The Music And The Dance

Recently I came across some good advice that reminded me, by contrast, of something Bonhoeffer pointed out.  If you don’t know his story Bonhoeffer was a German pastor and theologian who was persecuted, imprisoned and eventually killed by the Nazis during World War II.  In his book “Life Together” he writes about Christian community. One of the most interesting things he says is that one of the greatest hindrances to true Christian Community is actually the serious Christian who has very strong ideas of what the Christian community ought to be and very little patience with the community that doesn’t live up to those ideals.

Listen carefully to some of what he says:

He who loves his dream of a community more than the Christian community itself becomes a destroyer of the latter (the community), even though his personal intentions may be ever so honest and earnest and sacrificial. The man who fashions a visionary ideal of community, demands that it be realized by God, by others, and by himself, then enters the community of Christians with his demands, sets up his own law, and judges the brethren accordingly. When things do not go his way, he calls the effort a failure.

Bonhoeffer’s observation came to mind while reading a popular new book titled “Total Church”.  The book includes a great chapter on community. At the end of that chapter the authors give this wise advice to the person who warms to a higher vision of Christian community:

If you warm to this vision of Christian Community, then start where you are. Sell the vision by modeling the vision. Don’t become a pain to your existing congregation telling them everything they are doing is wrong. Become a blessing by offering hospitality, showing practical care, dropping in on people. Create around you a group of Christians who will share their lives and encourage one another in the faith. You might start with your home group (what we call growth groups) Often home groups are little more than meetings. Make yours a community by acting like a community. You don’t have to mount a campaign for change – just get on with it and make community infectious. Create something that other people want to be a part of. And think about whether you could establish a context in which people in your church can hang out together and invite unbelieving friends – something like a regular café night, an open house, or sports practice. (Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, Total Church p. 50)

In other words instead of becoming a critic of the community that exists become a catalyst for change.

I was reading a blog tonight about a book titled “Total Church”. By the way, I’ve read the book and I am reading it again but I just came across the blog which covers some of the same material. (http://theresurgence.com/series/Total_Church?page=2 )

The following resonated with me. It reminded me of experiences I’ve had in the past band encouraged me to be thankful for where we are now.

The author writes:

The guy I first started church planting with used to tell the story of the first time he attended a church business meeting. He’d recently been converted and was looking forward to plotting the downfall of Satan with the other members of the church. What a letdown! They spent the meeting talking about the restrooms in the church building. Somehow churches have a tendency towards maintenance mode.

Over the years I’ve often seen this pull toward “maintanenance mode”. I’m happy to say our leadership and elders have always tried to resist that. Recently I’ve been recharged by several aspects of our ministry at Christ Community that have helped us keep our mission in the forefront.

First of all the church plant. We’re close to the launch of Restoration, the new church we will be planting in Port Orange this October. Already our commitment to church planting and to Restoration in particular has kept a healthy focus on our mission alive at Christ Community. That isn’t always easy in a church that’s been around over twenty years. I’m not sure that missional dynamic has been deeply felt by everyone in our church community but it has affected many. May it continue to do so.

One of the powerful affects of church planting is that it “puts mission at the heart of the church”. When you have twelve people meeting in a room at The Day’s Inn you have to think a lot about how you will reach out to new people. But the other cool thing about church planting is it puts the church at the heart of mission. Evangelism, reaching out to people far from God is too often disconnected from the life of the church as a community. That’s not the New Testament pattern.

Acts 14:21-28: They (Paul and Barnabas) preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. 23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

They didn’t just win people to Christ, they gathered them into local churches and appointed leadership and structure. “Mission is at the heart of the church and the church is at the heart of our mission.” The church-plant is a great expression of both aspects of this Biblical focus.

Another thing that has been helpful in keeping our missional/evangelistic focus has been the addition of new staff. Bradley Robinson as Worship Leader, Casey Johnson for outreach and church-ministries, and Alex Kirk as a pastoral apprentice. I’m encouraged by all these guys. Casey’s position was especially designed to help us develop our outreach and to sustain our missional focus including church planting. This has the potential to be a huge factor for our future. Most churches, once established, continually add new staff whose job descriptions keep them focused on caring for the present congregation. Of course we want and need to care for our congregation but Casey comes to us with a job description designed to also help us stay on course with respect to our mission. That’s not really something different than caring for the congregation it’s an important way to help care for the congregation by keeping us from falling into maintenance mode.

