our islamic brethren

dream

I was within a corporate building upon a floor with lots of rooms and offices.  Within one of these rooms I was speaking with a young lady, of the Islamic faith, who I used to work with in the kitchen of a nursing home.  As we spoke my left arm rested atop her right arm, including our hands.  In knew in this acton great affection was being expressed.

interpretation

According to muslim dream symbolism, limbs represent family amd arms brotherhood.   A muslim to dream of holding a woman represents loving the world and rejecting the afterlife.  However this dream, if of God cannot be viewed this way.

• The dream is not specific to this lady, her image was used because she is one of the few Muslim I personally know.
• Women represent God's people, thus the context here is people of the Islamic sphere.  They are people he is seeking.

Thus, this dream is a parable in nature.  It challenges people who profess Christ to treat Islamic people as God does, as his family regardless of your views on reconciliation.  It also challenges people of the Islamic faith to see God as relational, to reject the world and embrace eternal life.  Both are counter cultural.

Read More

identifying a shepherd

ezekiel 34

To prevent people scattering, to keep them from falling prey to wild animals, God asks his shepherds to…

• Feed his people
• Take care of the weak
• Tend the sick and injured
• Look for those who have wandered away and are lost
• Guide people with gentleness and love

To ignore this is to become God’s enemy, he will hold you responsible for what happens to people.  He will…

• Take away your right to feed people
• Destroy those who are fat and powerful by feeding feed you justice!
• Stop you from feeding yourself

And, rather than relying on the shepherds, he will take it upon himself to …

• Search and find his people
• Rescue his flock from both the wilderness and failed shepherds
• Return them back home to the ‘promised land’ from among the nations
• Tend his people and give them a place to rest in peace
• Bandage the injured and strengthen the weak

overview

In short, when God’s shepherds don't do their appointed tasks, God promised to personally do what he had asked of them.  This was fulfilled by Jesus being sent to do what Israel should have done, but didn't.  Unfortunately today, this failure continues.  The ‘church’ being the new ‘Israel’ is not shepherding God’s people.

Who are God’s people?  Anyone.  Whether we acknowledge him as Lord or remain estranged.

.

Because the same expectations and consequences of being a shepherd (e.g. discipling) exist today as they always have,  God asks us:

[table id=1 /]

Are the pastor and leaders of your church personally doing these things themselves?  Are you (Revelations 1:4-6)?

Is it enough to speak about it, preach a sunday message/sermon, pray about it, delegate to others?  Or do we need to be involved in the day to day lives of people?

How does God consider those who don't do as he has asked?  He will consider them his enemy and will remove their authority, give them justice, and humble them in every aspect of their lives.  Yes, pastors, priests, elders, deacons, anyone he has asked to be his shepherds.  Does this also mean you (Revelations 1:4-6)?

conclusion

God wants to prevent people from scattering, to bring them home, and keep them from falling prey to anything that may destroy them.  He sends shepherds to help.  Are you helping?

Read More

church growth - paint by numbers

The following is a response to a spoken message by Tony Rainbow of Victory Church (Adelaide, Australia) to the people of Fusion City Church (Palmerston, Canberra - Australia)

audio link

introduction

Tony began by stating how there were about 120 believers gathered in one place after Christ's ascension (Acts 1:13-15). It was to these people Peter stood and spoke.

Please note this is the only scripture Tony uses during his entire message.

However, rather than putting this into the context of Jesus having asked them to stay in the city until they received the gift of the Spirit, Tony spoke of the significance of the number 120 in relation to human group dynamics:

• Ignores the broader church by prioritising the local
• Had it all together relationally
• Were all at everything which was connected with Jesus' training
• Relationships were like a family
• The leadership style was casual and collaborative
• Communication was informal and face to face
• There was an ease in how they gathered
• Everyone knew each other by name

But are these statements interpreted upon the bible itself or assumptions about small group dynamics?   For instance, where in the bible is proof that this or any other group knew the names of all their companions?  Indeed, was the group fluid, did people come and go?  Did anyone ever disagree on matters about God?

Instead, Tony suggests that these group characteristics, while being "the most awesome thing that could ever happen." But the problem comes when we "set this as the goal, we set a ceiling to the growth of the church, because that style of church only works with a certain number of people."

But why?  This assumption occurs when it is presumed people intended to continue gathering in groups of this size.  Why?  Because, the argument being made is to correlate church growth today with a particular gathering 2000+ years ago.

Where in this gathering is the evidence to suggest anyone intended to continue gathering in this way? What about other gathered people in the bible? Where during Jesus' life did he ever model this?

Why do people today find it necessary to justify church growth in terms of the number of people gathered?

bad logic

Arguments that try to build upon faulty assumptions tend to have personal agendas or opinions behind them. Why? Because the conclusion was considered before the evidence was sought.  Consequently, proof tends to be biased to justify seeing what we want to see.  Worse is when the bible is quoted in order to not only support the argument but actually pose it as God's idea in the first place.  The logic is: because scripture is "Holy Spirit inspired", "God's word", etc, then an argument no matter how flawed, given enough quotes, must be true.

