The Other Side of the Tracks

My brother-in-law Tim loves Jesus as much as anyone that I've ever met. His life is full of grace and ease even though he pastors a church in one of the roughest areas of Atlanta and deals with overwhelming obstacles on a daily basis. He always challenges me to take a deeper look at poverty and racial reconciliation from a Jesus standpoint.

Whenever I'm brave enough to open my eyes to peer in the direction of such injustices, I find Jesus in that place staring back at me. He mourns and suffers along with the oppressed. It discomforts me to see Jesus on the "other side" of the proverbial "tracks". I mean after all, I am a disciple which means that I'm supposed to be with Jesus, right? So, why am I not with Him? Why the chasm between he and I? Why don't I want to follow Him into the place of injustice and suffering and oppression? Why does Jesus cross the tracks, when I refuse to leave my place of comfort?

Many American Christians think discipleship is about bringing Jesus with you wherever you go. But, that's not the call of Jesus! His call is to follow Him wherever He goes. And when I read my Bible I'm finding that Jesus goes into some pitifully painful places.

So, this week He has cleared my vision enough to see that He is staring back at me as I look into the eyes of those from the other side of the tracks. Although it shatters my plans for where I want to take Jesus, maybe I'll cross over and see where Jesus might want to take me.

Attractional vs. Missional Church

This is a cool little video that highlights the paradigmic shifts taking place in American evangelicalism. It compares and contrasts the attractional way of doing church with a missional way of doing church. Many people wonder what is meant by this new buzz-word called "missional". Although the word is new, the idea is as old as the ministry of Jesus. Check it out.

Idols

Idol worship is not merely some phenomenon of the past. It's as real and potent today as in the ancient world. But instead of idols being erected on "every high hill and every spreading tree" as in the days of Jeremiah, today they are found everywhere. Idols are in our recreation, at our work, in our relationships, in our homes and in our politics. They stand erected everywhere the human heart gazes. Only that we might have the eyes to see that we are an idol-saturated culture..

When any "good thing becomes an ultimate thing”, says Tim Keller, "it becomes an idol". What a great working definition of idolatry.

When wood or stone was carved in the ancient world, and deified, it was still considered mere wood and stone to the true Creator God. So, if the idolatry is not in the object itself, wherein lies the problem. The problem of idolatry lies never in object of the affection (the wood or stone itself), but the human heart. Idols have less to do about what's erected in the city square and a lot more to do with what's erected in the internal chambers of the human will.

The moment a good thing become an ultimate thing, it becomes our idol. Our idol might be our job, a relationship, sex, money or extreme sports. All good things created good by God for our enjoyment. But, make the good gifts of God into ultimate gifts we cannot live without and you've just erected yourself an idol.

And,keeping up with our idols is stinking labor intensive. We run and pant, ever chasing and pleading for our idol to fill us (ever see an addict on a binge?). The lie that perpetuates the racing and panting is the erroneous belief that a good thing can offer ultimate things..."It will buy me security, It will bring me significance and It will make me satisfied" we tell ourselves. The truth is that they cannot. Idols offer everything and deliver nothing. They require more and more of us, even our soul, and all the while give us nothing. Yes, idol worship is toilsome work.

Interestingly enough, when we make a good thing our god, we lose not only the replace the real God, ironically are deprived of the ‘goodness’ of that which we idolize. That good thing that we bow to, in the end becomes despicable to us because we have forced it to fill a hole that God Himself only can fill.

C.S. Lewis puts it well. "The woman who makes a dog the centre of her life loses, in the end, not only her human usefulness and dignity but even the proper pleasure of dog-keeping. And, the man who makes alcohol his chief good loses not only his job but his palate and all power of enjoying the earlier (and only pleasurable) levels of intoxication". Whether your ultimate lover is your dog, your Jack Daniels, your buff body or your 401K, your fixation on secondary things over primary things will lead to the collapse of those things you adore.

