercially desirable plots next to the highways and byways so we can be visible in the market place.  Never mind that this usually takes us out of the neighborhoods and away from the families that really need ministry today.  We’ve spent thousands on media advertisement and promotion but little to do on promoting responsible personal relationships that builds a community of believers.

Of course, we are aware that today’s consumers are prone to buy into someone else’s marketing tomorrow if we do not keep their attention.  So we must have them in as many services as we can each week and be sure there is a letter from us in their mail box when they go home.  Since that often proves to not be enough we also show up on the radio during drive time talking at them and even take out television spots at the precise times we think they might be watching.  We are like obnoxious suitors pursuing their hand. Like the world’s market around us we intrude on their private lives as much as we possibly can, competing for their devotion.  We tell them how they are lacking but we have the what they need.  Why are we surprised when we peer into glazed over eyes. They’ve learned the only way to survive this commercialized world we live in is to tune out as much as possible.  The glazed over faces in Sunday morning’s services are evidence of survival not rejection. They come to church to “tune out” much as we all do in front of the tube.  We have produced “couch-potato” Christians, instead of disciples.

 The average person looking for a church today approaches it like buying a car. They look for the church that has the most to offer.  They are looking for the best children’s ministry, the most creative and entertaining fine arts program, the most supportive programs for men, for women, for parents, and for singles and of course, the finest preaching.   They are consumers.  They are going to spend their time and their tithe, even some offerings on this activity of church attending so they want the most for it.  As consumers, they come in when they want and they leave when they want.  Each service time is approached much like going to the grocery store to pick up some milk or the fast food restaurant for dinner.  They go at their convenience. They arrive around “church time” and leave when they have gotten what they want.  They usually are completely unaware of the needs of those around them, or that they may be walking out during an altar call.  In the long haul, they have no sense of accountability to the establishment, usually withdrawing their patronage without a word unless they have a complaint about the service they did or did not receive.  Many churches are actually conforming to these mindsets, cutting services to an hour, sometimes using satellite branches where the attendees view a video screen for the preaching. Easy in, sing a couple songs, view a video, easy out, then I’m on my way to the mall. I don’t blame the churches or the pastors. They’re just hoping they can get a little of God’s word into someone. Perhaps they’ll act on it.

 Somewhere in the past couple of decades, we stopped making disciples and look what it is costing the church.  Disciples approach the church so differently.  They own not their lives, but acknowledge they are what has been bought with a price, even Christ’s blood.  They come to the body of believers out of obedience to His Spirit.  They see themselves as the Church. They really are not concerned with buildings, musicians, or programs.  They just know if they have been sent there, there must a place in that body for them to share their gifts and give of their ministry.   They have not devalued themselves.  They know they have a supply to share with another that could change a life.  They come as servants ready to serve.   They come in as worshippers not as an audience to be entertained.  They come hungry to be taught.  They know the wisdom of remaining “as a child” and are learners all their lives.   Their zeal perseveres day in and day out.  

 They are disciplined with self-control and respect the other members of the body, their time and their gifts.  They honor others’ unique giftings as valuable by humbling themselves to receive from other members of the Body. They are the ones that are faithfully at the assemblies first and the ones that leave last because they see themselves as having something someone else may need. If you are one of these disciples you, “consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near (Hebrews 10:24-25).”

 Disciples make themselves available.  They see areas of service as areas of ministry and seek out places they can help, no matter how obscure or menial the service.  They are not consumers but contributors.  They serve out of grace and in the fear of the Lord, not out of obligation and the fear of man. They are humble and able to come along into the pastures in which the Spirit of God is leading their body.   They are a delight to any pastor that is also trying to obey the Chief Shepherd’s calling.  They naturally drink the spiritual milk and wine that the Spirit offers because they live a life of self-surrender.  They are fruitful and multiply themselves.   They daily pay the price of taking up their cross, not out of convenience but of conviction. They are rare like diamonds and more valuable than silver and gold.  Jesus’ Great Commission  calls us to be these disciples and to make more of them.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…,” (Matthew 28:19)

 We have been taken out of this world for the Master’s use so let’s ask Him to take the world out of us.  Let’s buy from Him the gold refined by fire, the white garments of a sincere faith, and eye salve to anoint our eyes that we may see His Kingdom.  Let’s press into Him until we are changed again from consumers in the market place to disciples and disciplers in His Kingdom.

more about “What this world needs – Casting Crowns“, posted with vodpod

LOVE: The Challenge of the Great Commandment

February 2009 – LOVE: The Challenge of the Great Commandment

(or “Oh my gosh, who’s going to help me obey this one?”)

To Begin our study, please read Matt 22:37-40

The scriptures command us to love God and love others as you love yourself. In addition, Jesus emphasized this command by saying  the keeping of the whole Law is summed up in His one new commandment to love one anothe, as the following verses repeat:

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

I John 3:23 And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

John 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

Love others as Jesus loves us – WOW – that’s very challenging to me. As we continue looking into it, the real meaning of this commandment is only going to become an even greater challenge to us before it gets better. Stick with me though because I’m also going to give you the key to meeting it.

For many of us to love God is not so hard most of the time, but to love others and love them as we love ourselves, that is not so easy. Many of us struggle with even liking, much less loving, ourselves. We are often hardest on ourselves, demanding and judging ourselves and we end up doing the same to others. We’re miserable with our own condition and can’t stand to be reminded of it when we see it in others. I love the verses in Romans 14:4 says: “Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own ^master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” Oh, thank God for His insight into our hearts and this firm word to “lay off” judging ourselves or other believers, all His servants. I’m sure if we would heed this word, the Body of Christ would be a safer place for us all.