This has occurred here with Tony.

Rarely do we allow God's word to speak for itself.

terra nullus

A further assumption being made by Tony is churches today are local in nature.  That is, a church is defined by the people who gather for services in a particular location. Yes, local churches today often have attendances of 80-150 people. However, what we forgot or ignore is local churches do not start, let alone grow, in a state of terra nullus. We falsely assume the territory our local church occupies or entered (planted) was not previously inhabited.

Was your church the first in the area you live?

And, if it was indeed a pioneer: was God there beforehand, or did God only start working in the lives of people when your church was established?

Sometimes it is a challenge to remember that your local church is but one of many, even within a few street blocks. And regionally, one among many many more.  No local church is an island unto itself.  As such, the church to which you belong is not 30, 80, or 120, but could actually be populated by many thousands.

misdirection

Tony: "Who wants the church ... to grow?  Most people want the church to grow but get stuck at a certain number.”

Tony: Churches get stuck at 150 or less because this is “about the most number of people a person can connect with.  Thus people naturally feel displaced once their group reaches 50-150 people.”

This argument continues to push the idea that church growth is about the number of people who attend a service or the number of people who choose to be members a local church.

How does God consider growth?  Is it about numbers or about invisible things like character?

If there are 100 people in a room singing hymns and listening to a message from the pulpit, how many claim to know God?  How many does God know?  Indeed, does God know anyone who is not in attendance?  Does he know them if they never attend a local church anywhere?  Is that enough?

Furthermore, if the church is indeed more than the local, how do comments like the one Tony raises, redirect how we view the importance of God dwelling among his people?

Finally, I put it to you feeling uncomfortable (displaced) is natural whenever we interact with another person.  The size of the group is irrelevant.  What matters is how you treat each person as they come.  Group size never dictates your relationship.

For a moment revisit Tony's conclusions about group dynamics in a personal way:

• Are all the relationships you have with people in your church fully healthy?
• Do you attend everything your church offers?  Do you need to?
• Do people in your church treat you like family?
• Is the leadership style of your church casual?  Does it seek guidance of other members?
• Do you communicate with people informally and face-to-face?
• Is interacting with people in your church effortless?
• Do you know everyone in your local church by name?

What does it mean if your church has less than 150 people and the answer to any of these questions 'no'? At the very least it means that group size does not determine our behaviour and attitudes.

What does help shape our behaviour and attitudes?

size culture preference

Tony: "Size in numbers is connected with a size culture needing to be broken,”

Tony: “The main problem to growth is size culture preference,”

Tony: “Bigger change is needed (when) shifting from one size to another within the same denomination (than it is to shift between) denominations of the same size.”

When read in isolation, each of these statements is accurate.  We need to become free to be God’s people no matter how big or small the group of people gathered is.  Unfortunately, this is not the context Tony is suggesting, as shown below.

What was Jesus’ focus?  Did he come for the whole world or was it dependent upon the number of people gathered, the church size?

Why did Jesus so often avoid crowds?

 be big or be small

The following is a list of differences between small and larger churches.  The argument posed was churches with large numbers of people (more than 150) need to do things differntly to smaller ones.  Hence, to grow, a church must change the way it does things.  In short, population size affects activity.  An additional conseuqence of this idea is that smaller congregations are inherently different.  But given churches, no matter their size have people in them, is this accurate?

1.  smaller churches are less complex than larger gatherings because as the group size increases…

• The less we will have in common with one another.

But, how does this match with what is written in Ephesians 4?

• Not everything can happen in one Sunday service anymore (e.g. prayer is shifted to prayer meetings, exploring the word to a bible school, discipleship into home groups).

But how could everything occur during a single church service anyway, regardless of its size? What about evangelism, or family, or helping neighbours, etc?  In other words, how does delegating what daily life to set times and facilitators help?  How could you for instance pray, understand God’s word, or disciple others at home, work, school, wherever you are during your week?

2.  smaller churches need less production effort than larger churches

• The more people involved, the more planning, lead time, etc is required to enable services and other activities to occur.  Events can no longer simply be thrown together as they are were with smaller gatherings.

To what extent are these events really necessary?  Are buildings, electronic audio devices, instruments, putting out chairs, etc essential to what God needs to do?  How do similar activities occur in parts of the world where money is non-existent?  Did Jesus live this way?  For Jesus, which came first, his mission or his method?

• Smaller churches don't value the importance of quality of their activities as much as larger churches.  For example, because they embrace people, they permit anyone to sing and play an instrument regardless of their ability. 

Good.  The day we prefer how good a song sounds over the willingness of people to worship God and embrace one another, will be a sad day indeed.  To worry whether visitors are “put-off” based upon singing ability says more about how people view us, than our desire to be in God's presence.  To believe singing ability affects whether people have a “poor” or good impression of the pastor's message, or will “attract people or not” is naive at best (1 Corinthians 2).

3.  the ministry roles of smaller churches are not as specialised as those of larger churches

• Small church ministries generalise what they do whereas larger churches specialise. 

