From stagnant to flowing

W. Oscar Thompson Jr., in Concentric Circles of Concern, says that we are designed to be channels of God's love.

We get that messed up. We love with the goal of being loved. We look for people to love us. But that gets things out of order. If we're serious about adopting a Jesus style, we should love first and love regardless of the love is flowing back.

A few days back I posted about people who feel left out and unloved. No matter what we do, it's not enough for them. Thompson says that is because they have the stream of love flowing the wrong way. They are sitting back and waiting to see who will love them and always have an abundance of people who let them down.

When we focus on being like Christ, seeing and meeting needs in love regardless of how we feel about it, we move from being stagnant to being amazed at how God uses us. We discover purpose in Christ. We stop focusing on how others treat us and instead focus on how we treat others.

It makes sense.

God's Calling But I Don't Know His Ringtone

What is God's calling? We tend to want selfish specifics to help us run our own lives but God's will is larger than us.

What is God calling us to do?
1) Love People
2) Share the Good News
3) Rinse and repeat

Read the New Testament. I appreciate Jesus' style. He valued people, called them by name, visited their homes, fed them and healed them. He showed compassion. The people that got Him ticked were the people who had reduced everything to a set of rules and regulations and lost sight of God's heart.

Most everyone is familiar with the story of the Good Samaritan. A man beaten and bloodied lay penniless in the ditch. Two religious leaders walked right by him and ignored him. It was the Samaritan man who stopped, picked the man up and got him cleaned up. He took him to an inn to rest and heal and he paid his bill! Jesus told us it was this Samaritan hero who understood God's heart.

Then there was the woman that religious leaders dragged in front of Jesus saying they had caught her having sex with a man who was not her husband. Jesus came to her defense in this crowd that wanted to see her dead. Then he told her to go home and live differently.

What is God's will? It is that we live for Him and strive to become more and more like Jesus. When we become more and more like Jesus we cannot ignore the bruised and bloodied, the penniless and the down and out. We cannot turn a deaf ear to the abused and oppressed.

Is it God's will that you take that job? Is it God's will that you buy that car, work extra hours for that promotion? I think we've probably got things out of order. Instead we should ask, "How can I better love, share and introduce people to Hope in Christ?"

James was pretty straight forward as he wrote, "Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world." (Jas. 1:27)

Getting out my "God" stamp

How many times have I said, "I don't feel like God is calling me to that?" Or, "God is urging me to ..."

If I'm honest, I think 99% of the time it comes down to me using some spiritual language to justify what I do or do not want to do. I give it the "God" stamp without even truly seeking God to get His direction. I use God.

I've had people tell me what God wants me to do. I've also had people tell me what God wants me to stop doing. Some have told me they see His anointing at the same time as others level criticism and declare something dead, nonspiritual or not "meaty" enough. How can that be? Has God really anointed at the same time as He has left us high and dry? It makes no sense unless you allow that people tend to use God to make their points.

Today I had the opportunity to listen to someone tell me that God would rather have me put my efforts into meeting needs in Maine rather than heading to New Orleans with a team intent on meeting needs there. I wonder how they know that. Did he wake them up and tell them? Wouldn't it have been more effective to wake me and tell me directly? Why the middle man? I'm pretty sure I would have received my brother better if he came expressing his opinion and seeking our reasoning rather than posing as God's spokesperson.

Why am I taking a team to New Orleans? Simply? Because our Guatemala trip didn't work out and people wanted to return to continue the work we started. God never told me to go to New Orleans. But He never told me not to go either. He's provided over $35,000.00 for us though. Is that evidence of His endorsement? Doors closed on Guatemala and opened for New Orleans. God or coincidence?

It's like the woman who poured the perfume on Jesus feet. Some people got wound up about the expense of the perfume having had a better use than a foot wash. Jesus didn't get wound up about it though.

"God wants me to go to this school, buy this house, get a new car, marry this person." I hear it a lot but I'm not sure what it all means. Does it mean that God endorses whatever we feel strongly about or does God make us feel strongly and thereby give His direction? If the latter is the case, God wants me to eat a lot of donuts because I sure do want them and I like them far too much.

I think we use God to endorse our plans and support our arguments. I think, at least when I read Scripture, that God desires that we represent Him well, serve as ambassadors for Jesus and love others. Beyond that I read that if we delight ourselves in the Lord that He will give us the desires of our hearts (which become like His heart when we delight in Him.)

If we would worry about following Christ in our own lives, the logs in our own eyes would become so apparent that we would probably stop worrying so much about the splinters in the eyes of others.

If we would worry about the clear and direct teaching of Scripture and become Christlike, I doubt we would have much time to worry about styles of worship, dress codes and shortcomings. I bet our criticisms would be swallowed up by a desire to be supportive and lend a hand.

More thoughts on slander

Slander? Whoa, that's a strong word! After my last blog I have continued to wrestle with how to care for the person who has nothing good to say. Are they ripping apart the Christian community and doing more harm than good? Are they sinning? Or, are they pointing out weaknesses and sin?

