A Big Deal

Learning about trust and community is a big deal to God!

According to Jewish tradition, the three central lessons the Hebrews learned during their journey in the desert are (1) trust God completely, (2) trust Moses completely, (3) be a unified community that cares for one another. The Scripture uses a plural pronoun to refer to the people as they wander in the wilderness, but a singular pronoun as they arrive in the land of promise. The Hebrews finally learned how to trust God and Moses and be a unified, caring community.

The same lessons are there for us today. The Lord wants us to not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. He also wants us to trust our leadership in the local church. Hmmm... Interesting. I think I could write a book about this issue from both sides of the fence. Nevertheless, God wants us to do it. So, are we or aren't we?

Being a unified, caring community is a nice Utopian thought. But can it really happen? It can with a little intention, swallowing of pride and other-centeredness. When we stop looking at the church from the perspective, "What can the church do for me?" and begin approaching it with the question, "What can I do for the church?" we'll be on the right track.

If it's a big deal to God, then it should be a big deal to us!

Help or Hinder

Nehemiah had vision! The vision God gave to him was rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. Many times he was confronted with people and situations that would try and distract or prevent him from fulfilling his vision, but his response in Chapter 6, verse 3 gives us a hint at his focus and determination.

"I'm doing a great work. I cannot come down."

Have you ever noticed how often we're presented with opportunities while we're in the middle of accomplishing our God-given vision? They range from opportunities for new jobs, careers, relationships, churches and even new ministries. If these new opportunities help you accomplish your vision, say, "Yes!" If they hinder your ability to stay focused on your vision, simply say what Nehemiah did, "I'm doing a great work. I cannot come down."

Vision

Vision isn't just eyesight. It's heart-sight!

God's personal will for my life is made known to me by the vision He has put into my heart. But... My heart is deceitful and deceptively wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), so I have to be careful about following my heart. How in the world can I be sure what is God's vision for me and what isn't?

My first step is becoming familiar enough with Scripture that I know if the vision lines up with God's moral will (the "do's and don'ts" of the Bible) and God's principles (the unchangeable truths that are stated, implied or illustrated in the words of the Bible). There are a lot of things we may want to do with our lives, but is the vision agreeable to God's Holy Word?

My second step is to ask the question, "Does it honor God or does it honor me?" God never calls us to do anything that doesn't honor Him above all others (including myself). The apostle Paul instructs us in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

My last step in discerning God's vision for my life is to ensure that I'm not forsaking my God-given responsibilities for this new vision. In other words, God doesn't call me to something new that requires me to turn my back on what He has already called me to do. It doesn't mean that God doesn't bring new seasons of ministry in my life. It does mean that God won't give me a vision that requires me to neglect my duties as a father, husband or disciple of Christ.

Community

The book of Ephesians teaches us that the Church - the universal group of Christians - the Body of Christ. We can break that down a little further and understand that each local church is also the Body of Christ. Being a smaller representation of the universal group of believers, each local church consists of people with different gifts. Some are hands, some are feet, eyes, ears, etc. When we begin to acknowledge each local church as the Body of Christ, we can then begin to recognize the importance of community within each local church.

Understanding community is to say that we recognize the potential of each person within the Body. We're called to respond to one another's needs because when one person is in need, it affects the entire Body. We're called to rejoice with one another in times of triumph and mourn with one another in times of sorrow. Living in community with one another is an essential part of a Christian's life!

First Step

This week, we took our first step in the adoption process by contacting the authorities in Culpeper about bringing a new child into our home from foster care. We know that the details are going to be taken care of and that there is a child who has already been ordained by God to be a part of our family.

We are so excited about this next journey in our life adventure!

Extraordinary in the Ordinary

Have you ever thought of yourself as someone who is too ordinary for God to use for extraordinary things? If so, you're not alone.

If we look at the Bible, though, we see God using ordinary things and ordinary people as His instruments to accomplish His providential will. He gave Moses a staff to perform miracles. God also gave him a piece of wood to throw in the well at Marah to sweeten the water. Jesus used mud and water from the Pool of Siloam to give sight to a blind man. God used an ordinary shepherd in Moses to free the Hebrews. Jesus chose ordinary fishermen in Andrew, James, John and Peter to be His disciples.

Why didn't God simply do these miracles without the use of ordinary objects? Why didn't Jesus simply speak to the blind man to heal him? Why did God choose ordinary people for such extraordinary things?

God has a beautiful way of showing the great potential in all of us. The potential rests in the supernatural power of God Himself who lives in us - not in our own abilities apart from God. When we realize that we, ordinary people, can be used by a supernatural God to accomplish extraordinary things, we see a glimpse of the depth and height of His marvelous love.

He has chosen you, yes you!

Embarrassement

Last night at the Catalyst Conference, Francis Chan shared a recent experience that took him on an historical tour of many sites throughout Europe that had ties to the Church. One place he visited was a church that had "squint holes" in the exterior wall through which the lepers were forced to participate in worship services, standing in the outside weather. He toured another church that was built in front of a railroad that was used as a main railway for transporting Jews to concentration camps during World War II. As the railcars traveled by the church, the congregation could hear the screams of the doomed victims. In response, the Christians simply sang louder to drown out the screams.


Chan, accurately, pointed out that these examples in our Church history are embarrassing and don't line up with Scripture. His question was, "What is the Church doing that Christians 100 years from now will look back on and consider embarrassing and not congruent with Scripture?"


My most immediate reaction is that the culture of the American Church is embarrassing, specifically our indulgence and consumerism mentality. Our narcissistic approach to life has infected the Church and prevents us from obeying even the simplest of commandments from our Lord, much less the Great Commission.


I don't pretend to know what things will be like 100 years from now. They could very well be worse. I just know that I'm embarrassed for us now.

Adoption

The Bible is full of verses that command us to care for orphans. If caring for orphans is a spiritual issue, why do Christians have to go to the internet for answers about adoption? The Church should be the place providing the necessary answers!



In the United States alone, there are over 120,000 foster children who are available for adoption. There are over 300,000 churches in our country right now. So, why is there even a need for a Foster Care system in place in our country?



As Christians, we've experienced adoption in our own lives. We were once orphans adopted into the family of God to be co-heirs with Christ Jesus. We should understand the value of adoption more than anyone else.



My wife, Carrie, and I are following through on this Biblical mandate by moving forward in the adoption process. City on a Hill Church will also be taking steps in the near future to work with specialized ministries to develop an orphan ministry in our church.



It's time for the Church to step up and respond to this urgent need in a greater way!