Again, this is not a matter of scale.  God gives his gift for the entire church.  Hospitality, prophesy, teaching, etc are not dependent upon how many people are gathered but who needs to be equipped so they may do what God asks of them.  Why?  Because there are other people who either don’t know him or still need help to grow personally and as a community.

• Only one person who can bring leadership and direction to this church. Thus it is an indictment (strong wrongdoing) for this person to do tasks that others could do. 

Christ and Christ alone is the one and only leader and director of the church.  Placing a person as the sole hearer and interpreter of God's word is dangerous, arrogant, and controlling.  It encourages a false separation among God's people which may cause some to shirk their responsibility to speak with and listen to God directly, and others to not discern or question what they are told to believe and do.

4.  small groups of people do not experience changes to the same degree as bigger groups

• Because not everyone will agree on the course of action to be taken, power to decide
  needs to move away from the congregation (all people) to a leadership team (a few).  This will enable decisions to be made more quickly.
  

Yes, absolutely, there will be times when, maybe every time, when disagreement will occur.  But to justify this as the reason for concentrating this priveledge in the hands of a few has the potential to ignore insight.  At the very least sharing our differences, in a manner that is respectful of others, helps to bring us closer together.  If nothing else, it evidences the contempt and lack of trust some church leaders and pastors have for people.

To simply claim possession of the decision making for yourself is again dangerous, arrogant, and controlling.  Why? People are being asked to rely on Man rather than seek God, together.  The outcome, people are shaped in the image of the decision makers and not God.

So the next time you are invited to seek God about a decision, discern whether your consultation is genuinely being sought: are opposing views listened to and acted upon?  How is the decision to be made proposed: does it sound like they just want agreement on  something they have already decided on? Is there a personal agenda hidden among words that try to convince you that what is being presented is really God's vision?

• When people leave because of the changes, this proves the church is growing.

Why?  What if you are wrong and they were right?  Was consultation ever permitted?  Maybe people are leaving for totally unrelated reasons.  Are people who stay encouraged to speak with those who leave to find out why?

• There needs to be greater emphasis on vision and strength... churches need to do fewer things so they can do them well.  Likewise a church shouldn't try to do everything in the community, but try to do some things really well.  Both of these will depend upon the existing skill set and gift set.

While there is some truth in this, it ignores that regardless of the church size, there may never be every skill and gift available for what God is desiring to do.  It is not enough to limit what can be done based upon the resources available.  Doing this reveals a belief that we can do things in isolation and in our own strength.  Let us start by seeking God about what he is doing and how we need to grow and be equipped to accomplish it.  If this includes  cooperating with people outside our group, so be it.

conclusion

• What does God consider important when it comes to growth?
• Are we lending ourselves to a culture of self, preference, and prejudice?
• Should what we do be a by-product of the size of our church group or should what we do be a product of who we are in Christ?

Read More

don't join a local church?

Do you need to regularly attend a local church?  Is it needed to be part of God's family?  And if you do, does it need to be one single congregation?

Is it inappropriate to visit various church locations without settling down, without becoming a signed member?

Why is it important to join one particular local church to the exclusion of all others?

Is it to gain consistent preaching from a single person (pastor or priest)?  Are they the mouthpiece of God and his understanding?  Or, is it to develop relationships among other attendees?

joining a church and understanding God's word

If every local church holds to the same truth, then every preacher will say the same thing, at some time, so it doesn't' matter where you attend.  But, if they are not saying the same thing about topics, or excluding other topics, then we need to take care. We must be responsible and move around, read widely, so as to discover what God is sharing.

Like a human body, was the church designed to exist as a carrier for the mouth?  Is it wise to presume any one person holds all the knowledge of God?  If they can then so be it.  But if not, whether you are at home, a church service, work, school, down the street, wherever you are:

• read the bible yourself
• seek God (prayer) for what he means and what to do with what you discover
• seek to be equipped by apostles, prophets, as well as evangelists, teachers, and pastors (Ephesians 4:11-16)
• encourage people to share their testimonies with one another
• discuss what you learn and consider what others learn (including strangers)
• encourage gifts other than preaching and teaching, as all are equally important for the growth of people and their communities
• ask questions of and for clarity from those who give you information (e.g. pastor/priest)

joining a church and building relationships

Is the body and its gifts limited to a single location?

• Does, or indeed can, every local church, parish, or congregation contain every equipping gift?  What if it is a house church?
• Why do we argue that because "you cannot know every one of God's family, stay put and do what is possible in your chosen local church"?
• Is it even possible to truly know everyone even in a small congregation?
• How could expanding who you interact with help with this and where can you find them?

What makes people one as God the Father and Son are one (John 15)?  Is it being in the same room or something else?  Is it possible to gather but indeed be worlds apart?  Consider your family.  Do you stop being family when individual members go to work and school.  What about when they leave to live elsewhere?