So please be encouraged and pray for this new season we’re facing with end-of-summer ministry initiatives, Church-Planting, ALPHA, MOPS, Porterbrook, Connections, there’s a lot to do in a church that is on a mission.

One of our members, Chuck Horne wrote me this email recently. He’s reading Bonhoffer on “Life Together” and came across a section on confessing our sins to each other. Here’s what he wrote and my response.

I have just read the section on confession of sins to one another and was wondering where our church stands on this practice. I have never really heard it brought up since being at CCC. He brings up some interesting points about sin and a “pious community” saying that this type of community permits no one to be a sinner. Therefore we remain alone with our sin. He says that sin must be brought into the light and by confessing our sins to one another sin loses all its power. It becomes revealed and is judged as sin.He makes another interesting point about the difference between asking God to forgive our sins and confessing to one another. Confessing concrete sins instead of “sin” in general and the cycle of self deception; self forgiveness. “The other believer breaks the circle of self deception. Those who confess their sins in the presence of another Christian know that they are no longer alone with themselves; they experience the presence of God in the reality of the other. As long as I am by myself when I confess my sins, everything remains in the dark; but when I come face to face with another Christian, the sin has to be brought to light.But because the sin must come to light some time, it is better that it happens today between me and another believer, rather than on the last day in the bright light of the final judgment. It is grace that we can confess our sins to one another. Such grace spares us the terrors of the last judgment.”

I have always looked at confession as a “catholic thing” and have never really heard it talked about other than in that context. Where does it fit into CCC’c practices?

This is a great question Chuck. I believe I might have touched on this very briefly when we went through James earlier this year. In James 5, it says “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed.” The problem that I have with the traditional, catholic approach to this is not that believers are asked to confess their sins to each other but that it becomes a required formality that is done only ( I think) with a priest. There isn’t a big emphasis on it in the Scriptures but it most definitely is there. So I think we should practice it but not turn it into a ritualistic thing in which a priest hears your confession in a confessional both and assigns you a penance to do. I have people I confess my sins to and I often have people come to me to confess their sins. It’s just that we do it a little more organically. I like what Bonhoffer writes about it and it makes sense to me. There is something that is not only biblical but healthy and especially helpful about the practice of confession as a spiritual discipline. I encourage it. There has to be some wisdom about what is shared and to whom but a healthy community  of Christians will be a place in which confession to each other is a regular practice. I believe this happens in our church more than you might think.

I quoted Oswald Chambers in the Sermon this weekend so I thought I would share the reading from “My Utmost for His Highest” for today, July 26.

“Out of the heart proceed . . .” Matthew 15:18-20

We begin by trusting our ignorance and calling it innocence, by trusting our innocence and calling it purity; and when we hear these rugged statements of Our Lord’s, we shrink and say—But I never felt any of those awful things in my heart. We resent what Jesus Christ reveals. Either Jesus Christ is the supreme Authority on the human heart, or He is not worth paying any attention to. Am I prepared to trust His penetration, or do I prefer to trust my innocent ignorance? If I make conscious innocence the test, I am likely to come to a place where I find with a shuddering awakening that what Jesus Christ said is true, and I shall be appalled at the possibility of evil and wrong in me. As long as I remain under the refuge of innocence I am living in a fool’s paradise. If I have never been a blackguard, the reason is a mixture of cowardice and the protection of civilized life; but when I am undressed before God, I find that Jesus Christ is right in His diagnosis.

The only thing that safeguards is the Redemption of Jesus Christ. If I will hand myself over to Him, I need never experience the terrible possibilities that are in my heart. Purity is too deep down for me to get to naturally: but when the Holy Spirit comes in, He brings into the centre of my personal life the very Spirit that was manifested in the life of Jesus Christ, viz., Holy Spirit, which is unsullied purity.

DAY 5
MISSION IS MORE THAN EVANGELISM.

In John 20:21 Jesus said, As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. We are sent on a mission which along with sharing the gospel includes others aspects of ministry like community service, and acts of Christ-like love and mercy as we represent Christ in our culture and community.

