There was a video that went completely viral on YouTube this week. Maybe you've seen it, or maybe you haven't.
I mean seriously, this video blew up! As did all the Facebook shares, posts and critiques about it.
Responses to Jeff's video have been varied across the board. Some hated it. Some loved it. The guy's heart is definitely in the right place. I struggled with the message however. Then I got angry with myself for overanalyzing a video that probably wouldn't have started a worldwide revolution anyway.
Truth is though, I did struggle. I was confused as to why people I know whose actions and life do not reflect Jesus and obedience to Christ were sharing the video. Then I got angry with people who claim to hate the church because of past shortcomings of church individuals. And then I got upset with myself for being confused and angry at other people. Because I practice religious disciplines and because I was judging the "irreligious" actions of others, did I actually succumb to living the horrible "religious" life that Jeff condemned in his video?
I ultimately (after prayer - which btw can be considered a religious discipline - and discussion with those wiser than me) came to grips with the existing and important distinction between religion and the Gospel. The truth is found in what my definition of religion is. Tim Keller spells out the distinction with a helpful comparative list in his book Gospel in Life (study guide p.16). Read it, check it out, it will do your soul good. Here's a sneak peek:
"Religion: I obey, therefore I am accepted
The Gospel: I am accepted, therefore I obey
Religion: Motivation is based on fear and insecurity
The Gospel: Motivation is based on grateful joy
Religion: I obey God in order to get things from God
The Gospel: I obey God to get to God, to delight and resemble Him"
Below are links to other articles and responses to Jeff's video. They are from contributing pastors of the Gospel Coalition and helped me out with my own processing.
"Jesus Was Religious"
"Does Jesus Hate Religion?" then read "Jefferson Bethke Responds"
"Religion and the Gospel"
I really like the last one. But don't take my word for it (don't take my word for anything except that, my word) read it yourself!
Blessings,
Adina
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Sunday, December 18, 2011
The Face of Jesus
What did Jesus look like?
Here's where I'm going with this. I am sad to say that I regarded the guy at the concert with some sort of disdain, and my grandmother sort of revered the same guy, just based on his outward appearance. I always thought that if I ever came face to face with Jesus, I would be completely blown away by his beauty, and the forgiveness and mercy in his eyes. Still might be the case someday. But I keep thinking about how so many people just missed Jesus back then.
Who could have cared about the birth of a baby while the world was watching Rome in all her splendor? All eyes were on Augustus, the caesar who demanded a census so as to determine a measurement to enlarge taxes. At the time, who was interested in just another couple making a long trip to be counted for the census? What could have possibly been more important that Caesar's decisions in Rome? Who cared about a Jewish baby born in Bethlehem?
Well, God sure did. Augustus was only a pawn in God's grand plan. While Rome was busy making world history, God showed up. He pitched his fleshly tent in silence on straw... in a stable. The world didn't even notice. Reeling from the wake in Alexander the Great, Herod the Great, Augustus the Great, the world overlooked Mary's little Lamb.
Just because Jesus didn't come down from Heaven in a fiery chariot and stage a coup to take over Rome, most of the inhabitants of the Roman empire overlooked him and his work. An itinerant preacher, with no place to lay his head (Matthew 8:20) is this guy right here!
A man who walked and served among the poor, needy, marginalized and oppressed, is my King. I only pray that I seek and serve him every day of my life. Do you know him?
The answer, of course, is that we don’t know.
This question came to my mind again recently when my grandmother pointed out a guy at a concert we were at and said that he looked just like Jesus. He was of average height, had shoulder length dark hair, and a full beard. Now with no disrespect meant at all, the guy was kind of homely looking, unassuming, someone who I would not give a second thought. Confession, I thought he was homeless actually. Ok so that sounded disrespectful. Cue the big kick in the face when I realized that both my grandmother and I had our own different cultural preconceptions about what Jesus looks like, founded on what? Whatever artists and filmakers view as "typical?"
How tall would a first-century Jew be? "From an analysis of skeletal remains, archeologists had firmly established that the average build of a Semite male at the time of Jesus was 5 ft. 1 in., with an average weight of about 110 pounds." So apparently, I'm taller and heavier than Jesus! Now that's weird! But it's good to have our cultural preconceptions—even prejudices—challenged.
There are numerous physical details about Jesus' appearance that can be determined from the Bible. We do know that he was in his early 30s when he began his ministry. Jesus may or may not have had long hair or a beard. Irrelevant matter though. I wonder what the length of anyone's hair has to do with their impact in the world. Unless you're Troy Polamalu, who's hair is three feet long and insured for $1 million.
Isaiah's messianic prophecy does suggest that there was nothing unusually attractive about Jesus ("he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him," Isaiah 53:2). Is it taking it too far to say that Jesus was homely, unattractive or ugly?
This question came to my mind again recently when my grandmother pointed out a guy at a concert we were at and said that he looked just like Jesus. He was of average height, had shoulder length dark hair, and a full beard. Now with no disrespect meant at all, the guy was kind of homely looking, unassuming, someone who I would not give a second thought. Confession, I thought he was homeless actually. Ok so that sounded disrespectful. Cue the big kick in the face when I realized that both my grandmother and I had our own different cultural preconceptions about what Jesus looks like, founded on what? Whatever artists and filmakers view as "typical?"