Read More

real love = attending church

The following is a response to a spoken message by Tony Rainbow of Victory Church (Adelaide, Australia) to the people of Fusion City Church (Canberra – Australia)

audio link

 

Topic being shared: Staying the Course

For the most part this message shared was positive.  However, part way through Tony stated:

"a person's church attendance reflects their real relationship with God.  If they are not attending they are reflecting a lack of genuine love for Him." Tony Rainbow, Victory Church, Australia - 27 Nov 2011

Given the information of the rest of the sermon, the context for this is attendance of Sunday church services.

In other words, Tony was suggesting that people who do not regularly attend a church service lack a genuine love for God.  Alternatively, people only really love God if they attend church services, preferably every week.

(This kind of comment is in the same category as those that suggest "Your love for God is measured by the amount of money you give to the church.")

Shortly after Tony stated

"If you hang around (spend time with) people who hate the church or speak against it, then we are going to become like them."  Tony Rainbow, Victory Church, Australia - 27 Nov 2011

Unfortunately the implications of this are:

• No one should speak against anything a church does, even if it does or says something counter to what appears in the Bible
• Decision makers and leaders of churches view themselves as infallible
• Anyone who raises a question of how and why things are done is seen as a hater of the church and indeed the people involved in it

And even if it is possible to ignore these comments, what are the implications for our relationship with God?  Ask yourself:

• Who did God send his son, Jesus, to hang around?  Did he become like them?
• Did he speak against religious attitudes and behaviours or people?
• Who did Jesus send his disciples amongst?
• People who pursue a life that copies Jesus will be hated and persecuted because the world first hated him (John 15:18-27).  Why does Gods warn us about this?  Does it mean we are to run away or persevere?  What does each choice here say about how we view God and Jesus?
• The Bible teaches us that we are not perfect and we make mistakes.  Is this is a reason to limit our relationships to those who agree with us and behave like us (Mt 5:43-48)?
• Consider evangelism.  Who is the audience?  How can discipleship occur if we are not to spend time people who disagree with us?

Read More

electrical factory

After leaving a factory - electrical supplies
waited for a bus but missed it by moments
therefore caught a taxi to get ahead of it
the route of the bus was around a lake
the taxi stopped at a mountain observatory, near the lake
while waiting we noticed tomatoes that had been planted (like at work)
but as I looked an orchid spring from one of the fruits

This dream is similar to others revently where I have missed the bus while getting to work
Another was at an observatory in a mountain where waiting for transport


SYMBOLS
electrical parts factory - place of construction, practical, old way of doing connecting energy
bus - achieving goals
missing it and trying to catch at another location
- setback miss an opportunity
- bus stop is where new beginning starts
taxi - ask for help
mountain lake - God
astronomical observatory - look at the heavens, 1911 Stromlo est, as is Caberran territory 100yrs
tomatoe - domestic harmony and hapiness, fertility, somethng being grown at work
orchid spring out of - celebration, love, fertility
flower out of fruit -
connected with work objects

Read More

building funds

background context

The 'head pastor' of a local church in Canberra, Australia, announced in December 2010 that a recognised prophet said God was "forcing Fusion through some doors".  He then explained this as evidence of the "coming to pass" of a building opportunity in Crace (purchase land and build a church building/centre).

discernment

Note: There is often a gap between revelation, interpretation, and application.  As such, there are a few ways to understand the above dynamics:

• the prophecy is true and accurately understood by the hearer
• the prophecy is true but interpreted through the desires of the hearer
• the prophecy is true but 'tailored' in such a way as to be accepted by the hearer
• the prophecy is false

As a third party, someone who did not hear the words directly from God, nor the one sharing, we must discern what is going on.  It is not enough to take things at face value.  We can personally talk with God, and he with us.  Also, both the 'prophet' and hearer, in this case a 'pastor' are both human.  They are capable of misunderstanding or biasing.

In this case, did the pastor have earlier desires to build a church building?  It may not have been publicly announced and even denied.

What if the opportunity doesn't succeed?

Does this make the prophecy inaccurate?  Or was it the interpretation?

• How will the 'prophet' respond?  Seek clarity and discuss how things have been received by themselves and those they spoke with, or will they pass responsibility off onto other?
• How will the hearer respond?  Will they admit their error and seek clarity, or will they justify their position?
• What is your responsibility?

what happened next

In this situation, the land was not offered and thus a building could not be built (Nov 2011).  The 'prophet' has been silent, Matt stated that God still desires this local church to have a building, and the congregation clapped and cheered in agreement.

more discernment

Was the prophecy false?  The answer to this is unclear, but it adds possibility it was simply misinterpreted.  God wanting this local church to "go through doors" may mean go places it had not before, but it does not need to imply buildings and property or even the social and emotional associated changes that go with them.  Did anyone ask God what he meant?  Did they do this before the person in charge (the pastor) finalised the interpretation?

