[Real-Time Connections] Chapter 1: Rethinking The Great Commission

(This is a repost from my contribution over at bibledude.net)

Don’t have a seminary degree? Awesome! Can’t quote a bunch of scripture? Ok. Never said the sinners prayer with someone? Fine, neither have I. Converted 10 of your friends to Christianity? Wow. BUT…

“The one question that matters to Jesus is: Have you loved people enough to minister to them?”Bob Roberts, Jr. in Real-Time Connections (Read Matt 25.34-40)

Chapter 1 in Real-Time Connections is about rethinking the Great Commission because many seem to have lost sight of this command to ALL CHRISTIANS. If we are obeying this command then we should see everyday regular Christian people turning the world upside down from where they are. The time is now.

“These who have turned the world upside down have come here also…” Acts 17:6

So, what’s the Great Commission again?

TO GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS(Matthew 28:18)

Bob says, “The Great Commission is not simply a call to recruit people in the Christian faith; it is a command to engage in discipleship in every domain of a society in such a way the nation is transformed…..It’s about transforming people in such a way that they cannot help but transform their families, their neighborhoods, their cities, and their countries.”

At Bob’s church in Texas they use this term called, “Kingdom In, Kingdom Out” in regards to discipleship:

Kingdom In: The way we talk about our personal relationship with God.

Kingdom Out: How we refer to our relationships with other people and our calling in the world. It’s all about my love for God overflowing from a grateful heart into the hearts and lives of other people, drawing them into the joy I have experienced through his grace.

“When ordinary believers in their different domains engage in discipleship – transformation and change will come.

Not because we have more preachers and churches.”

Bob lists FOUR COMMON MISUNDERSTANDINGS OF THE GREAT COMMISSION:

1. The Great Commission begins in Matthew.

Rethink it: The Great Commission begins in Genesis.

2. Preachers Are the Key to the Great Commission.

Rethink it: Disciples, ordinary followers of Jesus, are the key.

3. The Church is Where We Focus Our Efforts to Fulfill the Great Commission.

Rethink it: Society is where disciples should engage the world.

8 Domains of Society that Bob Roberts, Jr. likes to focus on:

1. Economics
2. Education
3. Health
4. Communication
5. Society
6. Science-technology
7. Agriculture
8. Governance

Are you currently working in any of these domains of society? What are some doors God has been opening for you to turn the world upside down from where you are? Please share!

4. Only Certain People or Groups Are Allowed to Participate in the Great Commission

Rethink it: The barriers that separate people come down in the church, starting with our witness to the world.

In his book, Bob asks, “If the gospel were to break loose in our world today, what are the divisions that would have to come down?”

I want to know what you think.

Learn more about Bob Roberts, Jr. and “Glocalization” at http://www.glocal.net/

(In addition to rethinking the Great Commission you may want to revisit the message of the gospel. Tim Keller of Redeemer Church in NYC has a sermon that is very helpful and encouraging to me: http://sermons2.redeemer.com/sites/sermons2.redeemer.com/files/sermons/RPC-The_Gospel.mp3)

Not gonna write you a love song...err story...or am I?

Lately, I've been toying with the idea of writing stories. I remembered that as a child I often would write short stories, and wondered where my desire for that had gone.

Apparently, it hasn't gone that far. I just didn't think it would be a good use of my time. But I thought about how maybe it could reach a certain kind of person in a way I'm not reaching others currently. Even fictional stories can give the message of hope to a hurting world (I've realized this after reading "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers and then watching the short film "Butterfly Circus" by Josh Weigel) They could even bring about change through God's grace. So, I'm gonna give it a shot!

I've started out with a love story. Of course, haha. ;-) Below is a snippet. Please let me know what you think. If you are an author, I'd love to hear about what you are doing.

___

Serah and Caleb stood at the door. Whenever they were about to say good-bye, she became aware of a certain gravity in her heart. It must have shown on her face as she stared off into the dark of the night behind Caleb.

As if this look on her face alerted him to examine her, he stood there.

Her focus came back to him. His eyes seemed to say he knew and that maybe he wanted to reassure her of something.

Not wanting to get her hopes up, she straightened herself ready to say something casual like, "Welp, see you later!" But that gravity in her heart seemed to make it's way into her throat. Wait...don't speak.

A kiss. Warm, comfortable, reassuring, and loving. Caleb had leaned into Serah and kindly kissed her beneath her left eye on the very top of her cheek. Overwhelmed with hope and desire and filled with delight, Serah froze. Caleb stepped back, smiling with care. Serah couldn't tell if she was smiling back.

"Is he waiting for me to say something? Should I return the kiss? Oh shoot, stop thinking he's gonna walk away soon! Hurry, do something." But Caleb never budged. So Serah smiled, stood on her tippy-toes and lightly pecked his cheek, she couldn't remember which side. All she knew was that it felt like there were warm golden specks on her own.