In December 2002 Popular Mechanics did a cover story called "The Real Face of Jesus." Using "forensic anthropology" scientists and archaeologists combined to investigate what a first-century Galilean Jew might have looked like, with medical artist Richard Neave commissioned to do the rendering. The article describes the process:
"The first step for Neave and his research team was to acquire skulls from near Jerusalem, the region where Jesus lived and preached. Semite skulls of this type had previously been found by Israeli archeology experts, who shared them with Neave. With three well-preserved specimens from the time of Jesus in hand, Neave used computerized tomography to create X-ray "slices" of the skulls, thus revealing minute details about each one’s structure. Special computer programs then evaluated reams of information about known measurements of the thickness of soft tissue at key areas on human faces. This made it possible to re-create the muscles and skin overlying a representative Semite skull."
How tall would a first-century Jew be? "From an analysis of skeletal remains, archeologists had firmly established that the average build of a Semite male at the time of Jesus was 5 ft. 1 in., with an average weight of about 110 pounds." So apparently, I'm taller and heavier than Jesus! Now that's weird! But it's good to have our cultural preconceptions—even prejudices—challenged.
There are numerous physical details about Jesus' appearance that can be determined from the Bible. We do know that he was in his early 30s when he began his ministry. Jesus may or may not have had long hair or a beard. Irrelevant matter though. I wonder what the length of anyone's hair has to do with their impact in the world. Unless you're Troy Polamalu, who's hair is three feet long and insured for $1 million.
Isaiah's messianic prophecy does suggest that there was nothing unusually attractive about Jesus ("he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him," Isaiah 53:2). Is it taking it too far to say that Jesus was homely, unattractive or ugly?
Here's where I'm going with this. I am sad to say that I regarded the guy at the concert with some sort of disdain, and my grandmother sort of revered the same guy, just based on his outward appearance. I always thought that if I ever came face to face with Jesus, I would be completely blown away by his beauty, and the forgiveness and mercy in his eyes. Still might be the case someday. But I keep thinking about how so many people just missed Jesus back then.
Who could have cared about the birth of a baby while the world was watching Rome in all her splendor? All eyes were on Augustus, the caesar who demanded a census so as to determine a measurement to enlarge taxes. At the time, who was interested in just another couple making a long trip to be counted for the census? What could have possibly been more important that Caesar's decisions in Rome? Who cared about a Jewish baby born in Bethlehem?
Well, God sure did. Augustus was only a pawn in God's grand plan. While Rome was busy making world history, God showed up. He pitched his fleshly tent in silence on straw... in a stable. The world didn't even notice. Reeling from the wake in Alexander the Great, Herod the Great, Augustus the Great, the world overlooked Mary's little Lamb.
Just because Jesus didn't come down from Heaven in a fiery chariot and stage a coup to take over Rome, most of the inhabitants of the Roman empire overlooked him and his work. An itinerant preacher, with no place to lay his head (Matthew 8:20) is this guy right here!
A man who walked and served among the poor, needy, marginalized and oppressed, is my King. I only pray that I seek and serve him every day of my life. Do you know him?
The Name of Jesus
Over the past 2000 years, more people on this earth have
known the name of Jesus than any other name. Since 33 AD, over 8 billion people
have claimed to be followers of this Jesus. Billions more have heard of his
name. Presently, the name of Jesus can be found in over 6000 languages and more
are being added every year.
It’s strange that this single name has dominated the last
2000 years of world history, especially Western history. For most, Jesus has a
sacred ring to it; it sounds holy and divine. But this wasn’t the case when
Mary and Joseph followed the angel’s instructions and gave their baby his name.
Yes, it had a special meaning, but it was not an unusual name. In Acts 9 we
read of the Jewish false prophet, Bar-Jesus. In Colossians 4, Paul mentions one
of his fellow workers, Jesus, called Justus. And some ancient manuscripts of
the gospel of Matthew call the robber released by Pilate, Jesus Barabbas, which
can be translated, ironically enough, “Jesus Son of the Father.”
Jesus was a common name. When Mary and Joseph called
their son Jesus, there were no prayers in his name. No one used it as a swear
word. No one sang songs about this name. We don’t name our sons John with the
expectation that over the next 2000 years 8 billion people will pray in his
name. But common as it was, Jesus was “Jesus” by design. In Greek it
is Iesous, in Aramaic, the language
Jesus spoke, Yesu. Both are derived from the
Hebrew, the name is Yeshua or Joshua. Joshua is made up of two parts: Ya,
which is short for Yahweh, and hoshea, which
means salvation. Therefore, Mary and Joseph give their little baby the name
Jesus, “Yahweh is salvation.”
Which he was. And is. Through Christ alone. Ever since
the first Christmas, Jesus has been more than just a name. It’s been our only comfort
in life and in death, our only hope in a hopeless world. When you believe in
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, you have life in his name (John 20:31). There is, in
fact, no other name under heaven given among men whereby we can be saved (Acts 4:12). So naturally,
whatever we do, in word or deed, we ought to do in the name of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17). For
God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every
name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on
earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:11-12).
The power in the name is the person behind the name. In
the Old Testament, names meant something. They were more than badges of identification.
They often told others who you were and what purpose God had for your life. So
Adam was the first man. Eve was the mother of all living things. Abraham was
the father of many nations. Benjamin was the son of his father’s right hand.
Moses was drawn out of the water. Peter was the rock. Barnabas was the son of
encouragement.
And what about Jesus?
“And you shall call his name Jesus,” the angel told
Joseph, “for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). More than
a great teacher, more than a worker of miracles, more than giving us meaning in
life, more than a caring friend, more than a transformer of cultures, more than
a purpose for the purposeless, Jesus is a Savior of sinners.