Let’s look at this word LOVE: I say, ‘I love my husband, Pat, my kids, my cat, chocolate, the ocean and warm weather.’ Our English word “love” gets used for an affection for almost anyone or anything.

However, the Greeks used several words to distinguish ‘love’ from the many different kinds of affection or desires. Here are the most common four:

• Eros: lowest form – meaning: to desire, to have/to take possession – sexual/spiritual connotation – in Greek mythology, gods’ intercourse with humans produced heroes from eros. Never used in NT. In English = LUST.
• Stergos: the natural familial love between parents and children, siblings, relatives, used in Rom 12:10
• Phileo: friendship affection – brotherly love, mutual affection, conditional reciprocating affection
• Agapeo: Highest form of love, the Godkind of Love – unconditional, unmerited, based on the perspective and choice of the lover: Agape always chooses to value the recipient worthy of favor regardless of their actions This Godkind of Love counts you and me as precious and valuable, always worthy of His favor.

My grandmother expressed it well when she would tell me, “I don’t always like what you do, but I always love you.”

The scriptures above that we read at the beginning all use the word “agape:”    Jesus command is to agape God, ourselves, and others. (I warned you the challenge was only going to get harder.)

Agape Love: IS NOT an emotion or feeling or reaction to someone else’s actions. Agape loves the unlovely, doesn’t just tolerate them, but lays its life down for them, even for enemies.  Think of the hardest person to get along with or even your worst enemy, someone who let you down when you needed them most, someone who abandoned you, someone who abused you, or an unfaithful one who betrayed you, an ex-friend, ex-lover, an ex-husband.  We hear so much about forgiveness but do we go on to obey the command to love as well. Could you agape any of these?

 Before I was saved, I thought love was some kind of passionate feelings, infatuation, romantic, music & roses, etc. Then I read I Cor. 13:4-8  Let’s look at the characteristics as “is and isn’t.”

I Corinthians 13: 4-8 says LOVE IS:

• Is patient
• Is kind
•  Rejoices with truth
•  Bears all things,
•  Believes all things, has faith in others
•  Hopes all things, expects the best from others
•  Endures all things, hangs in there
•  Is not envious or jealous
•  Is not boastful
•  Is not arrogant or conceded
•  Is not unbecoming
•  Is not self seeking
•  Is not provoked
•  Is not bitter
•  Is not vindictive

 LOVE never fails, is never a waste of time, is never in vain.

NO WONDER I FAILED AT LOVE – I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT IT WAS AT ALL. I NEEDED AN UPGRADE TO THIS KIND OF LOVE.

I John 4:16 says God is love. We could easily put God’s name in front of each of these characteristics. Try reading it that way -This is how God loves you. This is how Jesus loves you. You might be thinking, “Easy for Him – since HE is God.” But I have to remind myself that He would not command us to do something if He didn’t know that we would be able to obey. Considering this in my study, the Holy Spirit directed me to John 21:15-17.

This is the episode of Jesus meeting the disciples after His resurrection on the shores of Gallilee and his conversation with Peter.  This is the way it reads in the Greek: In the first two exchanges, Jesus asks Peter: “Do you agape Me?” Peter answers: “Lord, You know I phileo You.” Did you catch that? Peter downgraded his love to phileo – He knew he lacked what it took to agape. And he knew Jesus knew it too.

But in the third exchange Jesus asked “Do you phileo Me?” Why did Jesus downgrade or lower the bar, His expectation of Peter? Peter needed an UPGRADE to agape. “Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you phileo Me?” Have you ever insisted on deminishing yourself to someone who wanted to raise you up and finally had them agree with you? That is such a grievious experience. But Peter was only confessing what Jesus had to have known was the best he believed he could do. Jesus knew what the new birth was going to put into Peter, a living seed that could bear supernatural fruit.

READ Galatians 5:13-25 The fruit of a tree is the evidence of its core: Apple tree or Lemon tree

An apple tree comes from the seed at the core of an apple.  It’s destined to bear apples. When we receive Jesus we receive the Holy Spirit and we are born again. Our DNA is changed to bear the fruit of the Spirit because He is at our core. The fruit of the Spirit is agape love. So if it is already in us, why doesn’t this love come natural? Like a tree, whether we bear fruit or not depends upon on one thing.

In the late 80’s we lived in San Diego, planting a new church. We often drove out into the Borrego desert which during those years was in drought. The desert was dry and desolate with miles of sand but no plants. The year after moving back to Denver,  we visited San Diego and on the way drove through the Borrego. The drought had broken and the rains had come. The desert looked like a forest with desert plants 10-12 feet tall, blossoming and bearing fruit. Where did all this foliage come from? No one had sown seed over these hundreds of miles of desert. The seed was from former foliage that had laid dorment in the sand until the rains came and caused it to spout, grow, and bear fruit.

Peter said, “for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.” (I Pet. 1:23) When we are born again, we recieve the Holy Spirit like a seed. He resides in us promising such great potential. When we surrender to the Spirit to fills us, we are baptized into Him, He waters us and causes us to bear fruit. That surrender means we walk after the Spirit, letting Him lead us and be in control of us which results in the Fruit of the Spirit. The first fruit of the Spirit is LOVE. The seed of AGAPE is in us and destined to bear fruit through us.

Peter obviously recieved the upgraded love for he writes in I Peter 1:8 “…though you have not seen Him, you agape love Him…” When did Peter discover this?

