Building the House

Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.       Ephesians 2:20 NLT


This verse was the verse of the day from either Klove or Air1 today.  It got me to wondering "what are we apart?"  I guess I see Christendom as a house divided; not together.  I am not even meaning denominations.  I am think of the clans of the Christendom like the American Baptists or the United Methodists or the Presbyterians or the  Southern Baptists.     In fact it is more like individual congregations can not even be built together into a house on one foundation.  Another man in my church and I were talking when we were the only two to show for men's group Wednesday about the church (the local congregation we fellowship in) and what it will take to get the body to care about the not-yet-Christians in our community.  As I look back at the conversation in the light of this verse it just may be a need of "coming together" allowing the cornerstone Christ Jesus himself to build the house one the foundation of His choosing.

Just my wondering wandering mind at work!

A question asked

As we began the men's group at church last night we started discussing the what the body needed to do as a way of ministry.  One of the questions asked was why we as a church/as individuals did not do the outreach we ought to do.

We came up with a number of reasons from fear of rejection; being told no; lack of training (or maybe that should be no paying attention to the training we have had) and I even suggested that we just did not want to; God might call us to do outreach to a person but we simply said NO! to God's Holy Spirit.

As my mind tends to do, I am the old man and I do wonder, my brain continued to turn the question over; as it did so a couple of old sermon illustration came to mind.  Both you will see below; (Thank God for the Internet search engine!).

 

"The Parable Of The Lifesaving Station"

On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occur there was once a crude little lifesaving station. The building was just a hut, and there was only one boat, but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea, and with no thought for themselves, they went out day or night tirelessly searching for the lost. Many lives were saved by this wonderful little station, so that it became famous. Some of those who were saved, and various others in the surrounding areas, wanted to become associated with the station and give of their time and money and effort for the support of its work. New boats were bought and new crews were trained. The little lifesaving station grew. Some of the new members of the lifesaving station were unhappy that the building was so crude and so poorly equipped. They felt that a more comfortable place should be provided as the first refuge of those saved from the sea. They replaced the emergency cots with beds and put better furniture in an enlarged building. Now the lifesaving station became a popular gathering place for its members, and they redecorated it beautifully and furnished it as a sort of club. Less of the members were now interested in going to sea on lifesaving missions, so they hired life boat crews to do this work. The mission of lifesaving was still given lip-service but most were too busy or lacked the necessary commitment to take part in the lifesaving activities personally. About this time a large ship was wrecked off the coast, and the hired crews brought in boat loads of cold, wet and half-drowned people. They were dirty and sick, some had skin of a different color, some spoke a strange language, and the beautiful new club was considerably messed up. So the property committee immediately had a shower house built outside the club where victims of shipwreck could be cleaned up before coming inside. At the next meeting, there was a split in the club membership. Most of the members wanted to stop the club's lifesaving activities as being unpleasant and a hindrance to the normal pattern of the club. But some members insisted that lifesaving was their primary purpose and pointed out that they were still called a lifesaving station. But they were finally voted down and told that if they wanted to save the life of all various kinds of people who were shipwrecked in those waters, they could begin their own lifesaving station down the coast. They did. As the years went by, the new station experienced the same changes that had occurred in the old. They evolved into a club and yet another lifesaving station was founded. If you visit the seacoast today you will find a number of exclusive clubs along that shore. Shipwrecks are still frequent in those waters, but now most of the people drown!-- Taken from Personal Evangelism 101, by Brent Hunter

The Starfish Story

adapted from The Star Thrower

by Loren Eiseley (1907 - 1977)

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"
The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."
"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.
To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"
At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."

I see a few of things from the lifesaving station.  First, we have stopped seeing the need to reach a dieing world.  Second, we enjoy the safety and comfort of the station (the church building) Third, is those who still see the need must continue the work either in a new place or inspite of the majority and (while not in the story blame God for this) not blame or condemn the majority for their lack of commitment.  It is not our job as the people seeing the need to a) force the others in the church to se the need and b) force the others to do outreach.  Those who see the need, WE must go out and reach "rescue" the needy and dieing world!

The Starfish story spoke to me in the area of some feeling overwhelmed by the great need.  People get overwhelmed by the great number of unreached folks they see and get the attitude of "what does it matter we can not reach them all!"  Yet like the starfish thrower; we need to pick up the one near us and throw it back!  We need, we must reach the person/people we can and allow God to figure out how to reach the person/people we can not reach.

Surprizing what one question does!!!