So there really is just something about that name.
Nope, not just something: everything.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Why I LOVE This Time of Year
This time of year always gets me thinking about traditions. Mainly family and cultural traditions. Tradition is usually a sign of established order and gives an individual or group a certain identity. That identity differentiates people making each person unique and special, and who doesn't want to feel like they're special?
Specifically related to this time of year, my family has a lot of different traditions. There's the whole not-celebrating-Thanksgiving tradition, followed by the house-decorating tradition on Black Friday. We have nothing against Thanksgiving, it's just an exclusively American holiday, culturally, we just never really got into it. Celebration of advent is another family tradition, along with weekly Christmas carol sing-a-longs. My favorite tradition by far though is following up Christmas Eve service with a Chinese food dinner and opening presents at midnight.
Recently I was reading an article on cross-cultural mission that also got me thinking about traditions. While the Bible centers on one people - the Jews; and then upon the "New Israel," the church - the world at that time included scores of other ethnic and cultural peoples. Today, our world inhabits about 30,000 different people groups, all with their own traditions and ways of life.
Biblical writers often stress our mission to reach Earth's "peoples." God promised Abraham that his descendants would bless "all peoples on earth" (Genesis 12:1-3). Isaiah declared that Israel was raised up to bring "salvation to the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6). Jesus' Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) to "go and make disciples of all nations" reinforces this sacred calling.
Christianity is not the only religion inviting others to join its ranks. Judaism welcomes "Gentile" converts, and Islam is proactively mission-minded. Christianity's approach, though, is different. Judaism expects Gentiles to become culturally kosher, and Islam shapes converts into an Arabic cultural mold. But ideally, Christian mission adapts to the tongues and cultures of the people it seeks to reach. This was actually an official policy in early Christianity, with the decisions of the Jerusalem Council reported in Acts 15. It's voiced in Paul's reflection in 1 Corinthians 9:22, "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some."
I know for me, there's is little else more meaningful than the opportunity to help plant or advance an indigenous church in another culture. As the Gospel's meaning is expressed in their own language, music, art, architecture and style, some of these people will discover faith, experience life change, and become agents of hope to their peers - and even to other peoples. And we gain a deeper understanding of the Gospel's meaning through the experience of interpreting cross-culturally than we ever could by staying home.
You know what this makes me excited for?
For those of you who don't know what Urbana is, it is a large scale, empowering missions event held every three years and is a hugely diverse gathering of students, graduates, missionaries, and church leaders from all over the world. I can't do it justice by just writing about it. It's worship with thousands of people. It's a chance to learn and seek what your place is in God's global mission. It's the chance to hear from dynamic speakers from all around the world who have ministry experience in areas like engineering, health, economics and finance, art, church planting and leadership, all with a global perspective. Basically it's a glimpse of Heaven. Urbana is truly a multicultural and multinational experience. And why wouldn't it be? God's global mission is all about drawing all people and nations to Himself.
Urbana 2012 (December 27-31 2012). See you there!
Specifically related to this time of year, my family has a lot of different traditions. There's the whole not-celebrating-Thanksgiving tradition, followed by the house-decorating tradition on Black Friday. We have nothing against Thanksgiving, it's just an exclusively American holiday, culturally, we just never really got into it. Celebration of advent is another family tradition, along with weekly Christmas carol sing-a-longs. My favorite tradition by far though is following up Christmas Eve service with a Chinese food dinner and opening presents at midnight.
Recently I was reading an article on cross-cultural mission that also got me thinking about traditions. While the Bible centers on one people - the Jews; and then upon the "New Israel," the church - the world at that time included scores of other ethnic and cultural peoples. Today, our world inhabits about 30,000 different people groups, all with their own traditions and ways of life.
Biblical writers often stress our mission to reach Earth's "peoples." God promised Abraham that his descendants would bless "all peoples on earth" (Genesis 12:1-3). Isaiah declared that Israel was raised up to bring "salvation to the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6). Jesus' Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) to "go and make disciples of all nations" reinforces this sacred calling.
Christianity is not the only religion inviting others to join its ranks. Judaism welcomes "Gentile" converts, and Islam is proactively mission-minded. Christianity's approach, though, is different. Judaism expects Gentiles to become culturally kosher, and Islam shapes converts into an Arabic cultural mold. But ideally, Christian mission adapts to the tongues and cultures of the people it seeks to reach. This was actually an official policy in early Christianity, with the decisions of the Jerusalem Council reported in Acts 15. It's voiced in Paul's reflection in 1 Corinthians 9:22, "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some."
I know for me, there's is little else more meaningful than the opportunity to help plant or advance an indigenous church in another culture. As the Gospel's meaning is expressed in their own language, music, art, architecture and style, some of these people will discover faith, experience life change, and become agents of hope to their peers - and even to other peoples. And we gain a deeper understanding of the Gospel's meaning through the experience of interpreting cross-culturally than we ever could by staying home.
You know what this makes me excited for?
THIS!!!!!!!!
And that's from....
THIS!!!!!!!!
For those of you who don't know what Urbana is, it is a large scale, empowering missions event held every three years and is a hugely diverse gathering of students, graduates, missionaries, and church leaders from all over the world. I can't do it justice by just writing about it. It's worship with thousands of people. It's a chance to learn and seek what your place is in God's global mission. It's the chance to hear from dynamic speakers from all around the world who have ministry experience in areas like engineering, health, economics and finance, art, church planting and leadership, all with a global perspective. Basically it's a glimpse of Heaven. Urbana is truly a multicultural and multinational experience. And why wouldn't it be? God's global mission is all about drawing all people and nations to Himself.
