My pastor recently gave a sermon about Jesus the great shepherd from John 10. He emphasized how Jesus loves us, pursues us (even leaving the 99 to come after us), and saves us. Then he emphasized how important it is for us to listen and recognize the voice of our shepherd. Thank God we have this wonderful shepherd in Jesus.
In this same passage, Jesus says that there is a thief. This thief’s motives are to steal, kill, and destroy. The apostle Peter makes a similar reference in his letter to the church.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NIV)
If our enemy is on the prowl and seeking to devour and destroy us, it behooves us to understand his tactics, and then to be sober-minded and alert. Deception, division and distraction are his best and most-often-used tools.
Deceit
The apostle John, who identifies the devil as a thief, gives us more insight.
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44 NIV)
The devil is a liar and deceiver. In the garden of Eden, he beguiled Eve and caused her to doubt God. Satan embedded the notion that God is holding back and cannot be trusted, when in fact he is the one who cannot be trusted. He is the liar who twists God’s words.
He continues to gaslight humanity by planting the seeds of disbelief. How can there be a good, loving God when there is so much evil in the world? Why would an invisible, distant God be concerned about my personal choices and moral behavior, when self-expression and personal happiness are the higher good for me? Why did a good God let my loved one die when he could have intervened? The emotional doubt and moral dilemmas have worked well to keep many people in a state of disbelief.
Division
For those of us who have tasted and seen that God is good and live as believers, we are still at risk to the devil’s tactics. One he loves to use is division — separation by differences of opinion or feeling, disagreement, dissension, contention. In other words, the opposite of unity.
At the root of division is the presence of sinful pride. This wrongful, self-centered, sense of superiority is what caused the archangel Lucifer to fall and to become Satan.
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! … For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne … I will sit also upon the mount … I will ascend above the heights…I will be like the most High. (Isaiah 14:12-14 NIV)
It is the seed of pride that causes us to esteem ourselves above others and to think more highly of ourselves than we should. (Lucifer, drunk with pride, thought he could displace God.) It is this arrogance that alienates us and erodes the communities of our families, neighborhoods, and churches. It is the handiwork of the destroyer.
Distraction
Unified believers are prey to the devious tool of distraction. We live in an age where “busyness” is given an elevated status. You must be important because you are so busy. Full calendars and constant action have been the primary metrics for success.
Jesus imparted words of wisdom throughout his brilliant Sermon on the Mount that give us timely knowledge that can help us in the 21st century.
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? (Matthew 6:24-25 NIV)
In essence, he is saying that being overly anxious about our physical existence and physical needs can easily dominate our life. Our time and attention can be fully occupied with the pursuit of money and goods, which chokes out the flow of our relationship to our God and Savior. Serving God, seeking his kingdom and righteousness, is the chief master we attend to, and then we can rest assured that all the physical needs will be met.
Conclusion
I very seldom talk about the devil. I believe the advice given in the book of James that tells me when I submit myself to God, the devil’s only option is to flee far from me. However, I find it helpful to know that the tools of deceit, division and distraction are the methods by which the enemy can gain a foothold. So as Peter exhorts, let’s be alert and sober-minded, and as my pastor says, let’s listen to the true voice of the good shepherd.
I hope the title caught your attention. I also hope that it didn’t frighten or intimidate you.
Often, when we talk about the Christian life, we need to break it down and simplify it. Dr. Barry Corey does a great job of this in his book, Love Kindness. Allow me to share an enlightening section.
Living a life of radical kindness, a life that others are watching, means owning up to the fact that our lives are messy and uncertain, our roads are crooked. We don’t have it all together. The kind life acknowledges that we have little true certainty, a claim that seems so countercultural. The wonder in which we live as people of the Spirit is that the wind of the Spirit – as the Gospel of John says – “blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (3:8). It blows without our logic and where it pleases. As my home church pastor said, “God is totally reliable but hardly predictable.” (p. 30)
What I take from the wisdom of John, Barry, and Barry’s pastor, is that I am in a relational journey with Jesus and guided by the Spirit. My idea of getting from point A to point B is not typically the map the Spirit has in mind. A recent example was when I was on a three-day golf vacation with a group of professional people ranging from doctors to lawyers, and business owners to politicians. A neighborhood friend invited me to participate. Three of us were on the balcony one night, observing the stars and anticipating the solar eclipse that was to happen in a few days.