When Jesus began his public ministry He spoke about the broader impact of his mission and ours. In Luke 4:16-21 it says: He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Jesus spoke about this in a powerful way in Matthew 25. He is describing a day of judgment. He pictures himself praising people for caring for the poor but he puts it personally. In Matthew 25:35 He says: For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ The people he’s praising all ask Him, when did we do this? In verse 40 He says, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ It’s very likely that Jesus is speaking with the prophecy of Isaiah in mind because he mentions the stranger, the hungry and the naked.

Part of our discipleship is to embrace this broader dimension of the mission of Jesus. Stop and think about this aspect of your mission as a follower of Christ. What are some ways you can take part in the larger mission of Christ in the world? How might you be involved in a ministry of community service, in acts of Christ-like love and mercy, representing Christ in our culture and community.

With today’s lesson we’ve covered the four most basic disciplines or habits for healthy spiritual growth and discipleship: 1.) The Word, 2.) Prayer, 3.) Fellowship, and 4.) Mission. The goal now is to build these habits into your daily life for the rest of your life.

DAY 4
PRACTICAL HELP IN SHARING YOUR FAITH.

1. A Personal Prayer list. Pray for God to work in the hearts of people to draw them to Jesus and make them kingdom laborers. This is a great place for all of us to start. Just pray and watch.

2. The Power Of A Personal Invitation. As simple as this sounds there is great power in a personal invitation to attend a Sunday morning service or a special outreach event like ALPHA, MOPS or Christmas Eve. Sometimes people come to church after not attending since childhood. When asked, “What made you decide to come to church at this time?” They answer, “No one ever invited me before.” Or, “I would have come earlier but no one asked.” Surveys have shown that most people come to church because of personal invitations from someone they know. As a result many come to Christ as Lord and Savior. Don’t neglect or dismiss the power of a personal invitation.

3. Welcome! On almost any Sunday people who need to receive Christ may be at our church. Many of them are uncomfortable already. It’s a poor witness to them if they just stand around awkwardly, alone, with no one to welcome them or talk to them. it sends the wrong message altogether if they walk up to a little knot of people and are barely acknowledged as the groups goes on talking about the same thing they were talking about without involving the newcomer. People need to see a reflection of God’s love in our warmth and welcome. Sometimes on the same Sunday someone will say; “this is such a warm and friendly church” and someone else will say “we found this church to be cold and unfriendly.” Why? Because it is really just the 2-4 people who are closest to them that give them their impression of the church. That’s why everyone is so important. Learn to ask questions, to communicate to people that you want to know them better. The truth is most people aren’t cold, they are scared. If you are willing to pay the price to reach out to people, God will honor your efforts.

4. Your Story of faith in Jesus. Your testimony is the story of how you came to trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. There are good examples in the Bible of one person telling others what God has done for them and how they came to believe in Jesus. The apostle Paul often gave his testimony. He generally divided it into three parts. 1.) Before he came to Christ (Acts 22:1-5). 2.) How he came to Christ (Acts 22:6-11) 3.) After he came to Christ (Acts 22:12-21). Developing a similar three point outline for your testimony can give you a powerful tool to use in helping others to find Christ. Pray and watch for opportunities to say: “Someday I’d like to tell you how I came to faith in Christ and what it has meant to me.” Then use the “red light, yellow light, green light” approach.

5. The Bible’s Story, AKA “the gospel”. Know it and how to share it. It’s important to clearly present the truth that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead as Savior and Lord. It’s also important to make clear that we receive forgiveness and eternal life not by works but by faith in Christ alone. This message has power. God uses it to call people to himself.

6. Other Tools: Books, mp3s, articles. In today’s world and culture coming to Christ is often a process. We need a lot of different approaches and the patience to discuss issues of life and faith with people over time. As we love them sincerely, live our faith, pray for their hearts and patiently share the gospel , we can draw on a variety of tools and helps. Some people respond well to books. The Reason for God, by Tim Keller is great for a non-Christian with lots of intellectual arguments. The Prodigal God, also by Tim Keller is an excellent resource for simply sharing the heart of the gospel and of God. An author named Paul Miller has developed an effective Bible study that focuses on the person of Jesus. It’s designed to be used with a non-Christian friend offering them an opportunity to explore the person of Jesus and faith in him. This study can be found at: http://www.seejesus.net/studies/poj/welcome.php

Our church website continually develops more resources to assist us in disciple-making. You can go to
www.cccdaytona.org to download sermon mp3s that are particularly appropriate for your friend. You can also check out our resources section and may often find articles or mp3s you should share and discuss with a friend.