Assuming there will be people who will continue to justify their position, what should you as someone who chooses to discern do?  Do you confront and ask questions, or do you keep silent, for whatever reason?

personal responsibilities

• Seek God's views on the matter, seek peace and an attitude of restoration.
• Speak where possible directly with the people who made or shared the prophetic statements.  Voice the concerns.
• If they listen great.
• If they do not listen, they are now responsible for what happens next.  Yes, it is up to you whether you act in support of the project (e.g. give money). But you cannot force anyone to change.

Should you voice your concerns with others?  Maybe, but if you do, please do it with respect for all concerned.  Remember we all can hear God inaccurately and then, out of love for him, act upon it.

resolutions

How can peace occur among those who disagree?  Does peace mean finding a compromise?  Does peace mean doing what you are asked because the person who asks you is your pastor, boss, parent, etc?  Does peace mean discovering the points of agreement and building upon them?

Read More

pastors and elders

Is church authority is limited to this one role?

spot the difference?  Are elders and pastors the same thing?

In other words, if someone is qualified to be an elder (as justified by scripture) does this make them a pastor?

If so, then anyone can and must be a pastor once they have the correct attributes. And while I do not dispute that pastors need to have these attributes, I do hesitate after reading Ephesians. This letter suggests God gave certain gifts, pastors being one, to equip his people so they could then do his work. Thus a pastor is not a way of living, it is a function. Pastors may help us gain what we need to do the work God asks of us, but does this make successful students new pastors? Surely, these attributes are true of all the gifts mentioned in Ephesians as well as any mature person.

Conversely the argument is made that if you are operating as a pastor, then you are an elder. Now while we should hope pastors are mature people, is this necessarily reality? Are there false pastors? Is it possible some people simply behave a certain way to gain approval or position? Look at what Jesus said to the Pharisees (Matthew 23). What about people who choose to start a church? Their intentions may be good, but does getting people to gather and conduct a service, with all its activities, give the right to call yourself a pastor?

scripture workshop
Look up the word poimen (pastor) in the bible. How often does it appear? Is the english translation pastor or something else? Do these references connect poimen with elders, congregations, local churches? If yes, how? If no, what are they speaking of?
When you do this just use the text you read and its surrounding context. Don't add personal understanding or the ways churches operate today.
connected link

Read More

is your church a sect?

Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. Such people are not serving Christ; they are serving their own personal interests. (Romans 16:17-18)

 features of a sectarian church group

• Members point to the importance of their group and/or leader instead of Christ alone.
• They claim to support the universal church, the body of Christ, but in practice promote structures and attitudes that lead to their own isolation.
• They may claim their group possesses “the real truth”
• The ministers/leaders claim to be the ones God reveals things to. People are either not encouraged to listen or understand God for themself, or told there are certain things God speaks to the leaders alone.
• The praise and warmth people receive when they first join continues only as long as they follow what is expected of them.
• Other groups of believers (Christians) are criticised or mocked.
• A belief exists that “our group” can’t learn from others who do/see things differently.
• People and groups who disagree with them are slandered.
• People and groups who reject their version of the truth are viewed as dishonest, insincere, offensive, immature, not living right, etc.
• Anyone and any group who don’t accept their teaching are cut off or isolated.
• Ministers/leaders control the way people live and their activities by requiring permission to do things or expecting direct input.
• They are typically not upfront about their core beliefs.

how to avoid joining a sectarian group

• Ask people and the leaders of the church why people leave their group.
• Ask to be able to speak with the last 3 families that left.
• Ask who God speaks to within their group and whether people are encouraged to understand what he says. Ask how and who teaches people how to hear God clearly.
• Are people freely encouraged to share what they believe God is saying? How?
• Ask how interaction with other church members outside their group is encouraged. Is action left to the leaders or for anyone?

dangers of joining a sectarian group

• They will replace the guidance of the Holy Spirit with their own, or of the ministry, or church, and claim to be the voice of the Lord.
• You will be influenced to have prejudice and intolerance toward other Christians.
• You will be influenced to invite people to belong to the church group, instead of Christ.
• Your spiritual and day to day life will become controlled.
• Their ministers may try to lead your family.
• If you query or speak against the group, your family may have wedges placed between its members.
• If you leave, they may expect your children and spouse to stay.
• If you leave, they may deal with you unfairly and harshly.

Read More

ephesians

When Paul wrote to God’s people of Ephesus, he praised God.  Why?

• God blesses us with every spiritual blessing because we are united with Christ. 

God loved us and adopted us into his own family, by making us holy and without fault in his eyes through Christ...

• Who is part of God's family? [LINK]

Paul then explains God’s plan regarding Christ:

1. Everything would be brought together under Christ’s authority
2. We receive an inheritance from God because we are united with Christ
3. United Jews and Gentiles into one people by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations and thus all who hear the truth about Jesus, and believe, bring praise and glory to God

• What is God's plan? 
• What did we receive and who received it?
• How did Jesus do this?
• What are the implications?

God put everything under Christ’s authority.  He is the head of everything for the benefit of the church (his body).

• Who belongs to God’s family?
• Who does the church need to be led by in order for it to benefit?
• What are the implications when we place someone or something as the head of the church?