In confronting sin, Matthew 18 gives us clear direction. If we choose not to privately address the brother who has sinned against us and instead choose to air our hurt to everyone who will listen, we go against the clear teaching of Scripture. If we hang on to bitterness, we choose sin. If we decide to take up arms instead of turning the other cheek, we choose sin.

Our counsel has to be clear with the hurt brother or sister who comes to us with a list of shortcomings. "Have you talked to the person who hurt you privately?" And then, when they say they haven't or can't, we have to be firm that they must do what Scripture teaches and that we won't hear it anymore until they have been obedient to Scripture. We have to trust God that He will minister to them through the process He has prescribed. We have to resist the temptation to get in the middle.

And then, if they continue slandering and maligning their brothers and sisters in the body, we need to take a Matthew 18 approach with them to confront their sin. Slander and malicious gossip is a sin that divides and undermines. It takes the wind out of the sails and takes our focus off working to reach those around us with message of hope in Christ.

What if someone just refuses to be included?

Nobody likes me,

Everbody hates me,

Guess I'm gonna eat some worms.

One of the most painful things in ministry comes when someone you have opened your home to, invited time after time and tried to include sits back, folds their arms and with a resolute look says, "No one likes me here."

The first time I hear it, it makes me sad and I try harder. I bend over backwards to say hello and work to include. I begin to notice that most of these folks are just not joiners. It is like they are determined to be outsiders. They remove themselves, physically and emotionally and normally find one or two others who will join them in their misery.

The second time I hear it, I tend to point out what I have witnessed. I mention times I have seen them withdraw from people who have been trying to reach out and I list off examples. It never matters. It falls on deaf ears and I feel powerless.

The third time I hear it I get angry because I know that people have been trying and have been refused, shunned and even treated rudely. Still, the finger points and the voice is the same, "No one likes me here and I don't this place."

It takes every ounce of self-control I can muster to not stand on my chair and scream, "MAYBE YOU ARE TOTALLY UNLIKEABLE!!! No matter what we do for you it is not enough. What is your problem???"

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But what about the sheep who stays around and is perpetually negative about everything and everybody? What are we to do with them?
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When is enough, enough? I've been looking for examples of how Jesus dealt with difficult people. You know what? I can't find examples of Him chasing after people who really don't want to be around Him. I can't find examples of the apostles cow-towing to people within the church who were whining. Paul tended to be pretty tough on them and told them to shutup and put on love.

Yes, we're to go after the "lost sheep" and the one who is wandering away. But what about the sheep who stays around and is perpetually negative about everything and everybody? What are we to do with them?

As I read Scripture it looks to me like we are to urge people to press on to majurity in Christ and call the whining, complaining and slandering what it is; sin. If they consistently refuse to recognize their own responsibility to love their brothers and sisters in Christ as a response to Jesus, we need to confront them again with another brother or sister. If they continue to just want to place blame, I've come to the place of being direct and telling them it is time to stop tearing and dividing and move on peacefully.

Plainly, I just can't find anywhere in Scripture which encourages these folks to justifiy their behavior on how they perceive others are failing them.

As far as it is possible, we are to be at peace with all people but if it's impossible all we can do is pray.

Are we making the grade?

What is success? Here in the United States success normally has measurable markers. In sales we measure success by comparing the number of units sold with similar data from an earlier time. In academia we measure success using a score of 0-100 supplies by a teacher who either gives a subjective rating or reports the result of exams. In the church we often measure success by the number of seats filled, how many baptisms are performed, membership roles and budgets.

Bill Fay, in Share Jesus Without Fear, presents an idea that is difficult to digest. Can we be successful in evangelism without measurable data? Fay believes we can be successful regardless of the result because we have been obedient and faithful when we dare share. His presentation is encouraging for the Christian who has felt like a failure.

I agree with him. When we put evangelism in its proper perspective, we see that we cannot remain quiet but are to offer an answer for the hope within us with gentleness and respect and then trust God to do what He wills. It is God who draws people to Himself. In that sense, Fay relieves the feeling of responsibility and fear of failure and thereby gives his readers confidence to step out and share.

"Church people are mean."

We've been trained to present information. In fact, we offer class after class focusing on evangelism, discipleship, mission and ministry but rarely give people the opportunity to step out and put an incarnational ministry (being like Christ) approach into practice.

Our neighbors have heard our information. They have read our tracts. And they have seen how we treat a waitress who is running behind because of a coworker calling in sick. Information without evidence of transformed life in Christ is usually ineffective and perhaps does more harm than good.

I remember taking a group of teens to participate in a phone bank for a church plant. It was our job to call through a list and ask if people were church attenders and then to invite them to try out the church plant if they were unchurched. I was upset by the conclusion my group made after their experience. Sixteen year old Judy summed it up saying, "Church people are mean."

