The Importance of the Deity of Christ in the Christmas Story

“Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (rf. Is. 7:14 ESV)

            It is very easy for us to grow complacent and take something for granted when we have heard it told to us time and again. We know the words of “Amazing Grace” by heart because we were raised with it and other hymns enveloping us as we grew up, yet how often does the meaning of those words escape us as we sing them. The same can be said for the Christmas story and the Scriptures that surround the events of that special evening long ago when our Savior, Jesus Christ, entered into the world.

            I confess that I had not realized the significance of this verse outside of its context during the Advent season until I was given the opportunity of witnessing the truth of Christianity and its doctrines to two sweet Jehovah Witness ladies one Saturday morning. As I attempted to show them the fallacy of their own beliefs regarding Jesus as a god (notice the small “g”), secondary to Jehovah God, using their own translation of the Bible (the New World Translation), one of them confronted me with the question, “So you believe in the Trinity?” to which I answered, “Absolutely. Yes.”

            This may come as a surprise to some of you as readers. Jehovah’s Witnesses are NOT Christians. They do not believe that God is three Persons, one Substance, that is, that God is a Trinity. They cannot fathom that we affirm and believe that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, separate Persons, but all three being God at one time, concurrently. I agree that this is a mind-boggling concept, but it is nonetheless true and what the Bible teaches throughout its pages, although you will not find the word, “Trinity”, anywhere so designated in the Scriptures.

            In any case, I brought to their attention the above passage from Isaiah among others. We agreed that this one not only foreshadowed the coming of Jesus and His virgin birth, it also showed the specialness regarding His mother, Mary, being a “virgin”. However, they were somewhat confounded when I then pointed out the name that was to be given this “Son”—“Immanuel” which when joined with the corresponding account in Matthew (1:23) states, “which translated means ‘God with us’”. They wanted to downplay the phrase by saying that God is always with us in a very general sense. Yet I told them that was not at all what the prophet Isaiah nor the Apostle Matthew was conveying. By attaching the name, “Immanuel”, including the “-el” in the preceding name which refers to “God” or Jehovah in the Hebrew of the Old Testament, both Isaiah and Matthew were clearly stating Jesus was God in the flesh Who had come to earth in the form of a child to be “with us”, mere human beings, in order to fulfill the Father’s will.

            Though I did not convince my Jehovah’s Witness audience that day of the truth of Jesus being God, it did serve to reinforce the truth that He came to be “with us” to understand life as a human. Only by being fully human and fully God could Jesus Christ take away the sin that separated us from God His Father and do so once for all. Only now as God the Son can He be our High Priest and advocate on our behalf before His Father for our spiritual and physical best interests, answering our prayers daily according to the Father’s will. What a treasure we truly have in Jesus as our “Immanuel”. What a gift He is to us as “God with us”. Never let us forget it!

"Let the Peace of Christ Rule in (Our) Hearts..."

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” (rf. Col. 3:15 ESV)

            We no doubt face hard and difficult times in life. Some who read these words at this time are going through a rough patch, possibly finding it painful to even think of seeing something good in their lives for which to give thanks. It is easy, as we well know, for us to get caught up in the negative circumstances that surround us. When we do, they overwhelm our souls as well as our senses, dragging us down quickly to the pit of despair. Yet, as the Apostle Paul intimates, this is not what God wants for us. He has a greater desire for His people.

            In this passage, Paul uses strong language to show that the Lord wants His followers to experience very important things in their lives on an ongoing basis: peace and thankfulness. To this end, the Lord Himself has “called” us. Let’s explore this concept for a moment. To the modern mind, the idea of “calling” is one that allows for the opportunity to turn away from such an action, to rebel against it so that one can follow his/her own path. There is an inbred antipathy toward “calling” because it speaks of One who knows better than we do what our future should be, what our best interests are. Thus, we tend to turn away from Him who provides us the very best of what could be ours if we would only follow His directions.