The first 2 chapters of Acts tells us when and how it happened.

• In Acts 1:5, Jesus promised to ‘baptize’ us with the Holy Spirit – He promised to send the Rain the seed of the new birth needed.
• Acts 1:8, and you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…(the power of walking in the Spirit is one of the most supernatural witnesses a believer can possess)
• 2:1-4, They were all filled with the Holy Spirit
• 2:14, Peter was filled with the UPGRADED AGAPE Love and boldly began to proclaim , “It shall be in the last days that I will pour forth My Spirit upon all Mankind, vs. 33 Jesus having received from the Father, the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear…vs. 39 for the promise is for you and your children and for all who are many generations off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself.”

Though we receive the Holy Spirit when we are born-again, we don’t regularly experience His power to do the impossible until we have been baptized in the Spirit and begin to use the prayer language He gives us that enables us to really live in the Spirit, and bear the fruit of  AGAPE! To remind us of this, Jude wrote:

“…Beloved,^ build yourselves up on your most holy ^faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the agape love of God…” Jude 20-21

Jesus Wants to give you this same upgraded love so you will have the power to LOVE supernaturally:

• Those who want this power to walk after the Spirit and live the supernatural love life of a Christian must start by trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord.
• Give Him control (make Him your Lord) and ask Him to baptize you in His Spirit, letting Him be the source and guide of all your LIFE. In return, He will give you the ability to pray beyond your own understanding in a prayer language only God understands. I Cor. 14:2, 14-15.
• Many of us have received this upgrade already but haven’t been kept in the love of God because we are not praying in the Spirit like we should. Would you join me in committing to pray in the Spirit more? Even intercede daily, Romans 8:26; Jude 20-21.

Consumers or Disciples

 “Wait and listen, every who is thirsty!  Come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!  Yes, come, buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing].” (Isaiah 55:1 AMP)

Isn’t this the oddest advertisement?  We know the scriptures were written for all time, even for our society today.  This scripture sounds a bit like the familiar commercial spots we are bombarded with daily only with a new “spin.” At first glance it looks like the kind of ad that sounds too good to be true.   Something for nothing!  We know that cannot be. We must have read it wrong.  Sure enough, on our second reading, we realize what is being offered is not free at all.  Instead, its price is self-surrender. That costs us everything, our very life!  But now, we find we are hooked.  We have read it twice and like all well written ads it has stirred up the hunger and thirst that lies deep within us.  We know we have to have this spiritual wine and milk but are we able to afford it?   Are we able to pay the price for the drink we so desperately  need?  Are we hungry and thirsty enough?

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot.  So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.  Because you say, “I am rich and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.  Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore and repent…He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (Revelations 3:14-22)

 There is a great renewal taking place throughout the Body of Christ.   Some of it is evident in public meetings but much of it is taking place quietly and deeply in the hearts of believers.   There are hot spots where the Harvest is being reaped, but there is still a vast majority of the American church that  suffers being lukewarm.  That is no secret to most believers.  I heard it said recently that lukewarm comes from the hot being mixed with the cold.  Indeed Jesus said He wished we were one or the other.  We go to our “hot” hopping revivals but return to our cold Christian walks.   Secretly we ask ourselves, “Why is that?  Why can’t I maintain the zeal of those times?”  If our walks are not on fire too, mixing the two only produces lukewarm Christianity. What is the cause of this lukewarmness anyway and how has it come upon us? The American church today is made up of Christians who have been believers for many years and a new generation of believers.   Many of us can remember the church thirty years ago that was on fire winning the lost in multitudes, and making disciples steeled against compromising with the world.  Who would believe that was us two decades ago?  We hardly resemble our early selves. What changed in us over the years?  Could it be we compromised with the world’s system too much?  Could it be we started to compete with the world rather than overcome it? 

 In the account of Jesus cleansing of the temple of those who were selling and exchanging money, the first three gospels record Jesus’ words as “It is written, And My House shall be a House of Prayer but you have made it a robbers’ den (Matt. 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45-46).” 

 John’s gospel however adds this illumination, “And to those who were selling the doves He said, ‘Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a house of merchandise.’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for thy house will consume me.’” 

Has commercialism killed our zeal for the things of God? When the American church last experienced great harvest we were truly consumed by zeal for His house. Back then we dared those to whom we witnessed to sell out to Jesus, to “come and die” and become His disciple.   Today, we peddle the blessings of God in the world’s market place with the latest of its techniques, trying to be relevant.  Back then we were not satisfied until we saw a new convert baptized, trained, practicing the disciplines of a Christian walk and winning others to the Lord.  Today, there is no sign of that kind of zeal.  We just hope those who come to the altar this service will show up again next service so we can catch their ear for a little while longer.  We want them to hear the church’s commercials, birthed out of our well designed marketing plans strategic to producing supporters.  Because we have adopted using the same commercialism that bombards them daily out in the world it is no wonder that most believers in our churches have now been made consumers and not disciples. 

 The consumer and disciple hold vastly different  attitudes.  Consumers come to meet their own need. They come to look over the merchandise.  They come looking for a bargain.  They come to be sold something.  If the sales pitch is good enough, they will buy into it.  If we sell them well enough, they will buy into the announcements.  That is if the price is not too high.  It is the same with the offering.  If we sell the building fund with the right slogan, gimmicks and enthusiasm, they may buy into it.  The sermon, once the vehicle for proclaiming the gospel, is no different, nor the altar call.  If we offer them a deal they cannot refuse, they will likely respond with a commitment. Because we have encouraged this consumer mentality in the people by selling them the kingdom rather than proclaiming its truth, we now have to market ourselves at every turn or the customers will move on to the church down the street.  So we hire professional musicians for the best music.  It does not matter that they may not even be born-again, just as long as they can play.  We build the most appealing buildings on the most commercially desirable plots next to the highways and byways so we can be visible in the market place.  Never mind that this usually takes us out of the neighborhoods and away from the families that really need ministry today.  We’ve spent thousands on media advertisement and promotion but little to do on promoting responsible personal relationships that builds a community of believers.

