But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep...Christ the firstfruits; afterward, at His coming, the people of Christ...The last enemy to be abolished is death...
Last week was a week from the outer regions of Uknowwhere. It began with the death of one our church members. Mrs. Marie was a wonderful woman and always a source of encouragment for Meredith and me. We buried her husband Winton a year ago.
Mrs. Marie requested that her family bury her in her pajamas. She explained that she wanted people to recognize that she was simply sleeping. Her clothes choice was a testimony of God's grace and a clinched fisted protest in the face of death. Marie's declaration was, "Death does not get to win!" As one of Christ's people she had confidence in the life provided by Jesus on the other side of our earthly tombs.
Paul said that Easter demonstrated the firstfruits of God's great harvest. Mrs. Marie gave witness to it. Easter has been offered to us all. What an indescrible gift.
Verse 6
We joined with millions of Christians today in the celebration of Palm Sunday. I love Matthew's version of the story. We read it together - waving our fronds - shouting hosanna.
I was taken by the actions of the two "no name" disciples in the story. Jesus sent them into the city with a mission to accomplish. Matthew narrated their obedience in the following way: "And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them." Matthew 21:6 (KJV) They were sent. They went.
Jesus has commanded us to go. We have been sent. I think we would do well to imagine an invisible writer like the evangelist Matthew looking at our lives, deciding how to write the sixth verse. Would he be able to write the verse just like it was written in Matthew 21? We are the ones that are sent. At the end of our lives will we be the ones that went?
How will your 6th verse read? Think about it.
I was taken by the actions of the two "no name" disciples in the story. Jesus sent them into the city with a mission to accomplish. Matthew narrated their obedience in the following way: "And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them." Matthew 21:6 (KJV) They were sent. They went.
Jesus has commanded us to go. We have been sent. I think we would do well to imagine an invisible writer like the evangelist Matthew looking at our lives, deciding how to write the sixth verse. Would he be able to write the verse just like it was written in Matthew 21? We are the ones that are sent. At the end of our lives will we be the ones that went?
How will your 6th verse read? Think about it.
Ultimate Goal
I went to St. Dominic Hospital yesterday to visit a man named Harlod Roach. Mr. Roach joined Truitt Memorial twice since I have been pastor. He was a missionary to Madison County during the interval time. Mr. Roach and his wife Jan are wonderful people and I always grow when I'm in their presence. Yesterday was no exception.
Mr. Harold helped plant a number of Christian and Missionary Alliance congregations when he was a younger man. He carries with him the Alliance zeal for missions and evangelism. He is now an officer in the Gideons International Organization. He spends most Sunday mornings raising funds to purchase Bibles. Jan and Harold are active in Bible distribution and evangelism through this ministry. God has used them in schools, prisions, hospitals, hotels, and in international locations like Kenya to share His love. They were missional before missional was cool!
During our lengthy conversation yesterday Mr. Harold asked me about our family and Truett Seminary. He then asked, "What is your ultimate goal?" I told him that I wanted to be a good Christian, husband, and father. I then said that wanted to serve a truly missional church. He responded by saying, "There aren't many of those out there. You almost have to start from scratch."
Mr. Harold put his finger on the pulse of the church and spoke truly. We have a two front challenge. 1) Lead conventional congregations toward a truly missional posture. 2) Plant intentionally missional congregations. I'm wondering if there is a way to do these two things at once.
If you have any thoughts I would be appreciative.
Mr. Harold helped plant a number of Christian and Missionary Alliance congregations when he was a younger man. He carries with him the Alliance zeal for missions and evangelism. He is now an officer in the Gideons International Organization. He spends most Sunday mornings raising funds to purchase Bibles. Jan and Harold are active in Bible distribution and evangelism through this ministry. God has used them in schools, prisions, hospitals, hotels, and in international locations like Kenya to share His love. They were missional before missional was cool!