Therefore Paul begs people to lead lives worthy of being called by God. To always be humble, gentle, patient, make allowances for one other’s faults, and united in peace.  Why?  There is one body (church), one Spirit, one hope for the future, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father.

• What is your calling? A ministry or that Christ calls us to follow him?  Explain
• If we choose to follow then how should we live?  Read also 1Corinthians13
• Why?

However, he gave each one of us a special gift through Christ: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.

• Does this mean each individual receives these things directly.  Or something else?
• What is their responsibility?
• Who are these gifts for?  Why?
• How should the success of these gifts be measured?
• What is the responsibility of God's people?
• How long will this exercise take?  What does that look like?
• How can success be measured?

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

If God’s people do what God asks of them and are equipped by the ‘fivefold ministries’ to do so … what will the church look like

What is Christ’s role in all this?  What are the implications for us?

Read More

God's heart: an overview

introduction

We are confronted with a choice: feed our own personal desires or align ourselves with God’s purposes. Are you fighting for your own rights, preferences, opinions, and visions or those of God's? Are you, are we ready and able to do as God requires? (Preparing the Army of God).

Currently, the church is fragmented. It recognises itself as a single unified people in theory only. Christians identify themselves more with where they meet and who they meet with than Christ himself. Listen to how people talk, "Which church do you belong?", "My church is ...", "Are you (insert denomination)?"

Protestant or catholic, pentecostal or charismatic, traditional sunday service or home church. There are so many denominations, movements, and gathering types that it is hardly worth counting. Style, social connections, revelation, doctrine are just some of the building blocks of these differences.

Does God care about any of this? Should we?

The following is a summary of a series of dreams and visions I have had. Whether or not they mean anything is for you to discern. See the links for details.

compassion and oneness

The boundaries separating people from one another will crumble, both within and between churches/parishes as well as between church and community.

preparation and empowerment

God's people being realigned by, with, and to God’s heart and purpose

implications

God desires to transform us from being a scattered people without hope into a nation, called by the his Spirit, protected, equipped, and able to follow command. What does this imply? (scattered bones: Ezekiel 37:1-14)

• Are God's people scattered today?
• Yes or no, what does God reveal about being gathered as one people?Is it fair to question the hope the church has?
• What are the implications of not being protected, equipped, and able to follow what God asks of us in the context of church (local or otherwise)? For who?
• We need to acknowledge our beliefs and actions, and where needed, apologise, seek forgiveness and pursue God's.
• We need to let go of self-oriented identity and engage in an identity in Christ.
• We need to accept responsible for our own choices, actions, growth and stop passing it over to others.
• We as a people have been presented to God the Father as complete, not with the burden of intimidation, but acceptance.

Read More

life in a city church

Saw a beshabbled woman in a prison cell.  Her hair wild.  Her fingernails long.  She was picking at the scales of the bars.  However, these scales were not paint or rust.  The scales were like dried mucous or pus, hers she had once put there but now spent her time picking and flicking off.  Yet her mind was not even focused.

Josh claimed a desire to have a local church with global outreach.  There is a desire for Canberra commitment.  Yet there is an issue of recognition, connection to a specific core group due to fears of people doing things properly and not getting messy.  The other matter is that our central connection is Christ not an original group.

That would ignore our history and origins, trying to recentre it around us.  The other is what is properly?  Implies lack of trust let alone equipping and freedom.

Read More

assuming authority over others

introduction

When Paul first came to the church in Corinth he didn't speak about God's plan with big words and impressive wisdom.  Instead, he chose to focus only on Christ and rely upon the Spirit:

• Paul used plain words
  ... people understood not because of what he said
• Paul was timid and trembling
  ... because did not know what would happen next

Why did Paul behave this way?  Because he wanted people to trust in God's power not human wisdom (1Co 2:1-5)

Yet, when he was among people who claimed to know God well, he chose to use words of wisdom.  Why? Because God gave us his Spirit so we can understand his thoughts.  Without his Spirit we cannot understand him.  As such:

• people who know God, have his Spirit and thus can understand spiritual truths when they are shared to them, however,
• people who don't know God, cannot understand, no matter how much they claim to know him.  It sounds foolish to them.

how this is generally applied in local churches

In some churches these passages are interpreted to mean that

• God sends certain people of authority to "speak into our lives", as justified by Paul speaking to the church of Corinth.
• And, because they are appointed "over you" "you need to submit to them".
• However, if you disagree with them, this evidences your own personal pride.

But what if the speaker is wrong?  Do you have the opportunity to discuss the matter?

please read again 1 Corinthians 2

Does Paul state anywhere that some people are "placed in our lives to speak into our lives"?  Can this be fairly justified because it Paul, an authority, was the one who spoke?  Who does Paul say is speaking into our lives?  How?

Who does Paul suggest we need to submit to? A person or God?  How?

Finally, what are we to make of comments like "a person is prideful if the won't receive from others" or "people won't agree with what I tell them, but prefer to wait to hear from God"?