Urbana 2012 (December 27-31 2012). See you there!
Friday, November 4, 2011
"So You're Religious Right?"
Finally, the post I've wanted to write about for so long! This question has been on my heart for the past month, and I haven't been able to process and write out my answer until now. For those of you who don't remember, last month one of my coworkers asked me the question "So you're religious right?" This was in response to a Facebook status I wrote about God's divine work in my mom's open heart surgery. I fumbled to find an answer to this question, for no apparent reason except for the fact that I do not live my life in order to be ready at any moment to share my faith clearly, boldly, and decisively.
Clearly, this has been bothering me a lot. Biblically, we are mandated to "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have" (1 Peter 3:15). Aside from the fact that it's hard to me to clearly communicate my beliefs; I think there were some tensions in what my answer should look/sound like. I know the first thing that spills out of the mouths of most Christians is "it's a relationship, not a religion," which to me is true, but I know that as a part of my relationship with God, I do practice certain disciplines that to a non-believer would be considered religious by definition (going to church, reading and studying the Bible, praying, fasting, etc.).
Now my following thoughts are based off an article from The Gospel Coalition specifically related to college/peer ministry. However, it's incredibly relevant and I think addresses my tensions in my answer to the title question really well.
Thought #1 - There needs to be a shift from religion and relationship to Gospel.
Like I said previously, it's common for well-meaning Christians to say, "Being a Christian is not about religion. It's about a relationship." But honestly, I think this line is both tired and discounted by the unchurched (never been to church) and dechurched (left the church). Non-believers can rightfully point out much that is still "religious" about the Christian faith. (If they've done their research, they can reference verses like 1 Timothy 5:4 and James 1:26-27). And honestly, I'm not sure some non-believers will find talk of relationship very persuasive, because non-Christian "spiritual" people already have their pick of other of "spiritual relationships" from which to choose.
Both religion and relationship capture helpful aspects of what Christianity is, but I think neither word is strong enough to fully encompass what Christianity is about. Only GOSPEL can do that. The Gospel alone is the power of salvation for all who believe (Romans 1:16); no amount of our religious observance or relational feeling has the power to save.
Many of us are aware of how religion easily becomes a work, through legalistic observance of rules and rituals, but sometimes we forget that relationship can fall into some of the same traps. While the legalist chases adherence to the rules, the relationist chases the next feel-good moment. In this sense, relationship can become just another type of salvation by works among holier-than-thou people, going from one passionate mountaintop experience to another. Been there, done that!
Christianity is expressed and experienced in both religion and relationship. But it's not about either. Only the Gospel occupies that central place. The Gospel is not merely an initiation for new converts but the foundation for everyone. The Gospel - in all its depth, riches, and fullness - must be repeatedly proclaimed to believer and unbeliever, churched and unchurched alike.
Thought #2 - There needs to be a shift from compartmentalizing faith to full life engagement.
Many churches or campus/peer ministries believe they are adequately equipping students to live out their faith. However, too many of us focus only on private spiritual disciplines. While teaching these things is a must, missional ministry realizes that Christians must be equipped to think and live Christianly in every sphere of life. This means calling believers to whole person transformation - mind, body, and spirit - through the Gospel, a transformation that begins through the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:2). Grove City College did this so well! I attended college there for two years and we were required to take this Humanities core that was all about the Gospel and how it applied to history, art, music, literature, and most importantly, how it should shape our entire worldview.
Missional ministry constantly helps believers make sense of their lives from a deeply Christian perspective. Believers are helped to view relationships, work, school, money, entertainment, justice - and many other issues - from this Christian perspective. Missional outreach is familiar with and engages the various "gospels" proclaimed in culture, particularly through movies, music, TV, and the internet. This takes wisdom and discernment, as well as a deep awareness (and appreciation) of both the biblical and cultural narratives.
So there's definitely a lot more I could say, but I tried to be as concise as possible. If you know anything about me, then you probably know that this post itself took like 6 drafts and multiple publishing attempts. The "What has God been teaching you lately?" question, is an interesting one, because most of the time God's teaching me a lesson on one thing in so many different ways, either because I'm just not getting it, or it's an eternal lesson with so much depth and richness. God's mystery is part of His beauty, but I'm also so thankful that He's made Himself known to me, in whatever way my feeble human mind can comprehend.
Blessings,
-Adina
So there's definitely a lot more I could say, but I tried to be as concise as possible. If you know anything about me, then you probably know that this post itself took like 6 drafts and multiple publishing attempts. The "What has God been teaching you lately?" question, is an interesting one, because most of the time God's teaching me a lesson on one thing in so many different ways, either because I'm just not getting it, or it's an eternal lesson with so much depth and richness. God's mystery is part of His beauty, but I'm also so thankful that He's made Himself known to me, in whatever way my feeble human mind can comprehend.
Blessings,
-Adina
Sunday, October 9, 2011
The Hurting Church
The hurting church is not an occasional problem. More and more often we find people who have been hurt deeply within the family of God, leaving them worn and exhausted. More and more often we find leaders in conflict within the body of believers, robbed of the joy Jesus promised in Him. When we find this hurt hanging on to our own bruised soul, it can make us want to leave the church and sometimes even want to blame God who seems to have allowed it all.