Of course, we are aware that today’s consumers are prone to buy into someone else’s marketing tomorrow if we do not keep their attention.  So we must have them in as many services as we can each week and be sure there is a letter from us in their mail box when they go home.  Since that often proves to not be enough we also show up on the radio during drive time talking at them and even take out television spots at the precise times we think they might be watching.  We are like obnoxious suitors pursuing their hand. Like the world’s market around us we intrude on their private lives as much as we possibly can, competing for their devotion.  We tell them how they are lacking but we have the what they need.  Why are we surprised when we peer into glazed over eyes. They’ve learned the only way to survive this commercialized world we live in is to tune out as much as possible.  The glazed over faces in Sunday morning’s services are evidence of survival not rejection. They come to church to “tune out” much as we all do in front of the tube.  We have produced “couch-potato” Christians, instead of disciples.

 The average person looking for a church today approaches it like buying a car. They look for the church that has the most to offer.  They are looking for the best children’s ministry, the most creative and entertaining fine arts program, the most supportive programs for men, for women, for parents, and for singles and of course, the finest preaching.   They are consumers.  They are going to spend their time and their tithe, even some offerings on this activity of church attending so they want the most for it.  As consumers, they come in when they want and they leave when they want.  Each service time is approached much like going to the grocery store to pick up some milk or the fast food restaurant for dinner.  They go at their convenience. They arrive around “church time” and leave when they have gotten what they want.  They usually are completely unaware of the needs of those around them, or that they may be walking out during an altar call.  In the long haul, they have no sense of accountability to the establishment, usually withdrawing their patronage without a word unless they have a complaint about the service they did or did not receive.  Many churches are actually conforming to these mindsets, cutting services to an hour, sometimes using satellite branches where the attendees view a video screen for the preaching. Easy in, sing a couple songs, view a video, easy out, then I’m on my way to the mall. I don’t blame the churches or the pastors. They’re just hoping they can get a little of God’s word into someone. Perhaps they’ll act on it.

 Somewhere in the past couple of decades, we stopped making disciples and look what it is costing the church.  Disciples approach the church so differently.  They own not their lives, but acknowledge they are what has been bought with a price, even Christ’s blood.  They come to the body of believers out of obedience to His Spirit.  They see themselves as the Church. They really are not concerned with buildings, musicians, or programs.  They just know if they have been sent there, there must a place in that body for them to share their gifts and give of their ministry.   They have not devalued themselves.  They know they have a supply to share with another that could change a life.  They come as servants ready to serve.   They come in as worshippers not as an audience to be entertained.  They come hungry to be taught.  They know the wisdom of remaining “as a child” and are learners all their lives.   Their zeal perseveres day in and day out.  

 They are disciplined with self-control and respect the other members of the body, their time and their gifts.  They honor others’ unique giftings as valuable by humbling themselves to receive from other members of the Body. They are the ones that are faithfully at the assemblies first and the ones that leave last because they see themselves as having something someone else may need. If you are one of these disciples you, “consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near (Hebrews 10:24-25).”

 Disciples make themselves available.  They see areas of service as areas of ministry and seek out places they can help, no matter how obscure or menial the service.  They are not consumers but contributors.  They serve out of grace and in the fear of the Lord, not out of obligation and the fear of man. They are humble and able to come along into the pastures in which the Spirit of God is leading their body.   They are a delight to any pastor that is also trying to obey the Chief Shepherd’s calling.  They naturally drink the spiritual milk and wine that the Spirit offers because they live a life of self-surrender.  They are fruitful and multiply themselves.   They daily pay the price of taking up their cross, not out of convenience but of conviction. They are rare like diamonds and more valuable than silver and gold.  Jesus’ Great Commission  calls us to be these disciples and to make more of them.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…,” (Matthew 28:19)

 We have been taken out of this world for the Master’s use so let’s ask Him to take the world out of us.  Let’s buy from Him the gold refined by fire, the white garments of a sincere faith, and eye salve to anoint our eyes that we may see His Kingdom.  Let’s press into Him until we are changed again from consumers in the market place to disciples and disciplers in His Kingdom.

more about “What this world needs – Casting Crowns“, posted with vodpod

Next Girls’ Night Out – Oct 10th – come join us

Girlfriends—you are invited every 2nd Friday night of the month for:

girls’ night out – Oct 10th

7pm – 9pm

October Topic: Keeping Joy in Our Family Relationships

 a place for girlfriends to:

· connect & build new valuable relationships

· share cross generationally issues & answers

· worship together

· participate in panel discussions

· hear great special speakers

· receive prayer and personal ministry

Orchard Road Christian Center Realwomen Women’s Ministry 

8081 Orchard Rd, Greenwood Village, CO

 Dessert Bar and childcare provided*

*RSVP registration needed at Info Center or email sharonm@mhmin.org

For information on realwomen  go to http://realwomenatorcc.wordpress.com

When did you last laugh for no reason or in your dreams?