I was expecting the conversation to ebb toward science and evolution, and the Spirit took it in another direction — a creation that demands a Creator. Then a follow-up question was, “What is this Creator up to?” I suggested that what we were experiencing at our retreat is exactly what the Creator wants for all his children — friends who are for each other, sharing fun (like golf), good food, and healthy relationships. One guy exclaimed, “That would be Nirvana.” I said Jesus called it the kingdom of God, and my friend let out a resounding, “Hallelujah.” The Spirit blows where he wills.
There is a popular and provocative quotation from C.S. Lewis when Mr. Beaver answers Lucy’s question about Aslan, the Lion. Lucy asks if Aslan is safe, and Mr. Beaver replies, “Safe? … Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” (The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe)
This quote helps us to think more deeply about the triune God, especially Jesus. In Lewis’ allegory, Aslan represents Jesus. We’ve already discussed the fascinating and mysterious way the Spirit moves through our lives and through us to reach others. My good friend, Dr. Gary Deddo, a theologian who teaches a graduate course on the writings of Lewis, provided this overview of Aslan.
Given all that Aslan says and does through all the Chronicles and what he says about God in his other discursive works, I believe, represents the fact that God’s will and actions are not exactly predictable. He cannot be threatened or bribed, manipulated or compromised. He is implacably opposed to evil and will one day obliterate it. He can and will oppose us if needed. He can lead us or put us into dangerous and challenging situations—but what he does do and how he does lead is for our truest and best good—even when we can’t see or understand it now. Aslan teaches us that, in retrospect, one day, we will see that it was all coming from his wise, loving and life-giving purpose for us and all. Just as we see in the incarnate life of Jesus, Lord of lords and King of kings.
Being in awe of God and embracing his majestic and mysterious ways is hugely important to living a gospel lifestyle. Then giving over to the spiritual fruit of kindness towards others will allow us to have those incredible opportunities to speak of the kingdom of God. That evening on the balcony with my two golf buddies was all about listening to them, praying silently for Jesus to tangibly meet us in our conversation, and then to simply state that the kingdom of God is about right, peaceful relationships among all people under the sovereignty of Jesus. Can I get a hallelujah?
Development is the greatest need for GCI, especially for the preparation of future ministry leaders, pastors, and church planters. We have long understood our need for training and development, and we believe Ministry Training Centers (MTCs) are essential for our future. The development of MTCs is part of our vital strategy to reach the younger generation. We want to invest in them, to equip them, to bless them, and to empower them to populate our churches, which are positioned for renewal, with fresh leadership. The MTC strategy also includes maintaining an intentional focus on planting new churches. We will celebrate the day a church with an MTC gives birth to a daughter church.
Our Development Coordinator is Cara Garrity. Her responsibilities include overseeing MTC sites across all six GCI regions to maintain alignment with the Home Office. She had this to say about the key ingredients needed to establish an MTC: “If you are baking a cake and you leave out the salt, baking powder, or any key ingredient, you will not end up with a cake.”
We believe that the following are key ingredients for MTCs:
We understand that an MTC must grow out of a church body that is in renewal displaying healthy ministry.
It is important to understand that it is a church that has an MTC and not a fledgling MTC that aspires to be a church. This foundation is vital to the overall vision.Renewal is measured by the presence of the following three components:
Love Avenue: This happens with a healthy church that is missionally minded and missionally engaged. Deep relational connections are being made as the church engages and serves the neighborhood in established rhythms. The congregation’s gifts and resources are leveraged in ways that match the context and needs of the neighborhood. It is the love of Christ that compels us to proclaim the message and connect with those who don’t yet know they are reconciled!
Hope Avenue: Under the guidance of a capable pastor and a competent ministry team, the healthy church clearly knows their purpose for when and why they meet (e.g. a worship service is worshipful, and Jesus is always the focal point). In the Hope Venue, inclusive gathering happens with clarity and purpose.
Faith Avenue: Disciple making and community building is happening in an established small groups ministry and in short-term missions. Intentional disciple making is happening in this Avenue, and Christian community is continually being built.
This kind of missional environment is the best place for the healthy development of ministry interns, pastoral residents, pastors, and leaders. We have learned from past experience that it works better to cluster ministry interns and pastoral residents at MTCs where they will experience a synergistic learning environment. Ministry interns we assigned in the past often felt individually isolated, and believed their means for healthy learning was limited. Intentionally grouping young leaders together in the MTCs will be our guiding practice going forward.
We envision a financially stable congregation housing an MTC. We expect that an MTC congregation will be or will become financially stable and have capable financial leadership in place with the pastor and treasurer. Church Administration and Development (CAD) will assist the church in developing a thorough, long-term financial plan for the official launch of an MTC. CAD will also provide training and coaching for fundraising.