Does these comments reveal more about the person or the person claiming authority? (1Thes 5:19-22; 1Jn 4:1-3)

Is it wrong to first consider and seek God's counsel before doing what someone asks of you?  Or is it wrong to ask someone not to do this and just do what you ask of them.

conclusion

It is one thing to be willing to be fully submitted to Christ.  It is another to submit to another person simply because they claim to have godly authority.  Yes, they might have this authority.  But what if they don't?

Read More

are you an intecessor?

An intercessor as defined in church terminology is a person who goes to God on behalf of someone else (e.g. in prayer or request) to seek something for them. It is generally understood that intercession is a God-given calling or role.

But is this true?

Are only some people called to be intercessors or is it the responsibility of all of God’s people?  Indeed, is intercession a special gift at all?

• What does Paul mean when he asks the church of Ephesus to be persistent in their prayers for all believers everywhere (Eph 6)?
• If Paul is considered an intercessor why would he ask for others to pray for him too (Eph 6:19; Col 4:3; 1Thes 5:25; Heb 13:18)?
• What does Paul mean when he asks Timothy to pray for all people, to ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them?  Or to encourage people generally to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy (1Tim 2:1-8)?
• What about Jesus asking us to pray for those who are against us (Mt 5:44)?
• Why are we asked to pray for one another at all (Jam 5:16)?

If it true that God send his Spirit to some key chosen people, why is it that Jesus sent God’s Spirit to all believers so all could understand God’s will and interact with him personally and directly?  If God is trying to communicate with all his people, then it is possible for anyone to reveal what God wants, to intercede.

Yet, regardless of all this, the one thing above all we must remember is that there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.

And as such, how did Jesus intercede?  He took on the sins of people so they could be forgiven, no longer to be punished for them.  He took on the responsibility for what others had done, so they would not becausevthey could not.

Is this the kind of intercession we see in the church?  This willingness to be sacrificed so others may lice.

Read More

forgive others so you will be rewarded?

It was recently stated in a church setting that "the person who benefits the most from the gift of forgiveness is the person who forgives.  Forgiveness is not so much about the benefits the other person gets.  Forgiveness is actually about you."  The preacher then went onto explain all the benefits a person gets when they forgive someone else.

But can this be true?

When God forgave us, was this action more about him (the giver) or us humans (the receiver)?  Did he send Jesus, his only begotten son so he could get something for himself?

If he did, do we need to re-evaluate the entire premise of God?

But if forgiveness is actually more about the recipient, the person being forgiven, about their freedom, and God asks us to copy how he does things and why, then surely we must put aside what we may or may not get out of it.

Read More

pastoral leadership: a revision

adapted from a reflection by Brian Medway & Graeme Hush

introduction

Over the past twelve years of the Grace Canberra (Grace Christian Fellowship) congregation we have had opportunity to review a number of aspects of structure and ministry.  Since we separated from our previous denominational structure we have thought, prayed and studied in order to try and link Biblical revelation to contemporary circumstances.  The objective is to follow Jesus and fulfill his purpose.  At this juncture we have the opportunity of reviewing some aspects of pastoral leadership and pastoral ministry.

general new testament references to 'pastor' (poimen)

• The relationship between Jesus and the people to whom he ministered in is likened to that of a shepherd and his sheep (Mt 9:36).
• The relationship between Jesus and the disciples is described by the prophets as that between a shepherd and his sheep (Mt 26:31).
• The relationship between Jesus and all people is likened to that of a shepherd and his sheep (Jn 10:11; Heb 13:20; 1Pe 2:25).
• Identified as one of the five equipping ministries for the church (Eph 4:11).
• Elders are charged with the challenge to combine their governmental role as willing caring servants of God’s purposes for the people rather than from a motive of greed or status (1Pe 1-4).

the idea of pastoral ministry as contrasted to the other defined ministry functions in the church

Despite the claims of some theological streams, the New Testament does not provide a definitive system for church leadership.  What it does talk about are a variety of leadership and ministry functions that are expressions of the fullness of Christ. The function of pastoral ministry is one of a number of ministry functions described in the New Testament.

If these functions example different aspects of that ministry it will help to see the function of pastor in the context of the other functions.  Our challenge will be to see that all the functions are represented so that Jesus might be the more fully known through our corporate lifestyle.

pastoral ministry

The Bible talks about the ministry function of a pastor (Ephesians 4) as an equipping ministry function in the church, in connection to four others.  Two (apostles and prophets) are described in other places as leadership functions, and three (teacher, pastor, evangelists) are ministry functions that may not infer leadership. Whether or not they should be seen as overall leadership functions doesn't cloud the the fact that they are equipping functions, represented by people who don't just DO the ministry but who EQUIP OTHERS to do the ministry.

[table id=2/]

pastoral ministry as an integral part of the mission of the church

rather than...

[table id=3/]

This ministry function needs to be effective because the overall task of the church is to become a kingdom force in the community. We don’t provide care to those people who want care. We need to get people well so they can go back to the front line free from physical, emotional or spiritual impediment.