Sadly, we have come to accept that this is the way church is. There is an epidemic of fractured believers out there and we have actually come to accept this as the norm. So we either stay away and let our hearts become cold and bitter...or we put on our Sunday best, say "life goes on" and implement a new vision or program and hope the problems will just go away. The hurt in individual hearts and churches gets buried...until it gets stirred up again.
Can we break this cycle that happens over and over in heart after heart, and church after church?
I am continually amazed at the simplicity of God's Word and the clear, direct instructions He shares with us. The Father's heart toward us, His children, is so open and loving as He instructs us in living in the day-to-day challenges.
The steps God gives us are simple, though not easy. They are steps that can help us move from being reactive in conflict to becoming proactive in guarding our hearts and our churches. And, as steps always do, they will take us to higher ground where we can live above disunity and confusion. The framework these steps are built on is love. Love is also the handrail that helps move us along from one step to another. Without love, the steps move us from the fulfillment of right living that God calls us to, to self- righteous living, which is hollow and void of the power of the Holy Spirit. God says our trademark will be love. "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35).
Step 1: Know your enemy
We don't like to focus on the devil. We don't want to give him any glory. Yet, in failing to listen to the warning of Scripture that the devil actually "prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8), we find ourselves consumed ("devoured!") by all kinds of agitations/irritations in one another and in the church.
Quarrels about how new programs are run, personalities of church leaders, different worship styles, people who "just don’t get it" the way we do, all begin to rob us of our joy and steal our effectiveness as a body of believers. And we are often clueless to what is really going on in the spiritual realm. Scripture says, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers..." (Ephesians 6:12). When in conflict with another believer, we need to ask ourselves the question, "Is there a greater power at work here?"
The answer in these situations is usually "yes." And the solution is so simple we miss it. As Christians we are in a fierce battle. But our opponent is in the spiritual realm. His mandate is to "kill, steal and destroy" (John 10:10). Instead of recognizing that, we engage in battle with one another, leaving scratches and scars, bruises and bleeding that sometimes takes years to heal and always leaves a mark. And the trademark of love becomes so faint, the world can hardly see it. Scripture tells us to "be alert, and resist the enemy" (1Peter 5:8,9) be on your guard and "stand against the schemes of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11). So when conflict strikes...know immediately who your opponent is...know immediately he has schemes and plans in place that will at best steal from you and at worst destroy God's people and their effectiveness.
Any pervasive, downward spiral needs to be called what it is. Be alert to the red flags. Our human nature wants to defend and justify ourselves. God knows the tendency of our hearts to go their own way. That is why He calls us to pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44) and to do good to those who use us (Luke 6:27). (The trademark of love, remember?) Only the "God strength" in our lives, His strength at our point of weakness and frustration, can remedy this battle that is fought in the heavens, yet lived out on earth in our churches.
"Be alert and always keep on praying" (Ephesians 6:18) When prayer is no longer the oxygen of our spiritual soul or the heartbeat of our church, our defense is down. Praying for those who hurt us becomes something we don't even want to do. Neglect in prayer and in the spiritual training of the Word leaves us with open doors for the enemy to turn the battle on one another. It is so subtle and we can feel so justified, but the loss in our own hearts and in the Kingdom is an unnecessary tragedy. The stealing and robbing is done long before we have even recognized the enemy was at the door. Knowing he is prowling about keeps us in a proactive state and able to recognize and withstand his tactics.
Step 2: Keep short accounts
The truth of the Word of God in the instruction from Paul to "not let the sun go down on your anger" is so profoundly simple that we miss it (we just miss a lot of things God is trying to tell us).
The Bible often uses the picture of seeds and reaping and sowing. Seeds of irritations and annoyances, not weeded out and dealt with on a daily basis, grow in our hearts. When they are not dealt with as soon as we recognize them, they take root and each subsequent encounter with that same agitation, which will always be linked to some person, will cause that root to dig just a little deeper. The deeper it goes, the more bitter it gets.
Scripture tells us "a root of bitterness springs up and defiles many" (Hebrews 12:15). When it finally comes out, it defiles us and those around, and hurt is the result. When our own bitter roots come up we hurt others. That is why Proverbs 4:23 tells us "above all else guard your heart for it is the well spring of life." It is the very source of all we are. What is in our heart spills out of our mouth (Matthew 12:34), and it is by our very words that we often grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:29, 30), and love goes out the window. The trademark that identified us as His disciples disappears and the world looking on can see no difference in us.
So guard your heart. Take stock every day. Holiness is truth in the inner part. Keep short accounts for your own heart's sake.
If the root is only just beginning in your own heart and still undetected by others, go to God and ask for its removal. You know when it is there. Ask for grace to be poured out in your heart so that you will have all the grace you need to deal with that particular situation and person. 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, "God is able to make all grace abound to you so that in all things and at all times having all that you need you will abound in every good work." If the root has already spilled out and hurt others, go and confess to them. Even if they do not receive you or do not own their part of the conflict, keep your own heart guarded and clean. You are only responsible for one heart. Unresolved conflict in the heart of another is God’s job to deal with. Go read Matthew 18. It's the biblical example to follow when dealing with conflict among believers.
The presence of God in a life and the degree of truth that is allowed in the inner part will be evident in the fruit of our lives. Watch the fruit in your own life and in the lives of others. The fruit gives us away (Matthew 7:20). If you have owned your part in a conflict and others refuse to do the same, give them grace, pray for them, and if necessary, distance yourself from the overflow of their bitter root until they allow God to do healing in their heart.