            In this case, our “calling” is two-fold. First of all, we are “called in one body”. So, we must understand the “calling” to which Paul is referring is not an individual “calling”, but a corporate one. It belongs to all who are members of Christ’ Church, to all who have experienced His true salvation. Secondly, we are called to “let the peace of Christ rule in (our) hearts”. Notice that we are not merely to ask that His peace come into our hearts, but that His peace “rule” there. Just like a king upon a throne, His peace is to exert its “rule” over us in every area of our lives. We should submit ourselves to this peace always. Only then will we know and experience this “calling” of Christ.

            When we do, we will “be thankful”; we will know and understand the full extent of thankfulness. As His peace pervades our hearts and minds, we will have the opportunity of appreciating what it means to be at peace with ourselves, with others, but, most importantly, with God Himself. The longer His peace rules us, the more we will grow in that appreciation and the greater our level of thankfulness will become. 

            We definitely need more peace and thankfulness in our day. It may be that we need to revisit Paul’s words to us in this passage and apply them. If the issue is one of control and our need to rule our own lives, thoughts, and motivations, then this might be a good opportunity to review our own relationship with Christ since we have not submitted our own selves to Him, obviously. For the age-old dictum is very true: no Christ, no peace; know Christ, know peace. In this case, to know Him and to have His peace rule our hearts is to experience thankfulness as He has designed. May this be each of our experience with Him today.

God Speaks to Our Anger and Bitterness

“For Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.” (rf. 2 Sam. 13:22 NKJV)

            The above passage reflects one of the saddest entries in Israel’s history. David’s son, Amnon had fallen in love with his half-sister, Tamar. Tamar was Absalom’s full sister. Both he and his sibling were the children of a marriage borne of political advantage, King David joining Israel with the king of Geshur by wedding his daughter, Talmai (rf. II Sam. 3:3). Amnon, however, through deceit, took advantage of Tamar and raped her. This act of violence came to light to both Absalom and King David. Yet, because Amnon was son of the king, no justice or negative repercussions came his way, much to Absalom’s consternation. Because of this inaction on David’s part, great bitterness grew in the heart of Absalom. Like all grudges, this one bore fruit later with his murder of Amnon and his rebellion and attempt to overthrow the reign of his father, King David. These actions led to his own violent death (rf. II Sam. 18:14-18). Who needs soap operas? The Bible has its own sordid dramas.

            What this excerpt shows in glowing detail is the powerful nature of inhibited anger and bitterness over time in the heart of an individual. We were never designed by God to keep our hurt bottled up nor were we created to address such deep, penetrating pain ourselves. He alone has the capacity to shoulder our griefs and heartache (rf. Is. 53:4) and to deal with them in a right manner. When we try to handle them ourselves, we only come away with a heart full of bitterness and strife, living in a perpetual downward spiral of negativity, always fighting an inward battle of bad memories and harmful, damaging self-images. This is not to mention the adverse and destructive effect our inward feelings have on our outward relationships. One cannot harbor bitter feelings and they not leak out of our pores onto those around us!

            The Scriptures themselves bear out these truths. They tell us that our anger can never produce God’s righteousness in our lives (rf. Jas. 1:20). We are told to disperse our anger on the same day that we feel it, but to do so constructively, not destructively, because to harbor it creates a heart full of bitterness (rf. Eph. 4:26). Indeed, the better course, according to God’s Word, is to avoid bitterness and anger altogether; get rid of it if it is present (rf. Eph. 4:31). Be honest with the Lord as to its true cause and nature. He knows what it is already, but He wants us to be accurate in our assessment for our own benefit in our confession to Him. Only then will our request for forgiveness be genuine and thorough. Then, when we are cleansed from the bitterness in our hearts, we should make the commitment to avoid taking that downward spiral ever again by addressing our anger forthrightly when it occurs in the future, sharing it and its cause with the Lord at the outset. He is the One who has promised to take care of all issues regarding His people. That includes matters of the heart and of justice, as needed (rf. Rom. 12:19; Heb. 10:30).