The modeling of pastoral ministry by Jesus must be the first reference point for any attempt to profile the ministry itself

The primary reference point for this is the ministry of Jesus, which involved the modeling of pastoral care. It is therefore important to take reference points from there.

A direct reference to Jesus and his shepherd relationship with the disciples comes by way of a quote from the prophet Zechariah, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “ ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ (Matthew 26)

If Jesus was a model of pastoral leadership, who was his church?

Surely, first the twelve apostles and second, those who followed him. Yet, much of the care Jesus provided was to people who were not part of his “church.”

There is a lot of material showing the ministry of Jesus to his apostles. Not all of it represents pastoral leadership, but a significant amount constitutes the shepherd care he gave.

• If we are going to get anything at all out of this attempt to put forward clear Biblical references to the work of pastors we must see it in its real context. And, the context for his pastoral ministry was his mission.
• Jesus didn’t have an office to meet people in. He didn’t have a church building where people showed up for regular programs and activities. There is nothing to say that any of these are wrong in themselves, but we must be careful of making presumptions about them.
• Jesus was indiscriminate about who he connected with, ranging from all kinds of community spheres. Wheres today, we often define the ministry by the perimeters of the church. The ministry of Jesus was missional and without walls. Any ministry to the “members” occurred along the missional journey (e.g. he took his disciples aside, spoke to them after speaking to everyone else, healed a member of Peter’s family just before the crowds came to the back door, etc).

We have created an industry that offers ministry exclusively to the church and not the community. And there always seems to be an endless and often repetitive supply of clientele.

the shepherd model

To put some balance into the equation we need to make the following observations about the shepherd model for the function of pastors (Ephesians 4). The best known is based on the character of God described in Psalm 23:

• meeting people’s needs
• training in righteous living
• providing strength in times of difficulty
• bringing celebration in the context of the battle
• bringing the presence of goodness and love
• keeping people in the covenant environment

judgement on neglectful shepherds in judah

The other great Old Testament image is found in Ezekiel 34 when the Lord chastises the priests for failing in their duty of care for the people.  From that passage we notice the following.

[table id=4/]

the shepherd care of Jesus (John 10)

[table id=5/]

pastoral ministry in the context of building church where you are

Our overall vision (Grace Canberra) is to serve the goal of seeing God's kingdom established in our region sphere by sphere using the strategy of training, commissioning, and supporting missionaries and planting churches in community spheres.

We are on a journey with coordinates that seek to follow after a ministry goal shaped by the unfulfilled desires of God revealed in Scripture.  As such we must continue to model what we do on the ministry of Jesus and the principles of God's word.

One of the issues we have to address is the will to set aside a model for doing church that has failed to effectively represent neither the heart nor the mission of Jesus Christ (see figure below). That is to stop making church the centre but rather the start.

institutional abuse of the pastoral function

The term, pastor was re-introduced to the church following the Reformation (link).  It was a term Luther, Zwingli, Calvin and other Reformation leaders used to contrast the Catholic term, 'priest.”'.  They wanted to move as far away from the idea of someone other than Jesus being a mediator between God and people.  Salvation was by faith alone and needed no intermediary.

As a result the term 'pastor':

• Is synonymous with congregational leadership in evangelical and charismatic churches.
• Is applied regardless of the style of leadership and particular leadership function a individual may fulfill.
• Has gained various associated functions (e.g. senior pastor, worship pastor, youth pastor etc), with the shared idea being that a person with one or other of these titles is the leader of a department of the church.

We need to be responsible to recognise the gifts and anointing within people and then commission them and support them.  Even though 'pastor' is the term recognized widely in our community for leaders of evangelical churches and even though it is usually associated with formal recognition, we all know the church of Jesus Christ needs to see all of the functions working, and working together for the work to be accomplished.

summary of healthy assumptions

• Pastoral care reflects the commitment to making people whole
• Pastoral care must continue to be exercised in the church by the church to the church and community as an expression of God's heart to redeem, renew, and empower people for ministry.
• Wholeness cannot be considered separate from the missionary call of Christ:  so our pastoral care ministry should empower people to become better missionaries.
• Pastoral care happens best in the context of the work of the mission by fellow missionaries
• The pastoral ministry is primarily an equipping ministry function in the church so that the whole church can become more able to provide pastoral care as and when it is needed.  It is not a separate department of the church that does the work on behalf of the rest of the church.
• Pastoral leadership must transition from being a substitutionary function to a training and empowering one.

suggestions

• Identify the various skills and anointings associated with pastoral ministry
• Identify the people who represent those skills
• Develop and implement a plan to release the people with the skills and anointing to equip as many people as possible in the church beginning with those who have formal or informal leadership responsibilities
• Designate the people who have equipping skills as pastors
• As part of the equipping process, we delegate as much pastoral care to the missionary activity in community spheres
• Resist as much as possible the pressure to provide centralised substitutionary pastoral ministry.
• Provide incidental crisis pastoral care from among designated pastoral people according to geographical or community sphere location.
• Implement a plan to inform and encourage the church to understand our pastoral goals and seek to develop expectations that support them

Read More