Always be alert to the seeds that you allow in your heart. They all eventually produce fruit of one kind or another. List the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness/humility, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22). Ask yourself the simple question: "What fruit of the Spirit is in short supply in my life right now?" Then take an honest look at the seeds that may have begun to take root in your heart.
Step 3: Don’t be afraid of accountability
It seems we have come to allow gossip, slander and anger to simply be overlooked and rationalized in our churches. We excuse the fractures among believers by telling ourselves that God is purging our church, He is bringing justice. We stand up and boldly say, “God is in control,” while tears fall and tender spirits get bruised and crushed. We forget that the enemy is alive and well, attempting to influence our choices in how we deal with these situations. We forget that for God to be in control of the moment, the conversation or the situation, we must ask Him to allow His Spirit to work in us and through us. Psalm 15 depicts the marks of an authentic Christian. It says, "He casts no slur on his fellowman...but honors those who fear the Lord." In any given troubling situation we need to honestly ask ourselves, "Am I making choices that allow God to be in control here or am I taking control?"
Proverbs 3:5,6 tells us to "trust in the Lord with your whole heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight." If your own understanding is resulting in opinions and actions that bring division, be accountable for what is going on in your own heart.
God speaks harshly about the one who promotes division (Titus 3:10). If you are prompted to speak to one who is causing division, remember the trademark and go in love and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Don't be afraid to call or be called to accountability. We can run to God, our ever present help. God is Sovereign and He is the Great Redeemer. No matter how bad a situation is, if He is invited in, at any point, He will come in and redeem the situation, work things out for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28) and put a derailed train back on the tracks.
2 Chronicles 7:14 says, "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked (selfish) ways, then I will heal their land" (their church, their heart). It's a sure promise!
Step 4: Acknowledge pride
Scripture says, "God resists, or opposes, the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). Pride is a killer. It is one of the subtlest tools of the enemy. God actually resists the proud! Who would want to be opposed by God? Heck no, not me! Yet in the church we often do find pride, but it wears a different cloak than it does out in the world.
In Christian circles we know that pride in our position and possessions is not a godly thing. We scorn openly the pursuit of "fame and fortune" alone. Yet pride exists in our hearts and in our churches in two prominent ways that we often try to justify.
There is pride in standing for a "principle of righteousness" while walking away from reconciliation. Making such a stand is not wrong in itself; however it is very often accompanied by a lack of grace and a spiritual superiority that cuts off the Spirit of God from working in a situation. If you are ever tempted to "stand for righteousness" against another Christian brother or sister, check if your trademark of love is visible, make sure your heart is clean in all the secret places and that you have done all you can to live at peace (Romans 12:18). If the basis for your stand is your own pride be very careful, for God does resist the proud.
The second place pride plays a major role in the church is in the area of spiritual gifts. You may have a discerning heart or a prophetic gift. God may reveal truth to you in a situation or even in the life of another. Again, be very careful. God calls us first to prayer and often, to nothing more. If words are to be spoken God will clearly reveal that, but the first task is to obey the call to prayer.
Much damage has been done in the church when someone feels they have received a word from God and simply talks, rather than prays, about it. If you think you sense something pray, pray, PRAY! And God will reveal if there is anything else He requires. God's whisper in our Spirit will never be in conflict with what He directs in His Word. When we speak in spiritual pride, the Spirit is grieved and we cut off that which God was at work doing in our lives and in the situation. (1 Corinthians 13) The simple question to ask before opening your mouth is: "Will this lift Jesus higher or will this lift me higher?"
Be slow to speak, especially words that sow negative seeds about another, and be quick to listen. Ephesians 4:29,30 says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God..."
Step 5: Use the opportunity for growth
When we recognize there has been hurt in our church, we must be willing to take a stand to say what will be different from this day forward. So often we experience hurt within the church walls and we retreat for a while, only to return to find a new vision or a new program and a turning of the page to "press on" and "forget what is behind" without ever acknowledging why we got to the hurtful point we did.
If there is one thing we have learned throughout history, is that it repeats itself. Struggles with pride and accountability, with tending the seeds of our heart and not recognizing our enemy are day-to-day struggles. Unless we recognize where we have been in hurting times and plant some stakes that serve as markers to check us when we tend to spiral into the same patterns, we have not taken the opportunity to mature and move ahead in our journey with God as a church. Ask yourself: "Am I willing to acknowledge my part and take steps to prevent a repeat?"
When conflict threatens your heart and your church, as it always will, seek first to be intentional about raising the banner of prayer in your life and in your church. This invites the Spirit of God to be at work in the lives of those involved and minimizes our tendency to lean on our own understanding. It moves us toward recognizing our utter dependence on God and God alone as the hope of the hurting church.
If you are part of a church that is experiencing hurt and conflict, confusion and disorder, God gives a measuring stick to determine what value system is at work. James 3: 13-17 talks about two kinds of wisdom, one, which does not come from heaven, and one that does. The one not based on heavenly values is centered on earthly values with envy and selfish ambition at the core. Not hard to spot. The trademark of love will be blatantly absent.
The wisdom based on heavenly values will be pure, peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
This higher value system can be reached by applying these five steps based on the foundation of love – love that comes from the heart of the Father to our own individual heart. Then the world will see our trademark and glorify our Father who is in heaven.
Tend your heart wisely! The state of your soul, the health of your church and the world that is watching depends on it.