            When our hearts are thoroughly emptied of bitterness, negativity, hurt and pain, we will find ourselves refreshed and renewed in ways far beyond the scope of our comprehension. We will see life as the Lord desires for us to—abundant, new and free from the past. We will then be able to pursue Him and His will with a vigor that we have not experienced before. 

            If your struggle has been with such a burdened heart, my hope is for you to find peace and joy. May the encouragement given be a step in that direction.

The Lord Establishes Our Steps

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”(rf. Prov. 16:9 ESV)

            I am always amazed at this dichotomy between the inherent arrogance and pride of man and the absolute sovereignty of Almighty God. Indeed, this interplay between the perception of power to control on the part of mankind and the reality of God to rule all things is a wonder to behold. It has actually been a major player behind the theology of American Christianity for the better part of the last century and Christians in most American churches had no real idea that this issue was going on. If questioned, many would have felt like that God was somewhere out there, but He had gone on vacation for awhile and left human beings at the wheel of His creation to take care of things in His absence.

            Today, within the Church, there is still the glorification of man’s will over God’s as if we as humans are somehow superior to Him. Indeed, we were made in His image (rf. Gen. 1:26-27). As such, we were endowed with a will to make choices. These choices of good or ill, right or wrong have very real consequences in this life by God’s design. He did not make us to be robots or puppets. However, being created in His image does not in any respect put us on the same level as God nor does it place us above Him. 

            Solomon understood this implicitly and put forth this principle in a very practical manner. If we are wise as human beings, we will rightly discern our place in the universe and act accordingly. We would make our plans with the understanding that these schemes are not written in stone nor should they be considered so by ourselves or others. We must always be adaptable. Why, you may ask? Why can we not be certain in our own determinations? Solomon gives us the answer in the second part of the proverb: “but the Lord establishes his steps.”

            You see, as the old saying goes, “The best laid schemes o' mice an' men” often go awry (by the Scottish poet Robert Burns) so it does not pay to lock down one’s vision as certain. The only true certainty is the Lord’s will in any matter. What the Lord Himself has determined for us will no doubt come to pass. This is the contrast that Solomon is presenting to the reader. We cannot make our plans firm and sure. God, however, has already established His plans in our lives and in the universe; therefore, His plans are without question guaranteed and assured. We can make our plans, but it is the Lord who will “establish (our) steps”.

            Is this teaching predestination? Yes, absolutely! Knowing that the God of Scripture is all-powerful, able to plan and execute His designs without fail in line with His righteous character is a tremendously comforting thought to the believer in Christ. This wondrous Heavenly Father is and has been busy about “establish(ing our) steps” long before we ever began making our plans. Therefore, as we trust in Him by faith, we can be confident in the outcome, understanding that our faith is not in our plans, but, rather, it is in Him who is leading us every step of the way.

Remembering...Yet Looking Forward

“Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”

(rf. Rom. 11:5 NKJV)

Being exposed to busyness as we are, we tend to overlook the many expressions around us that declare God’s greatness. From time to time, we are confronted with a phenomenal work of His that does grasp our attention long enough for us to pause to acknowledge His handiwork. Then we tend to move on to other things that we deem important.

            This month we have a unique opportunity to take some designated time to stop and really focus on what God has been, is doing and really wants to do in the lives of His people, specifically here at St. John’s. We are entering into our official celebration of the Centennial anniversary of the founding of our church, giving God the glory for 100 years of the privilege of ministering to the people of Kannapolis. As we rejoice for God’s grace in keeping St. John’s here for a century of service, we must reflect on the reality of such a blessing. 

            The fact of the matter is, compared to the total number of churches that have been started or planted, few last so long. Some die by attrition. Others are closed or combined with sister churches purposefully by their respective denominations. In some locations, their hollowed shells dot the countryside. In other places, the only remembrance of their existence is a notation in a history book found in a long deserted corner of a library. 