Struggle

I find myself struggling to see the forest for the trees!  I am wondering (without much wandering) why people say they want to body to grow but do not do much to bring that growth about.  To me that is like saying I want a child and then not spending time with you spouse or doing the paper work (and funding) to adopt! 

I see the church being willing to reach out to Samaria and the ends of the earth; at least funding the out reach to these places. Judea again if I can pay some one to do it OK!  Now Jerusalem, where we should be doing the out reach on a daily basis and helping our fellow missionaries reach folks well does God really want me to do that?  Yes, Virginia God does and God may desire that you go instead of another who is aware of the need but for whatever reason is not equipped to meet that need or maybe you (or another) are the ones God desires to meet the need!  I think the idea of a team approach to most out reach is a wise idea!  I also think that at times a person who is outside the team may see a need that the outreach team can meet.  Also  a team member may see the need and not be the one to meet the need for many reasons; none of which has to do with giftedness of said team member.  I see the need for a team as many fold; the first is then it is the church doing the outreach not one individual.  I am not sure how to put this into words; but here I go in an attempt to try; there is  person or family with the need.  This person/family has no relationship to the church except the one member of the church who is aware of the need.  If the person/family with the need receives ministry from the person (church member)who is aware of their need ; what is the person/family with the need going to think?  I know what I would think ---  thank you "john" for meeting my need; I am happy YOU CARED ENOUGH to help in my time of need!  Now, had some other(s) of the church gone to the person/family (especially if a number does so/had done so) would that not reflect more on the church caring than just the one person who is aware of the need --- even if both said that it was a church base ministry? 

The need I speak of was a death in a family that is not part of the church except that a child in the family comes to the children's ministry programing.  I think that we lost an opportunity because some felt that the person who was already connected to the family through bring the child who is a nieghbor to the person's grandchild should have just taken care of the need.  While I am sure that the person could have done so; we the body of Christ had an opportunity to show the love of Jesus to a family in stress and grief and that just might have brought a person/family into the kingdom; forget they may have come into the church and enriched it as well!!  [rant off]

Have an Attitude 2

I wonder what would happen if the organized church had this attitude;

You’re welcome just as you are.

Your thoughts are welcome. Your doubts are welcome.

We’re all in this together.

The first one I think most churches (i.e. mainline churches) feel they have this attitude.  I am not quite sure that this is true.  Yes, we are willing for new people to come and be part of the gathering; we may even be willing for them to join but at some point they need to look like the rest of the ducks!  We want the wood ducks to become mallard ducks; those new comers need to assimilate and look like us, talk like us and especially worship just like us!!

I happen to be part of a denomination of which some one said "You can worship Buddha; as long as you say 'Jesus is Lord'!"  Well that may be true in some of our churches but I  can tell you it is not true in all of them.  If you want a good church fight just bring up the idea that a persons baptism is not an issue.  To join the church of which I am a member you are to be immersed (I think that the constitution reads that it has to be a baptist baptism but we ignore the baptist part as long as you have been held under the water.)  We especially have an issue if you doubt certain teachings of the baptist doctrine!

I do think that the idea of we are all in this together is done well; we are willing to do ministry with the other churches in the community; the building is used for a weekly community dinner.

Now for the last part of this statement "God is here, ready to connect with you in a fresh way."  All God's people would say "YES!  AMEN!" to the part up to the comma; God is here!  "Connect in a FRESH WAY!?!" "Wait a second here buddy!!"  Fresh way means we may have to do things we are not comfortable with!  I might have to do something that I am not comfortable doing!!

I do think this is the attitude we need for the mainline churches, our churches, to grow.  I think that the body of Christ need to move out of their comfort zone and do ministry in this attitude.  The minimum we must do is support ministries within and without the four walls of the church that have this attitude!  Here it is in it fullness

You’re welcome just as you are.

Your thoughts are welcome. Your doubts are welcome.

We’re all in this together.

God is here, ready to connect with you in a fresh way.

This is a sign inside Lifetree Cafes or Lifetree's site

The Whoevers of the World

John 3:15 - 17 (NKJV) ¹⁵that whoever believes in [the Son of Man] should ^£not perish but have eternal life.  ¹⁶For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  ¹⁷For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

There are three things I see in this passage.  Two are actually the same; the idea of WHOEVER Believes.  Jesus twice states that WHOEVER believes will not perish but have eternal life.  So, who are the WHOEVER Jesus refers to?  My old Websters New Collegiate Dictionary says this about whoever "what ever person : no matter who". 

http://dictionary.reference.com/ defines WHOEVER AS;

who·ev·er

   /huˈɛvər/ Show Spelled[hoo-ev-er] Show IPA

pronoun; possessive whos·ev·er; objective whom·ev·er.