more about “Steve Allen’s Infectious Laughter“, posted with vodpod

Sometimes we just need to laugh! Sometimes we do laugh when there’s nothing funny and sometimes we can’t stop laughing even when we try. But have you ever laughed in your dreams and woke up wondering what was so funny? I had that happen last night! I had fallen asleep from a very busy day that ended with facilitating the DivorceCare for Women group at church. One of the things we talked about there was how in the midst of all the strife, we can’t let others steal our joy from us. I just wanted to encourage the ladies to not let their really tough situation steal everything from them, especially their joy. The Lord has been encouraging me the last few months about keeping my Joy which is such a great evidence of His presence in my life. Well, in the middle of the night, I’m dreaming of who-knows-what and laughing so hard my sides start hurting and I couldn’t catch my breathe. I actually woke up momentarily ridiculously amused but quickly fell back to sleep to find myself laughing uncontrollably all over again. I don’t know about you but I love laughter and don’t get enough of it. I’m married to a man with a great sense of humor and like me, when the going has gotten tough, chooses to “cachinnate” (actual synonym for laugh, which made me giggle reading it) rather than cry or get mad. I’m always glad I’m in the room when he loses it. Our whole family has often spent long moments of side splitting, rolling on the floor, eyes watering laughter together.

But you have to understand I don’t laugh in my dreams all that much. Wish I did more. It’s very fun and I woke up with a smile on my face, refreshed more than usual. There has only been one other time I remember this happening to me. It was back in September of 1993. We had attended a meeting at Calvary Temple where Rodney Howard-Brown and his wife were ministering the unusual revival laughter stuff. Those of you who got in on it at the time know what I mean. We were desperate for God to do something in our lives at that time as it was one of the harder seasons of our life. I was pulled out of the crowd and prayed for and took my “courtesy drop” ( ) but didn’t feel anything unique at that moment. We went home, went to bed and soon I found myself dreaming that a huge bell-jar was coming down over my head. When its lip reached my shoulders I began to laugh uncontrollably. I was laughing so hard out loud I woke myself up. Afraid I would wake up my husband, I tried to calm down and go back to sleep. As soon as I fell off again, here came the jar and once again I was giggling and heehawing harder than before until it woke me again. The short of it is that laughter went on all night long. I thought I’d be worn out the next day but woke up feeling great. I turned to Pat and said, with a smile on my face, “We’ve got to get back to those meetings today!” We did and we were never the same again… 

 ”In Your Presence is fulness of Joy” (Psalm 16:11)

Sharing From Friday Faith School – Identification in Christ (1)

We’ve been teaching in the FFS since the first of September and thought I’d share my notes in parts here on the blog. Hope it is helpful.

COLOSSIANS – OUR IDENTIFICATION IN CHRIST (FFS – Fall 2008)

Colossians 1:2 Paul opens his letter to the Colossians with to the…saints in Christ…

This study is on our identification in Christ, one of the most important teachings a believer can get a hold of, third only to our salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

 Paul’s Gospel – Colossians 1:25-28 “to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.”

 Because the Bible is progressive revelation, this mystery of what God would do to reconcile us to Him was hidden in the Old Testament and not revealed until it was given to Paul to proclaim in his mission and write in his letters on the New Testament.

We need the Old Testament as Paul tells us in I Corinthians 10:1-13 for the history of mankind, God’s covenants, Israel and its examples, etc. but we must be New Testament or Covenant believers. I encourage you, if you are already born-again get on past the gospels. And if you are already spirit-filled get past the book of Acts and get into the epistles where the good news for believers is!

Paul’s Gospel reveals the mystery: God has put the Spirit of Christ in us & put us in Christ!

 Mysterion- ancient Greek – secrets, unspoken initiation rites, “secret hand shake” - In the NT this word is always connected with dynamic verbs denoting revelation and proclamation. Paul uses the phrase 20x in his NT writings, 4x in Colossians alone.

This revelation is not found in the OT that is the mystery that God’s plan of redemption thru His own Son would result in:

1. Christ in you, the hope of glory – your identity before the world

2. You in Christ – your identity before God

 

Next part: We are immigrants in a new land!

 

 

 

 

 

 

FFS Identification in Christ 2: We Are Immigrants in a New Land

Colossians 1:9-14 is one of six prayers in New Testament that the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to pray and write into the scriptures for believers. The 13th verse of this prayer says, “…who hath delivered us from the power of darkness; and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.”

Sometimes it helpful to see how a verse is translated in other versions to get a better understanding:

NKJ: “conveyed us into the Kingdom”

NIV: “brought us in the Kingdom of His Son”

AMP: “The Father has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.”

Conybeare: “and transplanted us…”

The other words used, translated, transferred, transplanted, brought in, conveyed tell us we were changed and moved all in one instant. At our new birth, we moved from the old country which was ruled by darkness into the Son’s Kingdom. We are immigrants moved into God’s Kingdom.

For Immigrants to succeed in a new country, they have to learn:  

·        the language of the new country

·        the founding principles and government of the new country

·        the new laws

·        the new privileges & the new benefits

·        Most important, the old ID’s from other country are not good anymore

o   ID’s tell what we look like, our address, who issued it, expiration date, etc.

·        Have to get a new ID – issued by the government of the new nation

·        So we as believers have to get a hold of our new ID from God in the Word

Obviously we weren’t physically moved, or even mentally or emotionally moved.

What was transplanted and changed?

I Thess. 5:23 says, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit, and soul, and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

God created humans as three or tri-part beings: a spirit with a soul living in a body. Say this:

‘I am a spirit, I have a soul, and I live in a body.’