We see the MTC as a ministry educational center that will become the hub for regional training. The MTC will support emerging leaders, existing pastors, and ministry leaders across the region for the building up of the church. The superintendents and regional directors can work collaboratively with the MTC Pastor and MTC Coordinator to design and offer intensive courses that can benefit the ministry interns and pastoral residents, as well as pastors and leaders from across the region. Grace Communion Seminary (GCS) and Ambassador College of Christian Ministry (ACCM) can be partners in providing courses.
We believe these key roles are essential to an MTC:
Lead Pastor: A strong pastor who is leading a healthy congregation on the trajectory of renewal and is actively equipping the saints to participate in the ministry of Jesus. The pastor will develop a mentoring relationship with each of the ministry interns.
MTC Coordinator: This individual (possibly an existing associate or assistant pastor) will complement the work of the pastor. The MTC Coordinator’s primary purpose is to develop and supervise ministry interns and pastoral residents in conjunction with other ministries within the church. Each global region, along with their superintendent, will determine the opportunity to fund the role of MTC Coordinator, with the long-range goal of the MTC fully supporting this staff position.
Regional/National Director: This leader is a vision caster to help the healthy church see how it can be more intentional in the development of the younger, emerging leaders. This leader acts as a consultant to the MTC in its early days to monitor its progress and to help with challenges that may arise. This leader also keeps the regional focus and collaborative process alive.
In October 2018, when Dr. Joseph Tkach handed the baton of presidential leadership to me, I shared with the audience that the MTC strategy was part of my vision for GCI. It has been a work in progress, and it is starting to take shape. I congratulate the Latin American region on the launch of an MTC in Grace Communion Bogota on June 30. (In Spanish, it’s known as the CEM, Centro de Entrenamiento Ministerial.) Superintendent Heber Ticas gives a glowing report here.
Please join me in praying for God to show us where MTCs need to be developed and supported!
When we read through the Old Testament, we see many occasions where an altar was built. These altars symbolized meaningful encounters with God and were often places of sacrifice and communion with him.
Genesis is filled with examples of altars built by the patriarchs:
A place of sacrifice and thanksgiving — The first altar recorded in Scripture was built by Noah after he and his family left the ark. The Bible says the offering was a pleasing aroma to God, who responded by promising to never again curse the ground because of humankind (Genesis 8).
A place of promise, leading to covenant — We read about several altars that Abraham built, each seemingly with a different purpose, but all leading to the covenant God made with Abraham. Here are some places where he built altars:
Shechem — Here the Lord first promised Abraham that his offspring would inhabit the land that was currently inhabited by the Canaanites (Genesis 12). This could be called an altar of hope.
Mamre in Hebron — Abraham followed God’s lead and left his family land and went where God led him. Here God expanded his promise by promising Abraham that his offspring would own all the land he could see (Genesis 13). This could be called an altar of faith.
Moriah — Here Abraham built an altar to sacrifice his son Isaac. Of course, God never intended Isaac to die and was confirming to Abraham that he was different than the pagan gods. He is a God who fulfills his promises. Here Abraham earned the name, friend of God (Genesis 22). This proved to be an altar of love.
A place of worship — When Isaac returned to Beersheba, the Lord renewed the covenant he had made with Isaac’s father, Abraham. Isaac’s response was to worship (Genesis 26).
A place of personal engagement (literally wrestling with God) — The Lord met Jacob in a crisis as he fled from his brother’s vengeance, and the next day, he built an altar at that place (Genesis 28 and 32).
Several others who built altars include Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, Saul, David, Solomon, and Elijah. These altars were for communion with God.
Pastor Jack Hayford sums up the meaning of altars quite well. “There is a place of ‘altaring’ and a price of ‘altering.’ Altars have a price–God intends that something be ‘altered’ in us when we come to altars. To receive the promise means we make way for the transformation.” God is not simply pouring out random blessings on us. He is intentionally engaging us for an active relationship and shaping us into the image of his Son.
The grandest altar given to us is the cross of Calvary. When we celebrate communion, we celebrate that the Son of God chose to become the ultimate sacrifice, and his atoning work on the cross reconciled all humankind to God. This altar of selfless sacrifice made it possible for our sins to be forgiven, for our lives to be infused with meaning, and to give us the promise of eternal life shared with him in his glorious, eternal kingdom.
There is no greater promise or covenant that can be made than for Jesus to offer us eternity in paradise with him. There is no greater personal engagement than for Jesus to make his home in us and to abide in our very lives. There is no greater act of worship than to come to the table and remember Jesus in the elements of the bread and wine.
He is our hope, our faith, and our love. Each time we come to the altar of the table, it alters us a little bit more and continues to draw us deeper into relationship with our Savior and king. May God fill us with wonder every time we come to the table and commune with Jesus.