Sadly, we have come to accept that this is the way church is. There is an epidemic of fractured believers out there and we have actually come to accept this as the norm. So we either stay away and let our hearts become cold and bitter...or we put on our Sunday best, say "life goes on" and implement a new vision or program and hope the problems will just go away. The hurt in individual hearts and churches gets buried...until it gets stirred up again.
Can we break this cycle that happens over and over in heart after heart, and church after church?
I am continually amazed at the simplicity of God's Word and the clear, direct instructions He shares with us. The Father's heart toward us, His children, is so open and loving as He instructs us in living in the day-to-day challenges.
The steps God gives us are simple, though not easy. They are steps that can help us move from being reactive in conflict to becoming proactive in guarding our hearts and our churches. And, as steps always do, they will take us to higher ground where we can live above disunity and confusion. The framework these steps are built on is love. Love is also the handrail that helps move us along from one step to another. Without love, the steps move us from the fulfillment of right living that God calls us to, to self- righteous living, which is hollow and void of the power of the Holy Spirit. God says our trademark will be love. "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35).
Step 1: Know your enemy
We don't like to focus on the devil. We don't want to give him any glory. Yet, in failing to listen to the warning of Scripture that the devil actually "prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8), we find ourselves consumed ("devoured!") by all kinds of agitations/irritations in one another and in the church.
Quarrels about how new programs are run, personalities of church leaders, different worship styles, people who "just don’t get it" the way we do, all begin to rob us of our joy and steal our effectiveness as a body of believers. And we are often clueless to what is really going on in the spiritual realm. Scripture says, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers..." (Ephesians 6:12). When in conflict with another believer, we need to ask ourselves the question, "Is there a greater power at work here?"
The answer in these situations is usually "yes." And the solution is so simple we miss it. As Christians we are in a fierce battle. But our opponent is in the spiritual realm. His mandate is to "kill, steal and destroy" (John 10:10). Instead of recognizing that, we engage in battle with one another, leaving scratches and scars, bruises and bleeding that sometimes takes years to heal and always leaves a mark. And the trademark of love becomes so faint, the world can hardly see it. Scripture tells us to "be alert, and resist the enemy" (1Peter 5:8,9) be on your guard and "stand against the schemes of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11). So when conflict strikes...know immediately who your opponent is...know immediately he has schemes and plans in place that will at best steal from you and at worst destroy God's people and their effectiveness.
Any pervasive, downward spiral needs to be called what it is. Be alert to the red flags. Our human nature wants to defend and justify ourselves. God knows the tendency of our hearts to go their own way. That is why He calls us to pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44) and to do good to those who use us (Luke 6:27). (The trademark of love, remember?) Only the "God strength" in our lives, His strength at our point of weakness and frustration, can remedy this battle that is fought in the heavens, yet lived out on earth in our churches.
"Be alert and always keep on praying" (Ephesians 6:18) When prayer is no longer the oxygen of our spiritual soul or the heartbeat of our church, our defense is down. Praying for those who hurt us becomes something we don't even want to do. Neglect in prayer and in the spiritual training of the Word leaves us with open doors for the enemy to turn the battle on one another. It is so subtle and we can feel so justified, but the loss in our own hearts and in the Kingdom is an unnecessary tragedy. The stealing and robbing is done long before we have even recognized the enemy was at the door. Knowing he is prowling about keeps us in a proactive state and able to recognize and withstand his tactics.
Step 2: Keep short accounts
The truth of the Word of God in the instruction from Paul to "not let the sun go down on your anger" is so profoundly simple that we miss it (we just miss a lot of things God is trying to tell us).
The Bible often uses the picture of seeds and reaping and sowing. Seeds of irritations and annoyances, not weeded out and dealt with on a daily basis, grow in our hearts. When they are not dealt with as soon as we recognize them, they take root and each subsequent encounter with that same agitation, which will always be linked to some person, will cause that root to dig just a little deeper. The deeper it goes, the more bitter it gets.
Scripture tells us "a root of bitterness springs up and defiles many" (Hebrews 12:15). When it finally comes out, it defiles us and those around, and hurt is the result. When our own bitter roots come up we hurt others. That is why Proverbs 4:23 tells us "above all else guard your heart for it is the well spring of life." It is the very source of all we are. What is in our heart spills out of our mouth (Matthew 12:34), and it is by our very words that we often grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:29, 30), and love goes out the window. The trademark that identified us as His disciples disappears and the world looking on can see no difference in us.
So guard your heart. Take stock every day. Holiness is truth in the inner part. Keep short accounts for your own heart's sake.
If the root is only just beginning in your own heart and still undetected by others, go to God and ask for its removal. You know when it is there. Ask for grace to be poured out in your heart so that you will have all the grace you need to deal with that particular situation and person. 2 Corinthians 9:8 says, "God is able to make all grace abound to you so that in all things and at all times having all that you need you will abound in every good work." If the root has already spilled out and hurt others, go and confess to them. Even if they do not receive you or do not own their part of the conflict, keep your own heart guarded and clean. You are only responsible for one heart. Unresolved conflict in the heart of another is God’s job to deal with. Go read Matthew 18. It's the biblical example to follow when dealing with conflict among believers.
The presence of God in a life and the degree of truth that is allowed in the inner part will be evident in the fruit of our lives. Watch the fruit in your own life and in the lives of others. The fruit gives us away (Matthew 7:20). If you have owned your part in a conflict and others refuse to do the same, give them grace, pray for them, and if necessary, distance yourself from the overflow of their bitter root until they allow God to do healing in their heart.