For today’s Bible reading read Philippians 1:3-18 . Look for and note the evidence in Paul’s life for the importance of preaching Christ. By the way, “preach” doesn’t have to mean to shout! It simply means to proclaim, to make known. Write down any notes, observations, or insights in your notebook to share in class. Pray through the Lord’s Prayer outline, including the five people on your evangelistic prayer list. Review your memory verses.

DAY 3
CULTIVATING, SOWING, AND HARVESTING

In 1 Corinthians 3:6 Paul says “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.” It has been said that the work of evangelism (witnessing and leading others to faith in Christ) should be seen much like a farmer sees the work of growing a crop: It involves the processes of cultivating, sowing and harvesting the soil of the human heart. Cultivation prepares the ground. Cultivating involves the building relationships with non-Christians. We should remember that people are not just projects. They are individuals loved by God. We can’t be intimate, lifelong friends with everyone but we can be sincere, caring, authentic, Christ like people. We are not just salespeople trying to manipulate them towards a spiritual decisions. We should never come across like that. By building friendships and reflecting Christ’s love however we do cultivate our friend’s openness to the gospel, the good news about Jesus Christ. In your associations and friendships seek to find common ground with non-believers without compromising your standards. Paul wrote: “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law, I became like one under the law…so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law, I became like one not having the law…so as to win those not having the law. To the weak, I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Cor 9:20-23 )

Where Cultivating softens and opens the heart for the gospel, sowing has to do with planting seeds of truth in the mind. Sowing takes place as you plant seeds of truth and begin to impart an understanding of the gospel. 1 Peter 3:15 says: “…Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” Of course it’s important to continually clarify and deepen your own understanding of the gospel so that you improve your skills in this area. Sharing books, tapes, and tracts, are another good way to sow good seed. Make sure the material you share is good seed! Most important of all depend on the Spirit of God to work in response to your prayers. Remember in 1 Corinthians 3:6 Paul says “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.”

Cultivating prepares the heart, sowing informs the mind but , harvesting addresses the will by encouraging a definite decision to receive Christ. There are often many influences and conversations that precede a persons decision to receive Christ. God may use you as a beginning, middle, or final link. God has not called us just to be harvesters. God may calls us to spend most of our time cultivating and sowing good seed. With many people we may just be one link in the chain of God’s plan for their lives. But every link is important. That’s why we all need to do our part and develop a lifestyle of cultivating, sowing and harvesting!

Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light -

An effective approach to harvesting is the red light, yellow light, green light concept. As you cultivate the relationship and sow seeds of truth, watch for the response you get. Listen to your friend’s words and watch their expression and body language. Their response to your witness gives you either a red light, yellow light or a green light. If they give you a red light, back off, cultivate the relationship and sow more seed gently. If you get a yellow light, a cautious but open response, proceed cautiously but continue to sow seeds of truth. If they give you a green light, maybe its time to invite them to sit down and go through a clear presentation of the gospel.

As part of your quiet time today begin an evangelistic prayer list. Pray for God‘s guidance and then write down five names of people you have some regular contact with. Begin praying daily for their salvation and for opportunities to cultivate and sow seeds of the gospel in their lives. Pray for opportunities to share Christ with them or to invite them to meetings where they will be exposed to the gospel. As you pray through the Lord’s prayer outline, pray for these five people under “Prayer For God’s Kingdom”. For today’s Bible reading read John 1:35-49. Notice especially the role that Andrew and Philip play in leading others to Christ. Write down any notes, observations, or insights in your notebook to share in class. Pray through the Lord’s prayer outline, including the five people on your evangelistic prayer list. Review your memory verses.

Note: In tomorrow’s lesson will give several practical suggestions for presenting the gospel.