Dr. Jeff Broadnax has been representing GCI with racial reconciliation initiatives held by the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). I recently asked Jeff to represent me at a gathering in Montgomery, Alabama. His letter below gives the details of this visit. We have strategically placed his letter in this issue of Update as a good introduction to the similarity training that will be held at each of the Regional Gatherings this summer. Thank you, Jeff, for your instructive and inspirational insights.
I was honored to represent GCI, along with more than sixty leaders and ministry members, on the NAE’s Racial Justice and Reconciliation Collaborative. For two days, we interactively discussed the Christian church’s response to racism, injustice, and social, cultural, and political division in America.
We gathered in Montgomery at the Legacy Sites established by the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). Fueling our discussions and reflections were messages from NAE President, Dr. Walter Kim, Dr. Bernice King (daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.), Dr. Christina Edmonson, and EJI Founder, Bryan Stevenson. We toured the Legacy Museum, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice (devoted to the victims of racial terror lynchings) and the newly opened Freedom Monument Sculpture Park [pictured above].
I felt like one of the pilgrims in Jerusalem on Pentecost. Peter’s compelling witness about the life and ministry of Jesus went beyond simply reciting teachings received as Jesus’ disciple. Peter’s narrative recounted his freshly baptized and restorative experience of Jesus’ calling, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, and personalized sending.
Peter unashamedly proclaimed hard truths to all with ears to hear because he understood that it was by hard truths that Jesus enabled his own ears and eyes to be spiritually opened afresh. The garden of Gethsemane, Pilate’s courtyard, the upper room, and the shores of the Sea of Galilee, among others, were key moments with Jesus that shaped Peter’s passionate witness to “strengthen his brothers.”
So convicting and compelling was Peter’s message, that the pilgrims cried out, “Friends, what should we do?” The answer was clear. “Turn to God and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38 CEV).
Every Jesus-follower’s responsibility is to listen for and hear truth from God, then respond by sharing it. While in Alabama, I saw and heard of the wonders of God “in my own language,” and the Holy Spirit took me deeper into some hard truths regarding racial justice and reconciliation in the Body of Christ.
Christian leaders gathered for the NAE Racial Justice and Reconciliation Collaborative
While sitting in the very same room where enslaved people were chained and examined before being auctioned off, Bryan Stevenson shared his visionary calling from God to confront the darkness of historical, current, and future racial division and injustice with the disinfecting light of truth and reconciliation found in Jesus. He chose Montgomery as the site for these museums because Montgomery represented the heart of racial division in America.
Montgomery was the site where Jefferson Davis was sworn in as the President of the Confederate States of America in 1861, and it was where Alabama governor, George Wallace, proclaimed in his 1963 inaugural address, “I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.”
These two days of Christian discussions and experiences of hard racial truths of American history were by no means my first. I have visited over a dozen major sites addressing America’s racial history. However, I can say, this experience was the most personalized.
You see, my paternal grandparents and great grandparents were born and raised in this racialized part of the south in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. With God’s help, they navigated in real time the hard truths I was learning about 160 years later.
Before arriving in Montgomery, I toured other key sites of the civil rights movement in Birmingham. I sat in my car and listened to Dr. King read his letter from that very jail to local Christian pastors calling them to experience a metanoia and join Jesus in the ministry of racial justice, inclusion, and reconciliation. (The Greek word metanoia means to change one’s mind.)
I then visited my great grandparents’ graves in the small, unkept cemetery at the end of a rural dirt road. I wanted to share a time of prayerful lament, thanksgiving, and worship to God for his faithfulness in allowing me to live out the dreams they only saw in their mind’s eye. While kneeling there in the Holy Spirit’s comfort, I was also convicted of some personal divisive darkness needing cleansing in Jesus. That’s how he works.
The Christian church, as ambassadors of reconciliation, must shine God’s disinfecting light of grace and truth into the dark brokenness of sin that hides, resides, and at times gets expressed within human interactions. GCI embraces this mandate and at the Friday sessions of the Regional Gatherings this summer, I will lead a Christ-centered equipping workshop designed by Pastor Miles McPherson, called, The Third Option Similarity Training exploring relational oneness in Jesus.
Once washed and compelled by the reconciling forgiveness in Jesus, I humbly look forward to asking the “What shall we do?” question to those ready to explore the hard truths guiding the ministry and message of reconciliation.
From the editor: To our U.S. readers, may you have a meaningful Juneteeth observance! If your fellowship held a Juneteeth celebration with your neighbors, tell us about it. Send your story to elizabeth.mullins@gci.org.