            To further provide perspective, on our trips to Scotland over the years, my wife and I (and various mission groups) saw centuries-old cathedrals and churches with “for sale” signs adorning their yards and front doors. We witnessed the previous conversion of these once grand places of worship into art museums, personal homes, and, sickening to even state it, haunted houses. The largest two denominations in Scotland were shuttering churches at an alarming rate per year while we were there. Obviously, our prayers are needed for the people for Scotland that this trend should be reversed and, with a great spiritual renewal in their land, these places of worship would be required once more.

            However, the joy we share is that God is very much still at work in the hearts and minds of the people of St. John’s. He has brought His people through much in the last 100 years. He has much more in store for us in the years to come. What we can learn from both the testimony of Scripture and from the experiences of those mentioned above is that nothing is guaranteed. We cannot afford to take anything for granted. As God’s people, we must ALWAYS continue forward, trusting in the power of His Spirit, following the truths of His Word, living out the principles of holiness as examples of Christ before the eyes of the world, not as displays of perfection, but as reflections of His grace. If we devote ourselves to His service, fully surrendered to His direction and His use, filled with His Spirit, He will continue to fulfill His will through us and keep our place here for generations to come. If we forsake Him and His truth, like so many other formerly vibrant fellowships before us, our church will become a relic of days gone by, eventually consigned to the pages of history, a mere afterthought of what might have been.

            As we close one book of a century of service and open a new and exciting chapter, the pages before us have yet to be written. They are completely blank. How will we fill them? Are we open to whatever God desires of us as a church body to do and to be our best to reach the Kannapolis community and to glorify Him? Are we devoted to keeping in mind that St. John’s is Christ’s church and not our own to do with as He pleases? We must each ask these questions of ourselves. The answers will largely determine our future and how He chooses (or not) to use us for the century yet to come.

God is in the Quiet and Simple

“Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.”

(1 Kgs. 19:11–12 NKJV)

            

            The more mature I grow in age, the more I also grow in appreciation for the simpler, straight-forward, peaceful things in life. It’s not that I no longer enjoy excitement. I do, indeed. I have just come to realize that I do not need to have continual excitement in order to find contentment or happiness. Like a well-placed seasoning, the sparks of elation and thrill make life all the more enjoyable. However, as the Greek philosopher, Epicuras, once noted, “Too much of a good thing is bad” (paraphrased). Overkill on any seasoning, no matter how beneficial it tastes, will make the meal a failure.

            This holds true, not only as a general principle with our lives, but applicable in worship and in our connecting with the Lord. Note the experience that Elijah had with God at the cave at Horeb, “the mountain of God” (rf. I Kgs. 19:8). After being called there, Elijah pleads his case as to why he is the last of God’s servants in Israel and his enemies “seek to take(his) life” (vs. 10). It is in God’s response to Elijah’s complaints where it gets interesting. 

            In three displays of natural power (wind, earthquake and fire) which wreaked havoc in the area before Elijah’s cave, obviously grasping Elijah’s attention, the Scripture states clearly, “but the Lord was not in(these events)”. Let’s stop there for a moment. 

            We typically assume by what we have been taught by our culture and societal upbringing that “bigger is better”. Therefore, the greater the effect, the more attention is grasped, the better and more effective will be the result. We see it in advertising all the time. For some reason, we assume that what is a good modus operandiin the world will likewise be blessed if we use it in worship and in applying it in church circles. This is where we can fail and do so miserably, namely because we missed the last phrase in the narrative of Elijah’s experience, “but the Lord was not in (these events)”. Not matter how big, brash, loud or well-planned the event or worship service may be, if the Lord is not in it, the event becomes irrelevant or, as the Psalmist states, “unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it” (rf. Ps. 127:1). Attention-getting is not the point at all; the Lord’s presence is all important.