If you had an ID card for your spirit before your new birth it would have these facts:

·        Citizen of domain of darkness (Col 1:13)

·        Dead in transgression-spiritually dead or separated from God (Eph 2:5)

·        DNA of the Evil one, sons of disobedience, by nature children of wrath (Eph 2:2). 

That’s the condition we are in before we are “delivered…and translated into His Kingdom.”

One more point: we are legal immigrants, and now first class citizens of His Kingdom which means we have all the rights and privileges of citizenship in the Kingdom of God. Are you living as a second class citizen, an “illegal,” not exercising your rights or receiving the benefits of the privileges, or as a first class citizen in God’s Kingdom? There’s a huge difference.

 

What’s emerging from the emergent neo-Christian movement is not Christianity

Before I lose some readers, I’m not talking about how church is done but I am talking about the basic beliefs of Christianity, the message of the Church. Use all the new and wonderfully creative vehicles you want, but don’t change the clear message Jesus commissioned to New Testament Christianity. If we change that then we aren’t Christians anymore, no matter what we call ourselves.

Jude 1:3 “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.”

I Timothy 4:1-6 “Now the Spirit speaks expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from (fall away from) the faith giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of demons…(6)In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.

II Timothy 3:5, 16 “…having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away…All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

II John 9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.”

These verses are only a fraction of the passages that warn about false teaching that creeps into the Church because people are not aware of the essentials of the Christian faith.  Counterfeits try to pass themselves off in numerous areas of life. The FBI teaches bank tellers to recognize a counterfeit bill by knowing what the essentials are of an authentic bill. There is a big difference between a real $20 bill and a monopoly $20. One can be used as true currency wherever you go in exchange for goods; the other is only meant for playing a game. If I try to buy something at my local grocery store with monopoly money, well you know, they’re going to show me the exit. That could and will happen at the pearly gates if we think we can get in there by a counterfeit gospel. So here’s the five essentials of the Christian faith, then I’ll talk to you about the five most popular counterfeits “emerging” out there.

Circle of Essentials for Salvation - (See Athanasian Confession from the early Church)

1. The Bible is the inspired word of God and the only basis for our doctrine. II Tim 3:16

• The Bible tells us what Christianity is and New Testament Christianity is based on a relationship with God established through Grace and Faith(Eph 2:4-9)
• God’s Grace in Christ Jesus provides salvation; that gift of Salvation is received by Faith (even faith is a gift from God)
• Faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17;8-15)
• The Bible is a Closed Canon – The Bible we have today was limited to the present books through the work of the Holy Spirit and the witness of the early Church. (Jude 3 “once delivered”) From the first to the third centuries, only what agreed with that “once delivered” faith was inspired of the Holy Spirit and witnessed to by the Church which closed the canon.

2. Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit distinct and One at the same time.  At Jesus’ Water Baptism (Matt 3:16-17)

• Father God speaks from heaven
• Jesus the Son, incarnate God baptized in the water
• The Holy Spirit of God descends upon Him
• Example an egg: shell, white and yolk, each existing distinct from the other, but the shell is egg, the white is egg, the yolk is egg; But the egg is only an egg when there are all three.
• One what – three who’s  (Don’t think too hard on this – it’s what makes God the infinite Being that He is and us the finite ones.)

 3.     Evil and Sin are condemned to eternal punishment

• Satan is a real entity and the source of Evil and Sin in the creation
• Hell exists as a real place where unrepentant sinners are condemned to for eternity, where Satan and his angels and demons will be cast for eternity. Jesus told the account of the rich man and Lazarus not as a parable but as a revelation of the unseen eternal world.
• Sin separates man from God and if not reconciled, man is condemned to eternal separation and punishment.

4.     Man’s Fallen Condition requires reconciliation for eternal relationship with God  The Gospel of God’s Kingdom:

• Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God
• Romans 6:23 For the wages (justice due) of sin is death (separation from God) but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
• Romans 10:9-10 That if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

5. Jesus is the Only Way to be reconcile with God

• Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father except through Me.” Madman or Son of God, He must be believed to be one or the other.
• Jesus said He came to seek and save the lost. That was His mission.
• Jesus commissioned the Church “Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Matt. 28:19-20

Five False Teachings of the Neo-Christian movement

A little history here: In the mid to late 1900’s, the great “falling away” or departing from the faith began when denominational churches rejecting the new outpouring of the Holy Spirit denied His power was for today and claimed that all of His gifts had passed away in the early church. Soon after making the above declaration in their formal tenets, most of these denominations also began to depart from the authority of the scriptures. There is no denying the Bible’s teaching that the Holy Spirit’s baptism is for all generations (Acts 2:39) so short of producing a new Bible with only the first four books in it, departing from scriptural authority was the only recourse.  When these denominations rejected the Holy Spirit’s power and the Holy Scriptures’ authority, their message changed to a liberal socio-political gospel, presenting good works as the means to God’s grace. We are now hearing from the liberal church’s next generation, now young adults, who have been raised under this socio-political gospel and have now taken to independent platforms to proclaim it under a different guise as a new progressive Christianity. Satan often uses a little truth mixed with a lie to deceive. If he can’t use sin and shame to steal your faith then he will use good works and pride to steal it. 

2 John 9 warns of teachers who “go too far” and do not abide in sound doctrine. The Foursquare Church, long ago, adopted a statement of moderation in their doctrine prohibiting leading people into extremes of fanaticism; stopping people from “going too far” and missing God. “Going too far”/”falling away” means departing from the tenets of the faith.