Perhaps it was just a bad day but we did find that the most hangups and rude responses came from people who identified themselves as church attenders. We had great conversations with numerous unchurched people. I had hoped that church people would encourage our kids for serving and be excited about an effort to reach people for Christ but that was far from what took place.

We have to demonstrate the love of Christ through having a true servant heart. Informational and incarnational must go hand-in-hand if we are to impact people for Christ. If we simply serve without presenting the information we fail to introduce Jesus. If we give information without valuing people and being willing to serve, our message falls on deaf ears. We must earn the right to be heard.

Person X

What is evangelism? Is it approaching a stranger on the street and offering them a canned sales pitch? Is it simply living life and letting people ask what makes you tick? Or maybe sharing Christ is like blowing bubbles where we just keep the words going and see where they light.

It seems like Christians are either over zealous and brash with an "all-up-in-yo-grill" type of approach or, at the other extreme, they are nearly invisible never speaking out of fear of invading someone's personal space.

What is evangelism like in the bible? I see Jesus talking with people with compassion, respect and firm authority. Some of them are complete strangers to Him. And then I see others being introduced to Christ through relationships.

I know I want to be more bold. I know I don't want to be obnoxious. I know I shouldn't be invisible. Where is the balance?

Do I approach "person x" randomly on the street or do I simply pray, "Lord, bring someone across my path today so that I can share the hope of your message?"

I begin there.

The barriers we erect.

Moving from a modern to a postmodern age requires a change in our approach to evangelism. When I began fulltime ministry back in 1985 I found that my evangelism efforts required three main components. First, I had to work to define the soul. Second, I had to demonstrate a deficiency in the soul (sin). Third, I had to present a solid argument and defense for Christianity and provide what Josh McDowell called the "evidence that demands a verdict."

Today I find that the majority of people under age 40 believe they are spiritual beings and possess a soul. They believe there are forces that cannot be explained and are open to the supernatural though most have a negative inclination toward Christianity and are suspicious of the institutional church.

The societal change has required that I move from skilled debater trying to win the argument to open participant willing to engage and challenge others to consider the claims of Christ. I believe this is more like the age of the apostles than the modern age.

Today's preChristian tends to belong, become and then believe whereas the generation past first believed and then changed behavior and then was welcomed into fellowship. This sets up a fair amount of conflict for moderns who are largely unwilling to have messy people in their midst. They want them to come to Christ but are often unwilling to allow them the time they need to process what that means.

A welcoming community helps them first belong. It welcomes them and loves them and walks beside. As the pre-Christian finds belonging he begins to adjust behavior and then comes to a place of fully believing.

What does this mean in practical terms? It means allowing the seeker the opportunity to get involved before he has inked his contract with Christ. It means changing our paradigm to recognize entry points that have traditionally been reserved for Christians only. Contracts and applications do little but erect barriers between the under 40 crowd and the opportunity to enter in and observe believers in action. Clearly some positions must be reserved to be filled only by people who have committed relationships with Jesus but are there others where we have been to aggressive in listing qualifications?

Ministries that profess wanting to reach kids with the gospel often send a clear message to kids that they are not welcome to participate until they change their behavior. No MP3 players, no smoking, dress codes, no cell phones, no skateboards and the list goes on. What does that communicate?. I think we are clearly communicating that they must first change their behavior before we will even give them the opportunity to hear the gospel.

I believe ministry is messy. I believe it was messy in Jesus' day. Imagine a place where people extend grace and are more concerned about people than how they dress and whether they have tatoos or not.

Yes, I am a bit of a noncomformist. I pierced my ear for awhile a couple years ago (at 43) as an experiment. Sadly, I discovered biases that just about sunk me. Some were downright rude. My worth and credibility changed because of a stud in my ear.

People outside the church usually see us as a pretty uptight and self-righteous bunch. Why? Because we are.

CURRENT READING: The Art of Personal Evangelism

As I read chapter 1, I found Will McRaney's seperation of "relationship" and "community" a new and somewhat refreshing point of view. It is true, as he points out so well, that all of Scripture demonstrates God's desire for relationship. In comparing world religions, Christianity is the only one that shows deity pursuing mankind. That is a significant point that provides a framework for understanding God's character.

Then, by identifying community as the place where those in relationship with God gather, McRaney makes a distinction I had not heard before. I had always viewed it as though man was in community with God but McRaney is right, man is in relationship with God and community with fellow believers.

Relationship brings strength and character to community. It is the reason we can take such a diverse group of people and see them experience true bonds of community. It is their relationship with God that enables them to develop strong relationships with one another and a community that demonstrates His love to a world searching for meaning.

How does this effect the way we do evangelism? I think it gives us focus and perspective. While we certainly need to welcome and accept everyone, we need to remember that providing a warm and friendly place to belong does not signal an end to our responsibility. We have to make sure that we follow through and focus on every person in our midst having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.