            Secondly, when He does show up, it will not be with bells and whistles. It will be with an overwhelming sense of peace and quietness that brings silence to the soul and stillness to the mind. Rather than busyness, raucousness and chaos (of which we have become all too accustomed), He brings in a sense of order and with it calmness of spirit to let the recipient know that He is near. It is then that we can hear in our hearts His “still small voice”, whether this is in worship or in our own personal relationships with Him.

            We should remember that the God of Scripture does not require flashy intros or gaudy and extravagant antics for Him to get the attention of His people. He is already all-powerful, all-knowing, righteous, sovereign, and holy. He has chosen to enter into our busy and chaotic lives with the power of quietness. It is here that He means for us to worship and engage Him. If we will “be still and know that He is God” (rf. Ps. 46:10), we will find a treasure trove in both our worship and, especially, a new facet of relationship with our Lord.

"Preach the Word."

“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

(rf. 2 Tim. 4:1–5NKJV)

            The Apostle Paul in his last letter of ministry writes to his son in the faith, Timothy. He has all along been encouraging his protégé to be strong and of good courage, to go forth in faith to serve the Lord in his particular calling as a pastor of his flock. Paul is basically in this letter “passing the baton” to Timothy, knowing that he is wrapping up his ministry on earth, preparing to make his transition to the very Presence of the Lord to whom he has given his life in service all of these many years. He wants Timothy to follow his example and to be faithful to the Lord even as Paul has endeavored to be.

            To that end, Paul warns Timothy of a time yet to come when the fickleness of people within the Church will desire their felt needs met and to follow the latest trends (“according to their own desires”), rather than the solid spiritual food of Scriptural teaching and “sound doctrine”. This growing, vocal group will pursue after non-truths (“fables”) with no regard that their path is leading them far away from Biblical truth. Because “their itching ears” need so desperately to be scratched (or are perceived so), this activist movement within the Church will not be satisfied with the few leaders who agree with their perspective, but not only will gather more, but will “heap up for themselves teachers” whose purpose is to expound and exponentially grow the movement all the more. In other words, in the mind of Paul, this is a very dangerous and potentially poisonous situation of which Timothy must not only be aware but must stand against! How then does the normally reserved Timothy do this?

            Paul’s response for Timothy is quite simple: “Preach the Word”! Paul understands that there is no greater power nor weapon in hand than that of the Scriptures articulately and expertly wielded. Paul has been educated by Gamaliel in the Old Testament (rf. Acts 22:3) and by Christ Himself in its connection to the Gospel and His teachings (rf. Gal. 1:11-17). Paul knew the power of the Word firsthand. Therefore, he knew by holding to the simplicity of sharing God’s Word with the Church consistently and with boldness by the power of the Holy Spirit, Timothy would be able to halt the advance of their pernicious beliefs and reverse the course of any headway their poison may have made in the life of the Church. Paul knew that by pursuing this course, Timothy would undoubtedly experience many “afflictions”; however, the way of faithfulness is a difficult one, as Paul knew well. The only way to safeguard the well-being of the Church was for Timothy, like Paul, to continue forward with the message of the Gospel of Christ unchanged and undiminished, sharing it with all (“do the work of an evangelist”), making the most of his particular calling (“fulfill your ministry”).

            This same encouragement is needed in our day. It is as if the Apostle Paul looked down the halls of time and disclosed to Timothy what was happening in the 21^stcentury American Church. We are definitely a consumer-driven entity, if we are to be honest with ourselves. Our likes and wants determine where we go to church far more than where God is most worshipped and where our spiritual gifts can be best used. If we are the least offended in something, we either decide that we will not go to “that church” any longer or any church for that matter or we will begin to “shop around”.  We are no better than those Paul speaks of: “according to their desires”. 

            An entire book could be written on how Scriptural truth has been jettisoned in favor of politically correct positions that provide cover for all manner of sinful behaviors and acts that, when are taken objectively into account by a thorough exegetical study of the Bible, are found to be abhorrent to God. What is being created is a new religion altogether in the name of God that nullifies all sin, the need for forgiveness, and the requirement for Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross. This new religion, a counterfeit of Christianity, would be desirable for all and to all, but requires nothing from anyone other than belief in a Jesus of pure love with no change regarding life or repentance from sin.