In my term as GCI President, I have worked with many of our longtime leaders helping to process them into retirement. It has been a privilege to come alongside these fine people. Whatever role you play in the life of the church, please realize you perform this service for a season. That’s an important lesson that I have learned. We are all interim servants. Yes, the ranges of time vary, but eventually, we will all be replaced.
Can we think about transitions with advanced planning and preparation? Succession may not be immediate, yet I suggest that it is urgent. It deserves our attention and care.
Whether you are a pastor, a ministry Avenue champion, or another position of leadership, what would advance planning and preparation look like? The critical question is, “Who are you bringing along beside you?” What traits are you looking for? Let’s consider what Paul wrote to his young protégé Timothy.
The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way— for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil. 1 Tim 3:1-7 NRSVA
If a person is going to be an overseer of a congregation, fellowship group, or Avenue, there are markers that cannot be overlooked. I see these markers fitting into three categories.
Character
We are talking about the faithfulness of Jesus being evident in the life of a mature believer (not a novice). There are several examples in this passage that call to mind an often-overlooked gift of the Spirit — self-control. Self-control includes being moderate in food and drink and displaying an even temperament and emotional stability. These are fundamentals that must be present.
I challenge us to think about character from the standpoint of action and how we, as followers of Christ, engage others. Biola University President, Dr. Barry Corey, said that we Christian leaders need to live with a firm center and soft edges. I believe what he was saying is that we must be firmly centered in relationship with Jesus — loving him whole-heartedly, and then allowing his love and grace to extend to our neighbor through our actions and words. Jesus told us the new commandment was to love others as he loves us — he set the example of how to love. He also told us that dedication to and participation in the two great commands encompasses the entire message of the law and the prophets. You may not have thought of character in this fashion, and yet Jesus summarizes the message of the Bible in the call to love God and to serve others. Jesus, who was full of grace and truth, wants us to be likewise.
Credibility
Credibility can be described as reliability and trustworthiness demonstrated through relationships. An example might be a faithful, loving spouse, an attentive parent who manages the household well, or a good neighbor with a good reputation (not a brawler or heavy drinker at the local bar, etc.).
Corey wrote a book with the simple title, Love Kindness. As he interacts with faculty and staff, he finds that being kind has great rewards. On the day that the board meeting of the National Association of Evangelicals was hosted on the Biola campus, Corey was observed walking down the sidewalk with a box of doughnuts enroute to the custodial offices. He was demonstrating appreciation to staff members who are often overlooked. This was not a difficult task, but to acknowledge coworkers with something as simple as a doughnut is an act of kindness.
Calling
Paul, as a leader called by Jesus (remember the Damascus Road), possessed God-given discernment to know what to look for and see in others as emerging leaders. He recorded the sound advice above for Timothy.
I suggest that other veteran leaders in the church would also have this same kind of discernment to ask and answer, “What do we see in this individual?”
Then what about the individual? What do they see in themselves? Do they desire the role of a leader? Do they see how God has been preparing them along the way? Will he or she continue as an eager learner? Are they enthused and energized by the calling? As current leaders, it is crucial to have these kinds of conversations with protégés as they are developing.
It is important that we pay heed to Paul’s instructions that continue in verse 8. For any person taking on a service role in the life of the church, these instructions are relevant.
Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not indulging in much wine, not greedy for money; they must hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them first be tested; then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons. 1 Tim 3:8-10 NRSVA
Servant leaders need to be above reproach and demonstrate the evidence of a Christlike life. Holding the “mystery of the faith” is non-negotiable. This means believing in the triune God revealed in Jesus, trusting in him for salvation, and finding depth of identity in a personal relationship with him. Others can follow this person because they are following Jesus.
Our shared GCI vision for Healthy Church includes the expectation of healthy leaders who are actively recruiting other women and men who can be prepared to step up. As GCI President, it is my desire to see leaders like you and me embrace the reality of our interim status while doing the advanced planning and preparation for the future of GCI.
Looking to the future, Greg Williams
P.S. Susan and I enjoy visiting U.S. presidential libraries and then checking them off our bucket list. Recently, we were at the President Eisenhower Library in Abilene, K.S. I’ll leave you with a quote from “Ike” Eisenhower. It’s great advice for the young ones coming behind. “Learn as much as you can from those who know more than you, who do better than you, who see more clearly than you.”
I invited Grace Communion Seminary (GCS) President, Michael Morrison, to show us how our theological foundation is married to our mission. I very much appreciate the truthful points he shares that we all need to hear as we continue to strive to be healthy churches.