1. whatever person; anyone that: Whoever did it should be proud. Ask whoever is there. Tell it to whomever you like.

2.  no matter who: I won't do it, whoever asks.

3.  who? what person? (used to express astonishment, disbelief, disdain, etc.): Whoever is that? Whoever told you such a thing?

So from this I would say that WHOEVER is ANYONE WHO BELIEVES!  So; to whom is our mission?  ANY ONE!  WHOMEVER!

This idea most have been important to Jesus in that Jesus uses the phrase twice in His speaking with Nicodemus and answering Nicodemus' questions.  Therefore if we are followers of Jesus Christ the WHOEVERS must be important to us.

The third thing I see is that God loved the world, the WHOEVERS, so much that God was willing to give up God's only Son for them to have eternal life.  So, God loves the WHOEVERS; should not those who say we follow God and God's Only Son Jesus be willing to love the whoevers also?  God and Jesus did not define those whom they loved; why should we?  Do not hear me saying that I have this concept of loving the WHOEVERS down or that I am doing the loving of the WHOEVERS in my mission field perfectly; I am not doing it perfectly if at all; but with God's power and the Holy Spirit help I will and we can love the WHOEVERS!

The Harvest is Ready!!

Luke 10:1 - 9 (NKJV) ¹After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.  ²Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  ³Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.  ⁴Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.  ⁵But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’  ⁶And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.  ⁷And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.  ⁸Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.  ⁹And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 


As I look at this passage I see Jesus giving wise counsel to the 70 and to us.  People need to feel loved and cared for by us before they will allow us to minister to them. There are things in this  passage that we as a missional people need to do in order to minister to a lost world.  The four things below that end in "lost" were shared with me a number of years ago; by whom I do not remember and for that I am sorry in that I would like to give them credit but as a preacher once told me when I said I might just "steal" his sermon and not give him credit "Give God the credit; it wasn't mine in the first place!"

1. Bless those who are lost.  Jesus says to " first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ While we may not always be dealing with people who do not know Jesus this practice would still be a wise one.  If the house/person to whom we speak is a brother or sister in Christ then we have blessed a member ofthe family with God's peace and that person may just be in need of that.  If not we have begun the process of bringing a BIGGER blessing to this persons life.
2. Fellowship with the lost.  At this point you are going "WHAT?"  Jesus says "remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give."  Not only are we to eat and drink what they set before us (O Boy?!?) but we are to live with them!!  I wonder; what that would look like?  Does that mean; going to the places your co-workers go after work?  Going to bars and clubs?  I do not know remember this blog is called "Old Man's Wonderings" for a reason!!
3. Meet the needs of the lost.  Jesus says that NOW we are ready to start what we call ministry (I think Jesus would say we started at point one but again I think a bit out of the box!) Jesus says "heal the sick there [in  that city]".  I think that feeding the hungry there; clothing the unclothed there; helping the addicted there; would fit here are well
4. Proclaim the GOOD NEWS WITH the lost.  ". . .say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’".  We may simply say that the reason we have done what we have done is because we love Jesus and Jesus loves them and desire to have a relationship [a friendship] with them.  We might even get a chance to tell them that Jesus is the one in control of our lives and that they could allow Jesus to be in control of their life as well.

There is another thing I see though; most of the church [the Body of Christ] are in the barn [the church building].  How does one cut the harvest when one stays in the barn?

I encourage us to get our sickle sharp and then get out of the barn and go cut the harvest; because as Jesus said "The harvest truly is great . . ."

The Bible, the internet, the iPod or iPad, nook or kindle and living Missional

Lisa Miller on the CNN Religion blog speaks of the increase in digital Bible apps and how these just might pose a threat to the church as we know it; she says;

Just like the 500-year-old Protestant Reformation, which was aided by the advent of the printing press and which helped give birth to the King James Bible, changes wrought by new technology have the potential to bring down the church as we know it.