            Paul’s words to Timothy are the same antidote for this poison in our day: “Preach the Word”! One must know the truth in order to point out and do away with the counterfeit. As one who long ago pledged his life to serve the One who saved his soul, I personally have chosen to follow both Paul and Timothy in the same vein. There is no other means of true salvation than is found in the blood of Christ Jesus. Jesus came “to save His people from their sins” (rf. Matt. 1:21). My hope is that His people will not be easily led astray by the appeal of their own desires but will hold fast to the lasting truths and “sound doctrine” of the Scriptures for only in them is true life found. 

An Easter Message

“But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.”

(rf. Mal. 4:2ESV)

            The above passage was given to God’s people in the closing message of the Old Testament. As the Lord revealed to them once again His desire to send His chosen vessel of “healing” and restoration, prefaced by the coming of “Elijah the prophet”(rf. Mal. 4:5), He wanted them to be prepared for what would be in His words, “the great and awesome day of the Lord” (rf. Mal. 4:5).

            As we consider the wonder of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection at Easter, let us measure it anew against the backdrop of these words from the prophet Malachi. So often we tend to look at the actions of Jesus on our behalf in a vacuum, as by themselves, and, thus, lose some of the power intended by the Lord to affect us in our hearts and minds. 

This prophet of the Old Testament was the last to speak to God’s people for several centuries. Therefore, when John the Baptizer arrived on the scene and began his ministry, it truly stirred the hearts of the people. They began to wonder if, indeed, this was the “Elijah the prophet” of Malachi’s writings. Then, when John pointed to Jesus’ coming as the fulfillment of his own ministry, the reality of those prophecies surely were coming to pass! Yet, the people had no idea what was in store for them as Jesus’ ministry among them unfolded.

Not until the climax of Jesus’ life and ministry arrived on the hill of Golgotha with his death on the cross and his burial following with his disciples disbursed in sorrow did it seem that all of His efforts had come to naught. With the dawn of the third day came the astounding news of His resurrection from the dead and of the stone of His tomb being rolled away by divine power. This truly was “the great and awesome day of the Lord” as foretold by Malachi!

We know, however, that this was not the end of the story. Jesus now sits at the right hand of His Father, God Almighty, in heaven, awaiting the time of His return. His power continues to be displayed through the Holy Spirit who He sent to earth to minister through His Church in His stead. He remains “the sun of righteousness…with healing in (His) wings”to those “who fear (My) name”. As His followers, we simply must trust, obey and continue to live out His truths, knowing that the spiritual, physical and emotional healing is still available to us because our beloved Savior and Lord is very much alive and will ever live! Happy Easter to one and all!

From Death to Life

This article was originally published at ThomRainer.com on Feb. 13, 2017. It was reprinted online in Outreach Magazine on March 8, 2017. It is written by Thom Rainer who serves as president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. Dr. Rainer can be found on Twitter (@ThomRainer) and at facebook.com/Thom.S.Rainer. Dr. Rainer’s insights are worthy of our consideration as we begin a new year. 

Six Secrets of Churches That Went from Death to Life

She was on her deathbed. Every breath was laborious. Every breath was more difficult.

Those who surrounded her knew the end was imminent. It was only matter of time—a very brief time.

But the impossible became the possible. The dying lady survived. In fact, she not only survived, her outlook is very promising today.

Hers is a true story of resuscitation: from the brink of death to survival to improved health to a healthy life.

What about churches? Can a church experience a similar miraculous recovery? Admittedly, I have only seen a few churches with the same story of resuscitation. But I have seen a sufficient enough number to make some concise observations. These observations are among the most encouraging events I have ever witnessed.

How did these few churches go from near death to vibrant life? Here are their stories.