Caleb didn't know what he was waiting for, but it seemed to be the response he hoped for. Seemingly satisfied he told her good night.

"Good night Caleb..."

She closed the door and let out a big sigh. Her mind filled with wonder. "How will I sleep tonight? Oh, it was just a kiss on the cheek and we're good friends. That's all it was. A friendly gesture...right? But he's never done this before." Her heart ached momentarily, but sleepiness soon hit her with a yawn. "It'll make more sense in the morning, I guess."

__

Confessions of a Serial (Cereal?) Dater

Whenever I hear the term "serial" I always think "cereal"...

Anyways, the topic of dating always gets people interested for some reason. And I never did get to finish my "dating series" for this blog because I suddenly have two jobs and am working 6 days a week. (Praise God for work, though!)

I've tried online dating and for the most part it has been a positive learning experience. Although, I've met the end of my ropes with it. I might try eHarmony.com as a last resort, but I'm not interested in spending my money on that right now. So, we'll see where God leads with that.

I'm still on a few free sites where I've actually met some godly men, but also some not-so-godly men. Then there are those whom we might categorize as "in-between." "Who am I to really judge?" is what seems to be my initial knee-jerk response. But honestly, there is something to judge here. In dating, LOTS of judging goes on. I mean, we are talking about considering someone with whom you may go from "hello, nice to meet you" to "I do" one day!

If you have not read the sermon notes from Tim Keller on Singlehood and Marriage then let me clarify why I'm "ok" with dating and why it has been a positive experience for me. It has allowed me to:

1. Affirm people of the opposite sex within the Christian community.

2. Help one another learn the intricacies of cross-gender communication, discernment, and relationship.

3. Stay open to God's own leading about whether I should be married or not.

4. Avoid the contemporary idols that make dating and marriage very threatening.

5. Avoid avoiding. Dating and marriage-seeking is a process of self-discovery as well as understanding cross-gender relationships. Don't procrastinate.

In my dating, a common thing I get from the categorized "in-between" men is the fact that they don't understand or agree why it is good for two people to be on the same page in their walk with God to have a great marriage. Maybe the difference here is a great marriage in the eyes of the "world" vs. a marriage that pleases God. And that's been very difficult for me to explain to someone who isn't on the same page as me spiritually.

Tim Killer says it best in his sermon, "If your partner doesn't share your faith, then he or she doesn't understand it. And if Jesus is central to you, then that means that your partner doesn't understand you. He/she doesn't understand the mainspring of your life, the ground motive of all you do. Over and over you will make decisions that your partner can't fathom. Now the essence of intimacy in marriage is that fianlly you have someone who really understands you and accepts you as you are. Finally you have someone that you don't have to hide from or always be 'spinning', who 'gets' you. But if the person is not a believer, he or she can't understand your very essence and heart."

He also goes on to say how marrying someone who does not share your faith can only go two ways, "One is that you will more and more have to lose your transparency. In the normal, healthy Christian life, you relate Christ and the gospel to everything. You will think of Christ when watching a movie. You will base decisions on Christian principles. You will think about what you read in the Bible that day. But if you are natural and transparent about all these thoughts, your partner will find it at least tedious or appalling and even offensive. Your partner will almost have to think that the normal Christian is obsessed. He or she will say, 'I had no idea you were this overboard about this.' The other possibility is that you simply move Christ out of such a central place in your consciousness. You may even have to let your heart-ardor for Christ cool. Why? Because if you keep Him central you will feel isolated from your spouse."

Ladies and gentlemen, I cannot emphasize what Pastor Keller is saying here. It is SO true! It's important to be fair to someone who doesn't understand this and not get emotionally involved with them. And you don't want to let go of your heart-ardor for Christ. You really don't. As I continue to go on a few dates here and there, these are the things I remember. I am not worried at all about meeting a great man who will choose to love me and who shares the same faith and the same heart for Christ. I know he's out there. Until then, I'm just taking things one step at a time as God leads. :)

Now excuse me as I go to the store, I've run out of milk for my cereal...

You can find my blog post about and link to Tim Keller's sermon on Singlehood and Marriage by clicking here.

Feng Shui, Computers, and Jesus

I don't know much about Feng Shui, but I like to joke and say I have my own personal "Feng Shui." I like to sit at certain places at restaurants, pick certain spots at the beach, and my room has to be a certain way for me to want to sit and read or journal peacefully. ("Personal Feng Shui" sounds so much better than OCD, right?)

Sadly, at times, I apply this personal "Feng Shui" to my relationship with God. I often want to tackle the clutter first, then go to Him. (If you're asking, "What's so wrong with that?" then you should read on!)

I recently got a part-time job at a computer store and I start training next weekend. Last night I was sitting worrying about how being busy with an extra job would really throw off my Feng Shui b/c I wouldn't have time to tackle the clutter. I started to think maybe this part-time job was not in God's will...b/c with all that clutter I woudln't have the right Feng Shui set in place for me to pray, journal, and spend time with Him. God reminded me that computer products are not eternal, but the people that sell them and buy them are. Like C.S. Lewis said, "But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit--immortal horrors or everlasting splendours."