DAY 2
THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR WITNESS

William Booth once gave the following allegory, describing it as a vision or dream he had experienced.  He said he once had a vision concerning the conditions of the multitudes. He saw a dark and stormy ocean filled with huge and threatening waves. In that ocean were multitudes of poor human beings shouting, struggling and drowning, they rose and shouted again and then some sank to rise no more. And he saw out of this dark angry ocean a mighty-rock that rose up with it’s top towering above all the dark clouds. And all around the base of this rock there was a vast platform. Onto the platform, he was happy to see a number of poor struggling, drowning people continually climbing out of the angry ocean. And he saw a few of those on the platform who were already safe were working and scheming with ladders, ropes, boats, and other means to help the poor people still in the angry waters to reach the place of safety also. But he went on to say that only a few were really doing much to get the people out of the sea. Although all of them had been rescued at one time or another from the ocean, most of them didn’t seem to care about others just like them all around them who were going under. … many of whom were their own husbands and wives and brothers and sisters and even their own children. This wasn’t because of a lack of knowledge because they could see it happening all around them. They even talked about it some times. Many of them went weekly to meetings where it was discussed. Yet they were busy with all kind of other things… some of them were caught up night and day with business and with storing up their savings in boxes, safes and things like that. Some were amusing themselves growing flowers on the side of the rock, others playing music, or dressing up in different styles and walking around hoping to be admired.

But there was more. At the center of those who were trying to save others was a magnificent person unlike all the others. He was leading the whole work himself and calling for every one who had been saved to help him save others. And yet most of those on the platform who had heard his voice clearly and who felt they ought to obey it – those who confessed to love him and were in complete sympathy with his work who worshiped him or at least professed to do so were all taken up in their jobs, and enjoyments and their families and friends, that they didn’t really listen to what he was saying. He himself was down in the sea rescuing people. But they didn’t care. In fact some of the people on the platform to whom this wonderful person was calling, wanting them to come and help him in his difficult task, were themselves always praying and crying out for Him to come to them!

Some wanted him to come and stay with them and spend time in making them happier. Others wanted him to come and take away various doubts and misgivings, some wanted him to come and help them with the very things that were distracting them. They were crying out “Come to us, help us,” while all the time he was down in among those who were struggling with his arms around the ones who were drowning trying to drag them to safety looking up and longingly calling to them come and help Him! He understood it all. It was plain enough.

Do you understand it? Write your thoughts on the key points of this “vision”:

Read the verses below. Beneath each one write at least one reason for your witness.

Philemon 1:6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

John 15:8 & 16 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last. ….

Matthew 4:19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

John 20:2 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

Your Daily Quiet Time: Today’s reading: 1 Peter 1:9-12. Write down any notes in your notebook to share in class. Pray through the Lord’s Prayer. If you have time review your memory verses.

Mission

In the opening chapter of the gospel of Mark we’re told how Jesus called his first followers. Mark 1:16-18 says: As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. One of the ways God gives us deeper fellowship with Him and a great sense fulfillment in life is by calling us to join him in the important work that He Himself is doing in the world. What is the work that God is doing? God is on a mission to rescue lost people, bring them into a relationship with himself and turn them into disciples of Jesus Christ. That’s our mission also. When we commit to it we find in our surrender to the call of God the greatest significance and fulfillment possible in this earthly life. Later Jesus linked his mission and our mission together. In John 20:21 Jesus said, As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. We are sent on a mission. This mission includes what Paul called the ministry of reconciliation, by which we share the gospel and work through our words and lives to lead others to faith in Christ. But it is not limited to this. It also includes good works, community service, and acts of Christ-like love and mercy as we represent Christ in our culture and community.

Note: Your memory verse for this week is John 20:21 Jesus said, As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.

DAY 1
THE GREAT EVERYDAY COMMISSION

The Great Commission is the familiar name given to the command that Jesus gave his followers in Matthew 28:18-20: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

What are we told to do in Matthew 28:19-20 ?

What are we told about Christ in Matthew 28:19-20 ?

In your own words, what is a disciple?

“A true disciple of Jesus Christ must be involved in evangelism. If he isn’t, then he’s not a disciple but a convert who is still immature in vital areas of Christian discipleship. It is impossible to be a disciple without communicating the gospel.” – Francis M. Cosgrove Jr., Essentials of Discipleship. p.120.

Notice the command is not just to make believers but to make disciples; true followers of Christ. It’s called the great commission because it is the great, overarching purpose or mission in life for each of as individuals, and for the church as well. We make disciples of Jesus first of ourselves, and then of others. It could also be called the everyday commission because it calls us to an everyday lifestyle of winning the lost to faith in Christ, helping them grow as his disciples, and then equipping them to disciples others in the same way.

Keep building the good habit of daily time in the Word of God. Read the Bible (Today’s reading: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21.) Write down any notes, observations, or insights in your notebook to share in class. Pray through the Lord’s prayer outline. Review and reflect on your memory verses.