Please encourage your leaders and members to read Mike’s letter. I pray it inspires deep conversations about the mission for your congregation or fellowship group. Healthy Church equals healthy mission.
Greg Williams
The purpose Jesus gave us is to work together on mission to the world.
A few people seem to have taken the slogan “to be the healthiest expression of church we can be” as an excuse to focus on ourselves, on our internal relationships, rather than on the mission Jesus gave to us. Like a nursing home resident might try to be as healthy as possible, considering the circumstances, some of us seem to be simply striving to prolong our days with a minimum of discomfort.
Health is good, but it should not be a goal in itself; we want health so that we can do something else with our lives. We want churches to be healthy so that the churches can do something other than tending to their own health. A healthy church has a healthy mission – or we might say that mission is part of the measure of whether a church is healthy.
Let’s be honest, many of our churches have been in maintenance mode for decades, saving fuel by coasting along, not going anywhere but downhill. What is the alternative to maintenance mode? It is going up the right hill. It is working together to do something bigger than any of us can do on our own. It is reminding ourselves that we are called to sacrifice for others, to be on mission with Jesus.
As God led us to our understanding of Incarnational Trinitarian theology, some of us fell into the trap of congratulating ourselves on having better theology even when it didn’t seem to be having many results in our churches. Yes, we do have better theology, but along the way, some people drew some unwarranted conclusions:
Jesus did it all, so we don’t need to do anything.
Jesus is already at work in the world, and we can join him if we want to. But if we don’t want to, then don’t worry about it – Jesus will get it done anyway. There is no need for our involvement, so we might as well coast.
Many of us became passive. Not much happened in some congregations except that we got together and talked about our theology. Our theology does not teach passivity.
If we want to be the healthiest expression of church that we can be, then we need a purpose, and not just any purpose – it must be the purpose Jesus has given us. Jesus assigns us not just to focus on our internal relationships, but also to work together in a mission to the world. It is a mistake to wait until we get all our internals right before we begin working on the external mission.
The triune God is not a passive God – he is a God of action. God’s being cannot be separated from his doing. He is the one who loves, who saves, who wants to live with us. He reveals who he is with verbs, by what he does, and he has made us in that image. We reveal who we are by what we do.
In GCI, people sometimes talk about our need to believe “the truth of who I am.” We are dearly loved children of God, forgiven and holy – that is true. However, we should also say, “As a child of God, as someone who has been created to be like God, I am to do what God says I am to do.” Who we are defines what we do because doing goes hand-in-hand with being. God, the self-existent one, revealed himself most often as a God of action: “I am the God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, I am the God who saved you, I am the God who loved you and sent my Son to die for you.” He does not merely exist, but he does something in relation to others.
We should not separate being and doing, because we are what we do. In biology, life is detected by and measured by its results. In Christianity, people who love God want to do what God says we should do; we are involved in his way of life (love) and his mission (love). The New Testament describes people who didn’t just sit around telling each other to believe in who they are. People showed who they are by what they did. Indeed, the mission helped them understand their true identity.
Jesus told his disciples to take a message to the world, not just keep it to themselves. Many of our congregations are not doing very well at carrying out his commission. The apostle Paul worked hard to take the message to “those who are perishing” (1 Cor. 1:18; 2 Cor. 2:15; 4:3; 2 Thess. 2:10). Is this word “perishing” referring to life right now, or to the future life? Either way, people are perishing. They are alienated from the life of God (Eph. 4:18; Col. 1:21).
Paul believed that his message made a big difference in their lives. He did not try to put a positive spin on their situation by assuming that they will eventually believe. He did not reason, “God will take care of them in the future, so I don’t need to try very hard.” He saw they had a serious need, and he worked as hard as he could to address that need (1 Cor. 9:20-22). That is love in action. That is living and sharing the gospel.
Some GCI members are universalists; they hope that God is as merciful as they believe they are. But this measures God by our own sentiments. We ought to say, “I hope that I rejoice in whatever God does, because I trust that he knows what is best. I leave it to him.” If Paul was a universalist, he didn’t make that part of his message. His hopes for the future salvation of Israel (Romans 11:26) did not reduce his desire to spread the gospel.
If speculations about future opportunities for salvation cause us to neglect the mission Jesus gave us, they are harmful. Speculation in itself may be okay, but it’s not healthy to respond with passivity, a lack of concern, and a neglect of Jesus’ command. Our commission, as dearly loved children of God, is to do the work Jesus gave us to do, not to speculate on how Jesus might do his work in the future.