C.S. Lewis goes on and says, "Every preference of a small good to a great, or a partial good to a total good, involves the loss of the small or partial good for which the sacrifice was made. Apparently the world is made that way. If Esau really got his pottage in return for his birthright, then Esau was a lucky exception. You can’t get second things by putting them first; you can get second things only by putting first things first."

Hearken, all you idol worshippers! What you worship, will not only NOT give you what you want. . .but will leave you despising and detesting your object of worship.

So, what good thing have you been subtely making into an ultimate thing?

Bonhoeffer

I want to take a moment to plug a new book a couple friends of mine have been reading and proclaiming "excellent". It's a new biography of German disciple and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Bonhoeffer's writings have always landed near my own heart. Bonhoeffer's greatest legacy is not his writings, but his own life. His life was a gift to the Body of Christ. And, his life continues to challenge and encourage Christians swimming in a sea of spiritual mediocrity. I encourage you to pick up this book.

It would be a missed opportunity not to pepper you with a Bonhoeffer quote at this juncture. Here's some of his thoughts on grace that we find in his classic book The Cost of Discipleship:

"Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. . .Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price, and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God".

What Lurks Beneath

Growing up I was especially fond of playful days on the Atlantic reveling in the waves, enjoying fun in the sun and waiting for the next set of waves to surf in. As I look back, I’m mindful of how naïve I was to the hidden dangers that lurked beneath my feet. The ocean is a powerful force to contend with. Even a calm day on the surface can be misleading to one of the most powerful forces of the ocean: the undertow. The pulse of the tide is one of the most underestimated forces of nature. In fact the undertow claims more lives each year than the jaws of the infamous Great White shark. Unlike Jaws, the ocean’s way is not to devour a victim in one bite, but rather draw the victim out to sea by pulling him away from safety and eventually into the clutches of the deep.

The effectiveness of the undertow lies in its subtleties. A surfer is so preoccupied by the enjoyment of the ocean(cool water, monster waves, and great rides) that she becomes unaware of that forces that lurk beneath the surface. . . . until it’s too late. The ocean claims another unassuming victim.

As I ponder the subtle dangers of the ocean, I’m reminded of sin. It too involves a subtle, yet sinister pull. . .it has a pulse, a life of its own, that little by little pull us from safety and then beneath the surface. Of course, above sea level, the pleasure of sin is as appealing as a great day at the beach. It’s glossy surface and cool waters look inviting, even refreshing. And, so we bask in its pleasure and feel satisfied.

Yet, all the while, there is another side of sin that lurks beneath, unseen to the human eye. Like a deadly undertow, it is an ever present pulse that lures us away from safety into a place where we are in way over our heads. And, we find ourselves treading rough waters alone and in a panic.

Let’s be honest. There is force to sin that no man is his own power can contend with. Evil has the power to sink ships and erode continents. So, what makes us doggie-paddlers think we can out swim its waters without being devoured?

Beneath the cresting waves, dancing gulls and a pleasant sunsets of our lives is a dark, mysterious pulsing tide loose in the world. That force exists to pull you and I away from our Creator. It wants to get you in its grip and pull you far out of reach of safety and security.

Perhaps you know that in some particular area of your life that you are over your head. You are treading in tumultuous waters…and you can feel its subtle undertow bringing you to a place you have not been before.

You may be thinking, “I think I can make it”. “I haven’t drowned yet”. And, perhaps you can swim against the tide of sin for a season. But, it is no long term solution. In the battle against the restless pulse of sin, the Scripture is clear. “If any man thinks he stands, may he take heed lest he fall". And, you will fall. . .into the bottom of a dark, lifeless place. If you are in over your head right now, do yourself a favor and cry out. . .admit you are drowning. Perhaps someone on shore will hear you.

Fortunately, the Scripture teaches that we have been graced by a great lifeguard who is constantly scanning the shoreline looking for the wayward, the loss and the drowning. He knows where we are and understands the force that lurks beneath our toes. In fact, He has swam this shoreline and conquered the tide of sin. Fortunately for us, He specializes in rescue missions.