• Paul met the same problem daily in his ministry with those who insisted Gentile believers had to keep the Law to keep their salvation. Paul rail against this departure from the faith. Even so today we have some in the Messianic movement still insisting on this false teaching.
• “Going to far” comes in many forms. We knew a couple brought up in the Faith movement who believed that they already had eternal life and would not physically die. If you died, you had lost your faith. That’s really going too far.
• Many of us have known people “going too far” with the prosperity message and falling for every get rich quick scheme as Godly while embracing greed, deceit and lies.
• Prophesying often goes too far without guidance, as our home church experienced years ago with a group of “Prophets” prophesying in name of Jeremiah. That’s not prescribed in the Book! Or a group we encountered in one of our church plants who wanted their prophesied words to be as valid as written scripture and to be followed as God’s Word to His people. That’s the beginning of a cult.

Having given these obvious “going too far” examples, here are the current five “gone too far” teachings of the neo-Christian movement:

1. The Bible is not the only or the main source of God’s Word to humanity. The Scriptures hold good wisdom etc. but are not the infallible word of God nor the exclusive foundation for Christianity and aren’t to be taken literally. Looked upon as a story book, this belief also says other people’s stories have just as much importance so Christians should broaden their book shelf and consult all other writers of spiritual experience and accept their words as from God also.

2. Jesus is one way but every religion has a legitimate right to believe they are also a way to get to God. The result of the tolerance movement. This rhetoric denies Jesus is the only way, the only Lord and Master as Jude warned us. This movement raises the tolerance to acceptance stating other religions should be respected and accepted as just as valid a means to God as Christianity. What is contradictory is that Jesus is still held as the chief personality of neo-Christianity but who is He if He is not the only way.

3. Must have an experience with a spiritual being during prayer. This has opened the door for inter acting with spirit guides, yoga, prayer mantras , other new age activities that open people to the demonic. Check your local denomination’s advertisement to see how prevalent this is.

4. Good Works are more important than Evangelism- Going too far with the idea that God desires justice for the poor over and above salvation for them. To this neo movement, redemption of the poor and saving the earth from man is primary, rejecting as important the promise of eternal life, going to heaven, and even going so far as to question whether there is a heaven and rejecting the idea of hell. This comes from several sources. 1) the liberal church’s gospel, which rejected scriptural authority, establishing a more socio-political message which has now progressed to “mother earth’s” salvation and justice for the trodden down, 2) the Kingdom Now gospel which believes if people can establish the Kingdom of God on earth thru politics and social reform, then and only then will Jesus return to rule and reign and finally 3) neo-Christians who are attempting to reconstruct the purpose of the Church to make social justice its primary mission and all inclusion its gospel.

[Salvation to eternal life is the message Jesus commissioned His disciples to proclaim. Jesus said the poor would always be with us and obliged Christians to minister to them, feeding, clothing and visiting them in jails as they would Jesus Himself, but not to the exclusion of the message of salvation through His blood.  What amazes me here is the incalculable dollars of food and supplies and hundreds of thousands of lives sacrificed by Christians over several centuries feeding, clothing, rescuing the poor, the sick, the enslaved, the incarcerated, etc. is either unknown to this group, ignored or covered up on purpose. The real Church carried on social justice works when it wasn't the popular thing to do for centuries. As for the Save the Earth message, Christians have a responsibility to take care of this planet but in the end God Himself will destroy it. It is not deity.]

5. God is a good God and can only do good and loving thingsso He would never create a place like hell or condemn anyone to eternal punishment. In fact, Christian Universal Reconciliation “goes too far” in saying Jesus’ death reconciled all beings from eternity to eternity back to God, including Satan, his fallen angels and demons, hell and all people who there. There is a complete denial that God is even capable of punishing sin because He is LOVE and a denial that a real hell or heaven exist, for there is no need for either. Wrong doing is punished by its own consequences. We are ultimately judging God if we think He would punish sin which is man’s prime wrong and of which we all need to repent and accept this extreme goodness of God. This is one of the broadest reaching heresies and most devastating to churches across our country, as it seems to afflict the pastors more often than the members, splitting them apart, and scattering the sheep. If you hear this kind of “too far” message in your church, you need to immediately “emerge” through its front doors and make your way to a solid Bible believing place of worship.

Sharing A Word From An Old Friend for 2009:

The following came from an old friend of Pat and me, who pastored in San Diego at the same time as us, Kris Baker…so glad to hear from him and share his word for the new year:

A Word of Encouragement: Cross Your Jordan in 2009

Don’t keep wandering in yesterday’s wilderness as this new year begins. It’s time to challenge your giants and claim new territory.

I spent the last couple of months of 2008 buried in the book of Joshua. Casual readers might dismiss the narrative as nothing more than a description of military conquests, but when I delve into its pages I discover the revelation of Jesus Christ-our “Joshua”-who invites us to engage in a spiritual adventure beyond our wildest dreams.

The message of Joshua has been particularly relevant to me lately because I am contemplating some big transitions in my career. Change is scary-especially in a time of economic crisis. But when I read Joshua’s story I am encouraged to take the risks necessary to claim my spiritual inheritance.

“You are not entering this year alone. Go forward in faith, leave your wilderness behind and take the territory God has given you.”

God is calling many of us today to shift from the wilderness to the promised land. Christians who have grown uncomfortable with the status quo are now contemplating big moves. Likewise, church leaders sense a new stirring to grow their churches and influence our secularized culture. As our desire to impact the world with the gospel grows, we hear the Lord challenging us to take bold steps of faith in 2009.