Check out what Jesus says in the book of Luke chp 10 vv.40-42:

"But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me. But the Lord answered her, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

So, the moral of the story here is that we can go to God anytime, anyplace. Clutter and bad Feng Shui and all. Because He is carrying out His eternal purpose through the hearts of people. Maybe my room will get a little messy and out of balance, but I can still spend time with God. And working at a computer store will give me more opportunities to invest in eternal lives, not just temporary products.

Now excuse me...I need to go clean my room! (Maybe I'll go for a walk and talk with God first :-)

Chuck Swindoll In Jeans On Leadership

"Dude! You're like...the Godfather!" That's what one of the Catalyst Conference reps said to Chuck over the phone when he mentioned his concern about being a little too old to speak for this next generation crowd of Christian leaders. As Chuck stood there on stage in his jeans telling us this story we laughed along with him mostly agreeing! Haha, he went on to make a hilarious comment about something to the effect of "ministry mafia." Too funny.

Before I knew about Andy Stanley or Louie Giglio, or many other well-known Christian leaders, speakers, pastors, etc. I knew about Chuck Swindoll. And I have to say, I was looking forward to his talk to the most.

Here are some of my notes from his talk:

He talked about being crushed, time, dissappointments, and failure.

He went on to give a list of top 10 things for ministry or something like that. ;)

1. It's lonely to lead.
2. It's dangerous to succeed.

3. It's hardest at home.

4. It's essential to be real.

5. It's painful to obey.

6. Brokenness and failure are necessary. (He said something about how we learn the most about Christ through afflication...P. Shaun King was sitting across the table from me in the volunteer breakroom during this and we heavily agreed on that one!)

7. My attitude is more important than my actions.

8. Integrity eclipses image.

9. God's way is always better than my way.

10. Christ-likeness begins and ends with humility.

Chuck is older in age, and has been doing ministry for quite some time. That is why I respect him and what he says. And what he says here in this list is not just a bullet list. They are key things that come to the mind of a man who has been walking with God strongly way longer than I have. There is weighty wisdom in there for me to pay attention to. Chuck is the Godfather! LOL

Some more points to ponder from Chuck's talk:

-He said the only place in scripture that Christ actually describes Himself is in Matthew 11:28-30 where He tells us he is gentle and lowly in heart. We find rest in Him and His yoke is easy.

-He also noted how we should preach Christ...that we are bondservants.

-We must be willing to leave the familiar methods without disturbing the biblical message.

-DON'T MESS WITH OR ALTER THE MESSAGE NO MATTER THE METHOD.

Another numbered list from 2 Cor 4:

1. With every ministry a special mercy is needed (God promises that..2 Cor 4:1)

2. In every ministry the same things must be renounced and rejected (v.2)

-hiding shameful things

-doing deceitful things

-corrupting truthful things

3. Through every ministry a unique style should be pursued (vv. 5-7)

-we do not preach or promote ourselves (it isn't about us!!)

-we declare Christ Jesus as Lord (it's all about Him!!)

-we see ourselves as bondservants for Jesus' sake

-we never forget what we are and who He is

5 Statements:

1. Whatever you do, do more with others and less alone

2. Whenever you do it, emphasize quality not quantity

3. Wherever you go, do it the same as if you were among those who know you best (helps you keep from exaggerating the truth)

4. Whoever may respond, keep a level head

5. However long you lead, keep on dripping with gratitude and grace...stay thankful and gracious!!!

Finally, Pastor Swindoll finished by reciting this poem by Amy Carmichael, which really struck me. (I love poetry)

I remembered the last part that said,

"Let me not sink to be a clod, Make me thy fuel thy flame of God."

"It is hard to love." Video: David Powlison on Marital Intimacy (Part 1 of 3)

David Powlison is a great counselor from CCEF (Christian Counseling Education Foundation). I've gotten so much out of the resources and materials and help from that foundation. I'm confident about what God is doing through them.

Please take the time to view this clip. And if you were wondering where were my continued blog posts regarding my dating series, don't worry. I'm working on my next interview with a married Christian couple!

Experiencing God by Henry & Richard Blackaby, Claude King

I'm currently in a bible study based on the book "Experiencing God." So far, it's pretty good. It helps you study and meditate through some key information in the bible so you can know and do the will of God.

There's a helpful diagram this study touches on the whole time. Unfortunately, you'll have to miss out on the AWESOME stick figures drawn out in this book. But, I will list the 7 "Experiencing God" guide points to follow.

1. God is always at work around you.

2. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.

3. God invites you to become involved with Him in His work.

4. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.

5. God's invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.

6. You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.

7. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him, and He accomplishes His work through you.