Those that look to Him and cry for help, though they are drowning, will be saved.

No More Jellyfish, Chickens or Wimps

A blog site wouldn't be complete without its own home-grown book critic. And, I can't think of a more trust-worthy critic than my good friend Jessica Heyworth. Jessica is always chewing on good thoughts and usually found with some book in her hands. If its not curriculum for one of her four home-schooled kids, she's reading something on becoming a more devout follower of Christ, a more faithful wife or enduring mother. I trust her instincts and always enjoy hearing what her mind has been musing on. So, this month (yes, Jessica I expect monthly reports :)) Jessica is reviewing a book called "Nor More Jellyfish, Chickens or Wimps". Ouch...the title already sounds convicting to me. Actually, its more geared towards parents and the ways we raise our children. Enjoy Jess' review. . .especially all you parents out there with young children. I know I'm gonna pick up a copy of this book!




No More Jellyfish, Chickens or Wimps
By Paul Coughlin

A review: By Jessica Heyworth


No More Jellyfish, Chickens or Wimps is a thought provoking book of practical advice, pointing out helpful guidelines on how to raise courageous, assertive children. At the same time, this book points out the dangers and pitfalls of over-protecting parenting. If you are interested in raising children who are strong in their character and confident in who they are in Christ, this book is for you. Don’t be surprised however, if the Holy Spirit starts working on your own heart as you read through the chapters. This book delves into an area of Christianity that is often misunderstood and neglected, meekness. If we as parents teach our children the wrong definition of meekness, (for example; teaching them to be soft, compliant and pleasant), we are on our way to “creating a nation of wimps”. The author Paul Coughlin describes meekness as… “knowing who we are, believing that what God says is true and then submitting to Him in obedience because we love Him.” As he highlight the differences between meekness and courage, he packs a hard punch when he starts talking of the timid living parents are passing down to their children by their so called “protecting”. Paul argues that by keeping our children from the inevitable hardships and challenges in life, we could stunt their emotional growth, never allowing them to recognize their true weakness and strengths. Talking largely about courage and the lack of it in our society, Paul points out the problems of our nation and how we as Christians are raising untold numbers of timid, psychologically fragile, anxiety ridden kids. He masterfully spells out what courage really looks like by saying, “courage was once reserved for the kind of behavior requiring sacrifice and suffering on behalf of a person for the common good, part of the definition of righteousness that’s found especially in the Bible.”

With profound words backed by Scripture, this book brings a bright light on some of the rarely touched subjects in the Christian realm. It dives into the “Dangers of a Nice Christian Upbringing” and gives wholesome advice in “Help for Bullies and Victims”. It teaches a controversial subject asking “Where are the courageous?” in a clear, passionate way. The author relates with parents as he walks us through areas of insecurities that we might unknowingly be passing down to our kids. Some questions we can ask ourselves as we read through the book could be…
1) Are our children able to think intuitively and stand up for themselves?
2) Are they able to courageously defend someone who is being mistreated or bullied?
3) Am I overprotecting my children by rescuing them from every hardship they might encounter?
As a parent realizing the God given responsibility to protect and train my children, the book No More Jellyfish, Chickens or Wimps, has helped me to keep my parenting balanced. It has helped me to reflect on the importance of not leaning too far on the side of over-protection. It also has encouraged me to continue to train our children to be courageous, not just to “be nice”. As we all live life and continue on this journey together, I pray that we can work to raise children that will be bold in their faith, courageous in difficult situations and confident in their God given abilities. This book has been an inspiration to me and I hope it will be for you as well.
Are you timid or way too passive in life? Are you fearful of what people might think of you if you take a stand against wrongdoing? Do you want your children or be able to take risks, connect with others and be tough enough to “wield the sword of defiance against dark forces”? If so, don’t hesitate to read this book!