Jesus is good news for the world, and he has good news for us to share. But for us to be able to describe that news as good, we need to be able to describe the negative consequences if the news isn’t shared. People are alienated from the life of God and are perishing, and the question for us is, do we care? Do we see their serious need and work as hard as we can to address that need? In other words, do we see our mission in the same way as Paul and other apostles did?
If our theological mantra of healthy church leads us into inaction, we need to think a little deeper. That was certainly not its intent. We need to get back to our Master’s business. Numerical growth may or may not come – that is not our responsibility – but we should be doing the job that Jesus gave us. We should be living in light of the gospel and sharing it with the world in our deeds and words. If we want to be healthy, we need to focus on Jesus’ mission, not on ourselves. Spiritual health requires love – an orientation to others; it cannot be achieved by focusing on our own health.
A healthy church will also have a healthy mission, and our mantra of being the healthiest expression of church includes community life and mission. Both are necessary for healthy church. Both are necessary for us to participate with Jesus in fulfilling the mission he gave us. Both are necessary to be the people Jesus wants us to be.
Down the street from the home office of GCI, there is a storefront church nestled in among a couple other businesses. Underneath the name of the church, their sign includes this slogan, “Belong, Believe, Become.” I like the phrase, especially because it is in the right order.
Belong
All of humanity belongs because of Jesus. He is the creator of every person who has ever lived. He is also our Redeemer and active mediator. The first chapter of Ephesians eloquently describes our adopted status through Jesus.
He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace Ephesians 1:5-9 NRSVA
Jesus, who is the beloved of the Father, has made us the beloved. The beautiful picture of adoption is that he chose us. Being chosen makes you feel special and satisfies the longing to belong.
In our acceptance, we are free to believe and explore. It is within the believing that we also receive.
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 NLT
As children of God, we believe that Jesus is the unique begotten Son of the Father and that he set aside his glory to take on flesh and blood. We believe that he was both man and God and walked among us proclaiming the kingdom of God. We believe that he demonstrated his godly love by going to the cross and dying in our stead. We believe he arose in glory from the tomb on the third day, that he ascended to the right hand of the Father, and that he will return to establish his unending kingdom. We believe!
We also believe that Jesus draws us to himself in personal relationships. We believe as the old hymn says, “He walks with me, and he talks to me, and he tells me I am his own.” There is a factual knowing of Jesus that may help us if there is a pop-up quiz, and there is a relational knowing of Jesus that leads us through the valley of the shadow of death, by the still waters and green pastures, and everything in between.
Become
Through the relational exploration that we share with Jesus, we become more like him. Jesus is the influencer of all influencers. Walking and talking with him, being open and aware of his presence, shapes and grows us.
I love the imagery Jesus uses when he stands above Jerusalem and expresses his desire to gather the people, like a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But alas, the chicks scatter about and refuse to be gathered. I am often a maverick chick scurrying about. My best response in all circumstances is to slow down, take a breath, and know that Christ is Lord and is near.
Our becoming that is taking place in Christ is beautifully expressed in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NRSV
Brothers and sisters, it is within the context of belonging, believing, and becoming that the Lord is transforming us from one degree of glory to another one, a greater one, an eternal one.
As Jesus was sharing the good news about the kingdom of God with his disciples, he shared the following:
He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’” (Luke 5:36-39 NIV)
What Jesus was saying is simple: you can’t take the arrival of Jesus and his kingdom and simply put it on top of the Jewish Pharisaic system and traditions. It won’t fit.
Something new was happening. There was a new covenant. The old covenant paved the way with sacrificial and ceremonial laws constantly pointing toward the need for a Messiah/Savior. And when Jesus the Messiah/Savior came, he referenced the old, and he accomplished what the symbols can only point toward
His classic teaching is the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus didn’t abolish the law, he said he was the fulfillment of the law. (He alone was perfect and without sin.) He reminded the audience of what they were told in the past under Moses, and that now he was moving beyond the letter of the law to the spirit of the law. The new covenant and law of love that Jesus was bringing couldn’t be absorbed totally by the old. There had to be a new and better agreement – hence the idea of new wine.
By extension, you can’t have Christ and squeeze him into your old life and expect that to work. As the apostle Paul explains, when you are in Christ you become a new creation. You are forgiven of past sins. And by the power of the Spirit, you are being transformed into the image of Jesus, day-by-day. He spells this out for the Corinthian church.
But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11 NIV)
Paul is saying you are forgiven, transformed (moving from glory to glory) and made the righteousness of God because you are in Jesus. An old, dried out wineskin cannot contain this. It demands a new, flexible, expandable wineskin.