This blogger is not sure that this could or will happen yet wonders that if it does is it  bad thing?  If the church "as we know it" is brought down by Bibles on Ipads/Ipods/smartphones, I would have to wonder just what shape the church was in, in the first place?  I do think that this addition to the churches resource base is a good thing.  The Bible on your phone, tablet or whatever devise that is in your pocket will make/give the missional Christian a tool for

1. Sharing the message of Jesus 
2. Building up the Body of Christ
3. Improving one's own relationship with one's God

As the developer of the  Youversion realized as he sat in O'Hara wishing he had his Bible; those with the Bible app will be able to read anywhere anytime they wish.  How can this be a bad thing?

She later  states:

In that vein, digital technology gives users the text, plain and simple, without the interpretive lens of established authorities. And it lets users share interpretations with other non-authorities, like family members, friends and coworkers.

And I ask what is the problem here?  A believer or a seeker, with the Bible, reading and interpreting God's Word?  What a novel idea!  I wish more of my congregations, those I have pastored and the one in which I am now a member, had more members and attenders who were willing to do just this, "read, mark and inwardly digest"1 God's Word.  Then share that "inwardly digested" scripture with "like family members, friends and coworkers"!

With Scripture on iPhones and iPads, believers can bypass constraining religious structures - otherwise known as “church” - in favor of a more individual connection with God.

Well Ms. Miller if this scripture on your iPhone and iPad is what it takes to get you to have a "more individual connection with God" works for me!  We all need a "more individual [personal] connection with God"; that connection is called a Personal Relationship with Jesus!!  If we have that and are REALLY CLOSELY CONNECTED then just maybe we can keep this world from going to hell!  Just maybe, we, the Body of Christ, will, if we are "more individual connection with God", start to take the invitation of Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20 to heart and we will GO! Make converts!

Just a thought!2 and a old man's wonderings!

1. A saying from one of my favorite Seminary Professors; usually indicating the presence of said material on a test or quiz!
2. A remark commonly made by the Reverend Doctor Arthur Jaggard III; when making an obviously simple point that needed emphasis!

Thoughts promoted by another blogger about how Christians communicate with Others

I found this while reading the blog HOLY SOUP.  The whole of the post makes sense to me as I have been where Mr. Schultz speaks of the church representative in his post being!  And doing both of the things in lists in his post

Some church representatives react in a couple of common but unproductive ways:

• They freeze. They seem stunned, bewildered and tongue-tied.
• They argue. They attempt to dominate the conversation with crushing apologetics.

I have been and have seen other Christian in both of the above situation!  The question is how do we as missional people avoid these two extremes and speak to a world that  is at death's door?

Mr. Schultz gives us some good advise when he blogs:

So, if we care about reaching the community, we need to befriend the community—in meaningful, truly relational ways. Here are some simple ways to start:

1. Get out of the church building, spend time with non-churched people, and form real, ongoing friendships with them.
2. Challenge (and train) your members to do the same.
3. Don’t view non-believers as your projects. Simply be friends.
4. Listen, with genuine interest, to their views. Without judgment.
5. Ask good questions. Doug Pollock, author of God Space, advocates “wondering questions,” such as, “I wonder how you came to that belief.”
6. Earn respect and trust. Then be ready to receive the honest questions from your new friends. This is your chance to share how God works in your life.

The first to are a must if we are to meet those who do not know Jesus.  We the church have been too long hanging out in our big building, "knowing" we have the cure for the eternal death of the world.  All the world needs to do is come in and we will gladly tell them how to live!  Well first they, the world, are not going to, for the most part, come and break down the doors of the church to "find" the answer and the world does not know they NEED our answer!!

Number three is the only way we will ever get a chance to share "our answer, our cure" with the world.  Be their friend; let them see us, the Body of Christ, as normal people (OK as normal as any human can be!) and sooner or later they will ask a question to which Jesus is the answer (See #6).  First though we have to be a friend!!  #4 is like unto #3;  a friend usually does not judge you; is interested in you and your views.  Again the question will come and we can in love share why we would not do or why we do not believe that way and why we do and believe the way we do. 

Back when I was doing my training in Pastoral care and counseling #5 was called active listening.  We were taught to ask open ended questions.  The question(s) posed in #5 are also question that would assist us in non-judgemental responses and that would help us gain insight in to our friends who need Jesus.

We need to be in the world; part of life so we can bring health to those who need healing.  The first healing balm may not be that some one needs a relationship with Jesus (as strange as that may sound).  The first healing balm may be meeting a need for food on the table; clothes on the back; a way out of an abusive life.  As we meet the physical needs sometimes people realize the spiritual needs on their own.


Let us get out among the world and listen to them and find ways to meet their needs.  Physical and spiritual!!