In the name of Progress. . .

“When going back makes sense, you are moving ahead.”

~Wendell Berry


The Church can worship many idols other than God. No doubt, since the Enlightenment, the idea of progress has been erected and has sat on the right hand of the Father in the place of Jesus Christ. And, many things over time have ironically regressed the Body in the name of progress. In light of this simple fact, I love this quote that my friend Seth Fisher shared with me. It comes from the common-sensical, yet highly-prophetic pen of Wendell Berry. So, often our moving forward might require the humility and sensibility to look backwards and see if some of the saints before us might possibly have gotten it right. Chances are they did. Good word Mr. Berry!

On Equipping and Training

There is a lot of talk these days about the importance of equipping and training within Body. And, so there should be. The Scriptures give high regard to the role of equipping and training the Body for the purpose of growing up in Christ (Ephesians 4:11,13). With overloaded calendars and overwhelmed hearts, many pastors have looked more and more to the necessary role of equipping others so that the ministry load can be shared by the entire Body, not just a few people. And, once equipped, ministry can multiplied and the Church will grow in every way. No doubt, the Scriptures envision the work of ministry being done by the entire Body, and it envisions the multiplication of "works of service" so that the Body is built up. All, of this is good.

My concern for the Church today is the 'how' we do training and equipping. When the average person in a church setting hears the word 'training' he/she immediately assumes that it has something to do filling a job in the church. Learning to perform a task with competency and efficiency like leading a small group, volunteering for nursery, ushering, etc. Training is almost always used in church settings to help one become more proficient and competent in a specific ministry. Training today is almost exclusively tied to a job I perform. It's about becoming ministry proficient.

Now, there's little doubt that every church needs to have training for these areas. Nursery workers, for example, need to know where the diapers are or things will get messy real fast. Yes, ministry competence is necessary. However, those things are not what Jesus and Paul have in mind when they speak of training or equipping the Body. No, training in the Scriptures is not about ministry proficiency, but gospel proficiency. The primary purpose of training is not related to a job I do within the church, but related to the knowledge of God, of the gospel, the Church and how my life fits into that. Simply stated, training leads us not to job proficiency, but gospel proficiency.

In the Scriptures the training and equipping we are called to routinely partake in is not about mastering a competency, but perfecting our character in Christ. In fact, the goal of equipping/training in Ephesians 4 is the unification and perfection in Jesus Christ. So, what might training look like that had as its end goal to "attain to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ"? Well, for starters, that training would have to begin with something deeper than learning to do something in the Church. Getting "plugged in" at a church followed by four weeks of usher or greeter training sort of falls way short if you know what I mean.

Jesus offered training. He trained his disciples for three years. Many of those encounters recorded in the Scriptures were group training sessions. Other times of equipping were one-on-one. But, if we look at his training, it is almost exclusively the training through the teaching of sound doctrine (right beliefs) and the modeling of a godly lifestyle (right living). In fact, when his impatient disciples came to him about competency questions (how do we feed these 5,000 people?? how come we couldn't cast the demon out of this person? etc.), Jesus almost never gives them a direct answer. When he sent them out to do ministry these twelve evidently hadn't had any classes in healing, exorcism or homiletics. In fact Jesus' own words say it all. "I send you out as sheep among wolves." Thanks for the encouragement, Jesus! Were they ill-prepared and a bit overwhelmed by the task before them? Without a doubt! But, proficiency and ministry effeciency never was Jesus' goal.

His goal for these twelve men had always been full immersion and trust in a kingdom that could not be shaken. Jesus had bathed them in sound teaching of God's kind of life. Jesus had taught it on the hillsides. Jesus had modeled along the roadsides. And, the training they received from his heart and the modeling they witnessed from his hands prepared them for service. As they were sent out, the kingdom power and love transformed others lives. Today those ill-prepared, yet adequately trained disciples' still influence this world.