1. A Prolonged Period of Prayer

The members knew that only a miracle of God could save their church. So they decided to set aside a period of prayer, usually a few weeks or a couple of months. Members would gather after the worship service. Some would gather in homes. They would admit their total dependence on God. And they would place everything about their churches at his mercy and in his will.

2. A Covenant to Forsake Self

When a church dies, there is the predictable prologue of self-centered, self-serving membership. Church members argue about the style of music, the length of the sermon, the types of ministries and programs, and even the type of furniture in the church. Membership becomes about me, myself and I. In the resuscitated church, the members covenant to put self last. They agree they will not demand their way but seek to put others first. Some of the churches even create a written covenant.

3. A Willingness to Kill Sacred Cows

This process is often an extension of the previous commitment. As the members covenant to forsake self, they commit to doing away with programs, ministries, events, rooms, furniture and anything else that has become a sacred cow. They often don’t see those sacred cows until their eyes have been opened in the prolonged period of prayer.

4. A Commitment to See Through the Eyes of the Outsider

As the members continue to forsake self, they begin to ask how the church is viewed from the perspective of the outsider. They may actually engage with a person to visit their church and share their experience. It is amazing to see how this process transforms facilities, worship, greeters’ ministry and children’s ministries, to name a few.

5. An Agreement to Connect and Invite

Members commit to be intentional about developing relationships with people outside the church. They set prayer goals of how many people they will invite to church each month. The church begins moving from an inward focus to an outward focus.

6. A Decision to Move Beyond the Negative Naysayers

This core of members realizes that not everyone will be on board. There will always be those who view church as a spiritual country club with perks and privileges. Indeed, in most of these resuscitated churches, there was stiff resistance, adamant opposition and financial threats. But the members were loving but firm. No longer would their church be controlled by the naysayers, critics and bullies. They would stand together and stand with others who were attacked and maligned.

Is church resuscitation common? No. Is church resuscitation possible? Yes. In God’s power, yes.

ReEnvisioning Christ's Church (Part Two)

            From last month’s article outlining the general points of discussion from Francis Chan’s work, Letters to the Church, we continue the analysis. 

How then do we “retune”? What are the areas that we need to reconsider if we are to get back to place where God truly wants us as His Church? How are we to “rethink Church” and apply these truths so that they are not merely concepts but are put forth into actions that really make a difference?

            Here then is a synopsis of what I have gleaned from Chan. This is what I believe God would have of us as His people to restore His Church to the place of rightful service and worship:

1.     …We should commit purposefully to approach the worship of God in an attitude of sacredness and holiness and to treat the place of worship as a holy place.

2.     …We should commit ourselves to proactively seek ways to serve and love others.

3. Because God sacrificially gave His only Son to be the means of our salvation (rf. Jn. 3:16), taking away our sin so that we could have entrance into God’s family (rf. Heb. 2:17; I Jn. 4:10), we should commit ourselves to resolutely give with a sacrificial and generous attitude of our time, finances, abilities and spiritual gifts for the benefit of Christ’s Church and His Gospel to reach the world, with the full understanding that the mission work of Jesus begins at the doors of our own church. Since being a part or member of the Body of Christ, His Church, should be understood as the greatest of privileges, we, as recipients of salvation by His grace, should, then, view His Church as a major priority in our lives. As a result, there would be a willingness on our part to do whatever was necessary to make sure the efforts of His kingdom, not only continued, but were successful, even to the point of sacrificing the things that, by comparison to the desires, wants and dreams of our own, seem pitifully miniscule.

4. Because God has revealed Himself to His people through the written Word (rf. II Tim. 3:16-17)as well as the Living Word, Jesus Christ (rf. Heb. 1:2), He desires for His people to seek after Him to know Him better and more deeply in a personal relationship (rf. Is. 1:18; Eph. 1:18-23); therefore, to that end, we should commit ourselves to devotedly be students of God’s Word as individuals and as a fellowship of believers. We should be seeking more opportunities to learn more about God and how to be better equipped to fulfill His will in our time, while finding grace and strength by His Spirit through more numerous expressions of our fellowship together, our time of Holy Communion with Him, and seeking His Face through concerted prayer.