Always be alert to the seeds that you allow in your heart. They all eventually produce fruit of one kind or another. List the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness/humility, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22). Ask yourself the simple question: "What fruit of the Spirit is in short supply in my life right now?" Then take an honest look at the seeds that may have begun to take root in your heart.
Step 3: Don’t be afraid of accountability
It seems we have come to allow gossip, slander and anger to simply be overlooked and rationalized in our churches. We excuse the fractures among believers by telling ourselves that God is purging our church, He is bringing justice. We stand up and boldly say, “God is in control,” while tears fall and tender spirits get bruised and crushed. We forget that the enemy is alive and well, attempting to influence our choices in how we deal with these situations. We forget that for God to be in control of the moment, the conversation or the situation, we must ask Him to allow His Spirit to work in us and through us. Psalm 15 depicts the marks of an authentic Christian. It says, "He casts no slur on his fellowman...but honors those who fear the Lord." In any given troubling situation we need to honestly ask ourselves, "Am I making choices that allow God to be in control here or am I taking control?"
Proverbs 3:5,6 tells us to "trust in the Lord with your whole heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight." If your own understanding is resulting in opinions and actions that bring division, be accountable for what is going on in your own heart.
God speaks harshly about the one who promotes division (Titus 3:10). If you are prompted to speak to one who is causing division, remember the trademark and go in love and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Don't be afraid to call or be called to accountability. We can run to God, our ever present help. God is Sovereign and He is the Great Redeemer. No matter how bad a situation is, if He is invited in, at any point, He will come in and redeem the situation, work things out for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28) and put a derailed train back on the tracks.
2 Chronicles 7:14 says, "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked (selfish) ways, then I will heal their land" (their church, their heart). It's a sure promise!
Step 4: Acknowledge pride
Scripture says, "God resists, or opposes, the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). Pride is a killer. It is one of the subtlest tools of the enemy. God actually resists the proud! Who would want to be opposed by God? Heck no, not me! Yet in the church we often do find pride, but it wears a different cloak than it does out in the world.
In Christian circles we know that pride in our position and possessions is not a godly thing. We scorn openly the pursuit of "fame and fortune" alone. Yet pride exists in our hearts and in our churches in two prominent ways that we often try to justify.
There is pride in standing for a "principle of righteousness" while walking away from reconciliation. Making such a stand is not wrong in itself; however it is very often accompanied by a lack of grace and a spiritual superiority that cuts off the Spirit of God from working in a situation. If you are ever tempted to "stand for righteousness" against another Christian brother or sister, check if your trademark of love is visible, make sure your heart is clean in all the secret places and that you have done all you can to live at peace (Romans 12:18). If the basis for your stand is your own pride be very careful, for God does resist the proud.
The second place pride plays a major role in the church is in the area of spiritual gifts. You may have a discerning heart or a prophetic gift. God may reveal truth to you in a situation or even in the life of another. Again, be very careful. God calls us first to prayer and often, to nothing more. If words are to be spoken God will clearly reveal that, but the first task is to obey the call to prayer.
Much damage has been done in the church when someone feels they have received a word from God and simply talks, rather than prays, about it. If you think you sense something pray, pray, PRAY! And God will reveal if there is anything else He requires. God's whisper in our Spirit will never be in conflict with what He directs in His Word. When we speak in spiritual pride, the Spirit is grieved and we cut off that which God was at work doing in our lives and in the situation. (1 Corinthians 13) The simple question to ask before opening your mouth is: "Will this lift Jesus higher or will this lift me higher?"
Be slow to speak, especially words that sow negative seeds about another, and be quick to listen. Ephesians 4:29,30 says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God..."
Step 5: Use the opportunity for growth
When we recognize there has been hurt in our church, we must be willing to take a stand to say what will be different from this day forward. So often we experience hurt within the church walls and we retreat for a while, only to return to find a new vision or a new program and a turning of the page to "press on" and "forget what is behind" without ever acknowledging why we got to the hurtful point we did.
If there is one thing we have learned throughout history, is that it repeats itself. Struggles with pride and accountability, with tending the seeds of our heart and not recognizing our enemy are day-to-day struggles. Unless we recognize where we have been in hurting times and plant some stakes that serve as markers to check us when we tend to spiral into the same patterns, we have not taken the opportunity to mature and move ahead in our journey with God as a church. Ask yourself: "Am I willing to acknowledge my part and take steps to prevent a repeat?"
When conflict threatens your heart and your church, as it always will, seek first to be intentional about raising the banner of prayer in your life and in your church. This invites the Spirit of God to be at work in the lives of those involved and minimizes our tendency to lean on our own understanding. It moves us toward recognizing our utter dependence on God and God alone as the hope of the hurting church.
If you are part of a church that is experiencing hurt and conflict, confusion and disorder, God gives a measuring stick to determine what value system is at work. James 3: 13-17 talks about two kinds of wisdom, one, which does not come from heaven, and one that does. The one not based on heavenly values is centered on earthly values with envy and selfish ambition at the core. Not hard to spot. The trademark of love will be blatantly absent.
The wisdom based on heavenly values will be pure, peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
This higher value system can be reached by applying these five steps based on the foundation of love – love that comes from the heart of the Father to our own individual heart. Then the world will see our trademark and glorify our Father who is in heaven.
Tend your heart wisely! The state of your soul, the health of your church and the world that is watching depends on it.
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