If you want to see big victories in your personal life, your family and your church in the coming year, consider the path that Joshua and Israel took:

1. Swallow your fears. When it was time to enter Canaan, God had to find a fearless leader. He told Joshua: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous!” (Josh. 1:9).

How would you measure your faith level as you step into 2009? Are you dismayed about your finances or worried about your health? Are you crippled by insecurities? The devil waged psychological warfare against God’s people in 2008 with news of global recession, political uncertainty and the threat of terrorism. Many believers grew anxious, timid and confused.

There is no magic pill to relieve us from fear’s torment. We simply must resist it. We must counter-attack it by confessing God’s Word. When fear says, “God will not provide,” we must respond by saying, “My God will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory.” When fear says, “You will fail,” we must respond by declaring, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

2. Put on your full armor. When it was time to cross the Jordan, Joshua commanded the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh to dress in battle clothes (even though, since their inheritance was on the eastern side of Canaan, this was technically not their battle). Too many of us have excused ourselves from the battle because we don’t think it is ours to fight. Yet 2009 is not a year to sit on the sidelines. It will not be an easy season, but those who are battle-ready will endure and conquer.

You must bathe this year with prayer and praise. Prayerless Christians will not overcome the assaults that are headed our way. Get ruthless with your schedule, even if you must forfeit a movie, a TV show or an extra hour of sleep to spend time with God.

3. Set ambitious goals. What Joshua set out to do in Canaan was impossible, considering Israel’s limited military capabilities. Yet God said to seize Jericho anyway. So Joshua sent spies into the city, and they learned that the inhabitants were actually afraid of them (see 2:9-11). Joshua’s perception of reality changed when He saw the situation through God’s eyes.

How many times have you dismissed a dream because it seemed too big? How many years have you set that aside that dream of starting a ministry, a business or a new career? In Joshua’s case, he stopped going in circles in the wilderness and instead led God’s people to circle Jericho-and the impenetrable walls fell flat! In 2009, find out what God’s big goals are for you and zero in on them.

4. Step in the water. The Jordan was overflowing its banks when God told Israel to cross it. They did not wait until the water level went down (see 3:14-17). In obedience to the Lord, the priests stepped into the water first. Then, after they planted their feet in the rushing current, a miracle occurred and the river stopped flowing.

Sometimes we find ourselves waiting for God to remove our obstacles when He is actually waiting for us to take a step of faith. We are the real barrier. You may feel powerless to stop the river, but you must get your feet wet. Once you start moving in the right direction, He will bring the breakthrough.

5. Consecrate yourself anew. Before Israel could take Jericho, God required a renewal of His covenant (see 5:2-4). Every man who had not been circumcised during the wilderness journey was admitted to surgery! We too have been scheduled for an operation-on our hearts.

Many of us are not ready for the challenges of 2009. We need to set aside time for evaluation, reflection and course correction. We must root out sinful habits, adjust bad attitudes, repent of unforgiveness and destroy idols that have stolen our affections. One excellent way to do this is with fasting. This year many Christians will set aside the first 21days of January to observe a “Daniel fast” consisting of fruits, vegetables and juices. I encourage you to begin your year with this discipline.

6. Expect new provision. After Israel crossed the Jordan their entire economy changed. They had relied on manna from heaven for their daily food, but when they stepped into Canaan they began to eat to produce of the land-and the manna ceased (see 5:12). They went from eating handfuls of strange, mealy powder to enjoying cartloads of milk, honey, grain and meat; they shifted from scanty daily rations to overflowing abundance.

We can wander in the wilderness so long that we grow accustomed to a hand-to-mouth existence. Our faith shrinks with our limited expectations. We forget that the same God who carried us through the lean times also wants to give us wealth so that we can carry out His kingdom work. In this season of economic upheaval, don’t adopt a poverty mentality. Your heavenly Father wants to entrust you with His resources-even during a time when He is bringing economic judgment on the wicked.

7. Expect a visitation. Just before the Jericho miracle, Joshua found himself standing face-to-face with the “captain of the host of the Lord” (5:14). Bible scholars say this was not just an angel-they believe it was the pre-incarnate Christ. This dramatic encounter marked Joshua forever and gave him the faith and courage to lead Israel to victory.

It is the Lord’s presence that will sustain you in 2009, no matter what difficulties you face. The One who fights your battles is in your midst. You are not entering this year alone. Go forward in faith, leave your wilderness behind and take the territory God has given you.

What do Britney Spears, WWE, Gina Carano, Angelina Jolie, and Hurricanes have in common?

What do Britney Spears, WWE, Gina Carano, Angelina Jolie, and Hurricanes have in common? They are the top googled names or events, and most likely you have googled one of them and wound up here looking for information about them.       

What if there was something or someone so much more interesting, exciting and powerful than any of these. Well there is and there is so much more to life than these pop stars, wrestlers and gladiators and scary weather. And if you’ll take a few minutes and check out some of the other posts here you’ll begin to understand what we’re saying. You can read about Spears, Jolie, WWE, Carano, and even hurricanes, watch them on the TV or at the movies, follow their every move if you want, but most likely you will never meet them and they will never know you or speak to you. But there is someone so much greater than any of these, who already knows you and is waiting to talk with you. Jesus is just a prayer away. He will really change your world!! If you don’t know what to pray let us know and we will help you out.   Are you praying for someone else? Read my story of how someone’s prayers changed my life on the tab above.

Inquiries about The Shack

Click on THE SHACK above or http://theriverblog.wordpress.com/the-shack/ for the full discussion on this controversial book.