5. Because God has covenanted with His people to be their God and they, His people (rf. Dt. 7:6; I Pet. 2:9) and to provide to them a new covenant with them in Jesus (rf. Jer. 31:33; Lk. 22:19-20), we should likewise desire to covenant with each other and with God to mutually uphold one another in this quest to fulfill our commitments as stated above. We should want our worship of and service to God to be pleasing to Him, our reflection of Christ to our community and world around us to be loving and accurate regarding of the teachings of Jesus in the way we act as His followers, and our love toward one another to always be authentic, open, truthful, peaceful and desiring the best for one another and for the cause of Christ.

If anything, our world needs a truthful depiction of Jesus. It is not getting this in what we are showing them by our corporate portrayal of His Church. We must get back to these basic truths as outlined above if we are going to be effective in the mission to which He has called us and His holy Bride and Body which He has called us to be. It is a high bar to attain, no doubt. However, by His Spirit as our resource, we will without question reach it. It simply remains to discover whether or not we have the will to take up the challenge and do it.

ReEnvisioning Christ's Church (Part One)

            In the latter months of the previous year, I was greatly challenged by reading the latest book by Francis Chan, entitled, Letters to the Church (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook Publishing, 2018). I have been a fan of Chan and his ministry for quite a while, especially when he spoke so passionately to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention a number of years ago. He “wears his heart” for God and His Church “on his sleeve” so to speak so that it is very apparent to all just how much loves both. So, it is no wonder that this book is convicting in its addressing the greatest issues facing the Church today and how we must fundamentally retune our hearts and minds to God’s voice and heart if we are to recapture His purpose for His people as His instrument of grace to an unbelieving world. 

            How then do we “retune”? What are the areas that we need to reconsider if we are to get back to place where God truly wants us as His Church? How are we to “rethink Church” and apply these truths so that they are not merely concepts but are put forth into actions that really make a difference?

            Here then is a synopsis of what I have gleaned from Chan. This is what I believe God would have of us as His people to restore His Church to the place of rightful service and worship:

            1.Because God is holy (rf. Lev. 11:45) and desires both His worship (rf. Ex. 39; 40:9; I Cor. 3:17; Eph. 2:21;5:27) and His people to be holy (rf. I Pet. 1:16) as well, we should commit purposefully to approach the worship of God in an attitude of sacredness and holiness and to treat the place of worship as a holy place. We do this by preparing our hearts and attitudes beforehand by focusing on what we are about to do in coming (i.e. worshiping the Living God in splendor and majesty), immersing each service in Scriptural praise, God-centered, contemplative music (i.e. psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs—rf. Eph. 5:19), and liturgy that centers us on our place before Almighty God as His servants in Christ. This does not necessarily follow that we have to be stoic in our responses in God’s House; indeed, He desires for us to rejoice, be glad and praise while having a sense of respect, awe, decorum and order, possessing a balance of quiet and adoration in the Presence of our King and Savior.

2. Because God is love (rf. I Jn. 4:16) and Jesus throughout His ministry loved others unconditionally (rf. I Jn. 4:10) and taught His followers that such love would be what distinguished them from the rest of the world (rf. Jn. 13:35), we should commit ourselves to proactively seek ways to serve and love others. We should participate in or host various ministries designed to encourage and strengthen our lives and walk in Christ (i.e. Couples/ Parents classes, Grief support, Divorce recovery, etc.).  We should look into outreach approaches into our community to meet actual physical, emotional and spiritual needs while sharing with them, not only the love of Christ in that process, but, especially, the truth of His Gospel as well (ex: Alpha classes, networking with existing food and cloth banks in the area, helping to provide affordable housing through organizations like Habitat for Humanity).  

(This article will continue in February 2019)