When GCI (formerly Worldwide Church of God) came to Jesus and the understanding of the new covenant, did we think Jesus could fit into our old containers, our old system and traditions? We certainly tried to retrofit Jesus into the old traditions, especially holding onto our Sabbath-keeping and Old Testament Holy Days.
Thank God that he has enlightened us to adopt the Christian calendar that displays Jesus as the center of the center. As we cycle through the year, we are constantly remembering our center – Jesus.
We worship him for his incarnation; Immanuel, God with us.
We worship him for his endurance through the passion week and his sacrificial death on the cross.
We worship him for his triumphal resurrection on Easter Sunday.
We worship him for ascension to heaven where he continually intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father.
We worship him for his earthly ministry, where he revealed the Father, proclaimed his eternal kingdom, and made the way for the Holy Spirit to be poured out at Pentecost.
We worship him for establishing his church and being the head over the church for all ages. We worship him as we anticipate his glorious return and setting up the eternal kingdom.
See the theme here? We worship Jesus. As washed, set apart disciples of Jesus, we embrace him as the new wine. We remember and receive him every time we gather at the Lord’s Table. And as he said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. Take and drink.” May we be the flexible, expandable wineskins who gladly receive Jesus and worship him in all seasons.
Embracing and enjoying the new wine, Greg Williams
When we turn to Scripture for biblical instruction about mentoring, we often look to the life of the apostle Paul. One passage that stands out is in Paul’s second letter to his young protégé Timothy.
And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV
What you have learned from me is not exclusively for you, Paul is pointing out. As a pastor and overseer of the church, Timothy is to pour into others. He is to teach what he has learned from Paul, which is grounded in the life and person of Jesus. He is to teach “sound doctrine,” not myths or speculations. He is to be a guardian and preacher of the good news of Jesus. He is to keep the message and teaching pure and unstained.
Timothy’s doctrine was grounded in what he was given from Paul, and I would strongly suggest that his pastoral skills were shaped by what he learned from Paul as well. Paul’s mantra was, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” In other words, take on the Christ-like ways you see me operating and treating others, and cast away anything that is not Christ-like. This is the relational aspect of ministry skills and practices, which are caught more than taught. This is what is called “the special sauce,” the secret ingredient of mentoring that can only take place in relationships and over time. To learn more, don’t miss our new series, The Art of Mentoring.
Let’s be clear that Timothy and all Christian ministers are to preach the gospel to everybody, but take note to whom Timothy was to pass along the ministry treasures he had received from Paul — to faithful individuals. It doesn’t say popular, smart, good-looking, etc. It says to mentor those who are demonstrating the faithfulness of Jesus in their lives. It is from this passage that we latched onto the acronym FATE. Is this emerging leader, pastor, Avenue champion flowing in the Faith of Christ? Is this candidate Available? Is this individual Teachable? Does this person demonstrate Enthusiasm for the ministry of Jesus? This short checklist proves time and time again to be helpful.
If Timothy is diligently pouring into others in the same way Paul poured into him, what would be the expected outcome? The ones who have been mentored well would then become mentors who pour into others. Does this remind you of the Coaching Triangle I often refer to? Sound teaching is foundational, yet good information alone does not transform. It takes the imitation of Christ-centered leaders to produce more Christ-centered leaders. The multiplication of ministry leaders becomes normal to the life of the church. Wherever you observe this happening, you will be witnessing a healthy church.
Paul spends time encouraging Timothy (the mentee who will become the mentor) in the surrounding verses. In verse 1, Paul exhorts Timothy to “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” This is one of the times that Paul tells Timothy to be strong in Jesus. Timothy seemed to have had a personality that was naturally timid and prone to shrink back. It is through and in Jesus that Timothy was empowered to do all things. Great responsibilities were thrust upon Timothy, and dependency and trust in Jesus was the only way forward.
In verse 3, Paul tells Timothy, “…endure hardship as a good soldier in Jesus Christ.” Paul did not sugarcoat ministry. There would be hardships – personal temptations, difficult people, false doctrines, poverty, and the highs and lows that come with the experience of being human. Being a “good soldier” starts with keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus, then having a realistic mindset that this will not be easy, but it will be good. To grow into the brave, courageous soldier of Jesus Christ, it begins with proper training and preparation, just like what Paul afforded Timothy.
I see this being one of the greatest challenges facing us in GCI. As ministry leaders, are we willing to be intentional and sacrificial in the way we pour into the younger ones coming behind us? We need to be if we want to continue on our path toward healthy church. Do you have a protégé like Timothy that you can call your son or daughter in the faith? Do you have a mentor like Paul? My continual prayer is that our leaders will have the courage to seek out such relationships and pour out their lives for the development of others.