So, why don't our churches take the necessary time to train and equip others in the way of Jesus? Why are the people in church settings prepared to be trained in tasks and jobs, but not in discipleship? What's the point of mastering ministry areas when we have yet to allow the self to be mastered by the gospel?

Right now you might be thinking, yes, of course we need gospel mastery! Isn't this what Sunday services are for? My answer to that is both yes and no. Yes, the gospel should be preached in its fullness on Sunday mornings! But at the same time, no, it is not enough. It was never intended to be enough. No where in the Scriptures is training in the gospel life relegated to Sunday mornings. It's important for the Body to understand that the church (organizationally speaking) does not make disciples. Disciples make disciples according to Matthew 28.19-20. It is the role of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers within the church (lthis list is not limited to professional clergy) to train and equip the saints into the life of the kingdom. And, certainly this training was meant to take place throughout the week in a variety of shapes and forms. Perhaps often even one one one.

We know that the apostle Paul was instrumental in training Timothy. In II Timothy 3.10-17, the beloved apostle finds himself incarcerated in Rome awaiting execution. He's reminiscing over some of the most important things that he has taught Timothy over the years. As you read, notice how much of the training Paul points back to is connected with the authority of the Word and the modeling of a godly life.

"You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it".

[First, we see here that Paul's equipping is sourced in modelling a way of life to a younger believer.]

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work".

[Second, Paul's equipping of Timothy is sourced in the authoritative nature of God's Word. . .the truth of the gospel. No doubt, Paul has spent much tim teaching to Timothy from the Word. . .his two handwritten letters I & II Timothy are just two examples of that!]


So we see from the life of Jesus and Paul, equipping the Body is about taking those who are in Christ at various stages of spiritual development and helping them to grow up by become proficient in the gospel life (right belief) and modeling a godly lifestyle (right living).

As this takes place in the context of the Body, watch out! As we faithfully execute our duties to teach and train people in the gospel life, we are imparting to them a living concoction that has a power and potency all of its own. Because of the relational nature of such training, there is built-in accountability, encouragement and on-the-job training in ministry. No program has the power to do that!

Admittedly, sometimes I ask myself when the Body can afford time to do such training? Everyone seems so busy. However, when I look at the model of Jesus and Paul (both much more busy that us!), and am faced with the despairing need in the Church today, I am forced to ask how I can afford NOT to do such training. I am currently in the process of committing the best hours of my life to this kind of training. And, am encouraging mature believers in our Body to give the best of themselves to this as well. I pray that you would too.

As Dylan once wrote, "The times, they are a changin". We are rapidly facing the reality of living in a post-christendom world. There are no longer general assumptions about what Christianity is and is not. People's perception of Church has changed, and is changing. And, so it should. And, through all of this, we have an opportunity to redefine the ethos of the Church to an increasingly god-less and relationship-deficient world. I believe we need to revive a new breed of Christian discipleship in these times. And, in order to begin this task we must we must come to grips Biblically with what the training and equipping modeled and commanded in Scripture entails. Then we must find ways and means to contextualize the principles of such training in the life of the local Church.

As we do this, I believe that we will break the epidemic of spiritual infancy and spiritual adolescence in the church today. God's desire is for us to grow up in Christ. He has given the Church all it needs to accomplish this task.

The Lord himself modeled equipping and training as he walked alongside men on this earth. If the Master did this for us, how can we his followers do less for others?

A Convicted Heart

How much thought have we given to the reality that we will stand before a holy God one day and give an account for the kinds of people we have. . .and have not become. Not simply our deeds, but every motive of the human heart will be revealed and exposed in front of the majesty of God. I fear that we have become so full of ourselves that we have lost sight of the majesty and holiness of our great God.

I listened to this short audio feed of the great preacher of the past, Leonard Ravenhill. How desperate the Church of America today needs to hear such words. Listen and may God's spirit both convict and penetrate to the core. . .and encourage your heart in faith.