During our lengthy conversation yesterday Mr. Harold asked me about our family and Truett Seminary. He then asked, "What is your ultimate goal?" I told him that I wanted to be a good Christian, husband, and father. I then said that wanted to serve a truly missional church. He responded by saying, "There aren't many of those out there. You almost have to start from scratch."
Mr. Harold put his finger on the pulse of the church and spoke truly. We have a two front challenge. 1) Lead conventional congregations toward a truly missional posture. 2) Plant intentionally missional congregations. I'm wondering if there is a way to do these two things at once.
If you have any thoughts I would be appreciative.
Congregationalizing the De-Churched
Brueggemann's constituences of evangelism point to the need for a multi-dimensional approach to disciple making. Ed Stetzer wrote about "evangelizing and congregationalizing" people. Our call is to proclaim, baptize, and teach. I think that Stetzer's insights dovetail with Brueggemann's. It seems to be, "what the Spirit is saying to the churches."
Constituencies of Evangelism
I just finished reviewing Walter Brueggemann's book, Biblical Perspectives on Evangelism: Living in a Three-Storied Universe, for my doctoral work at Truett Seminary/Baylor Univeristy. I found it to be helpful in many ways but was very thankful for his notion of constituencies of evangelism. He says that the constituencies are: "outsiders, jaded insiders, and children-becoming-adults" (p. 12). I think of these as: the un-churched, the de-churched, and the pre-churched. I am wonderding how your disciple-making methods change when you are ministering to persons in these different groups. For example -
How do you share the gospel with those totally outside the faith community?
How do you share the gospel with those that have left the church?
How do you seek to prevent "defection" and its evil twin "false confession?" Can these be prevented?
How do you share with children?
Note: "you" = the church you serve.
How do you share the gospel with those totally outside the faith community?
How do you share the gospel with those that have left the church?
How do you seek to prevent "defection" and its evil twin "false confession?" Can these be prevented?
How do you share with children?
Note: "you" = the church you serve.
Stronger - Smaller - More - Cooperative
Perry McCall joined our family for lunch yesterday. He came to the city from Madden and couldn't pass up fried chicken thursday at Primos. We talked about the future of the church and our congregations. Perry made a statement that I have been thinking about. He said, "I think in twenty years churches will be stronger, smaller, and there will be more of them." I can't help but think that this would be a positive thing. I would hope that these churches would owe one another what Miroslav Volf calles, "sisterly affection" and demonstrate this throuh missional coopertion.
Question -
Do you see the future this way? What would it take to see it become a realtiy?
Question -
Do you see the future this way? What would it take to see it become a realtiy?
Society of Siblings
Meredith and I came to the Truitt Memorial Baptist Church in 2002. The weekend I was called to serve as pastor was full of activities and meetings. Saturday night was given to a town hall style meeting where congregants were given the chance to ask any question they wanted. I was literally interviewed by the whole church. One of the theological questions I was asked was about women in ministry. I later found out that a number of church members came from Penetcostal backgrounds that allowed women to serve at all levels of church life, a few even had "preaching grandmothers." I told the church then what I believe now. I think that scripture allows for the full participation of women in ministry. I have never pushed this belief as an "issue" as our entire church can attest. I don't even use the term egalitarian to describe myself. I have not come to this conclusion from a liberal perspective. You may describe it as a Holiness/Pentecostal/Sandy Creek Baptist perspective if you must label it.
In preaching through Romans 16 Sunday night I was called on to share my heart on this issue again. At the very least Romans 16 and a truckload of other biblical passages should give pause to the complementarians that so easily decare "what the bible teaches" on this issue. They can, for sure, offer an additional list that causes me to hold my position with humility. We all should embrace an irenic spirit because this issue is not a matter of dogma.
Charles Talbert of Baylor University (his father pastored FBC Pearl for a number of years) made some comments about this issue that I think are golden. I want to offer them to you for your consideration -
At the same time that one acknowledges the involvment of women in ministry in earliest Christianity, it is important to note that for Paul the offosite of partiarchy was not egalitarianism but something else! Paul's vision was for a society of siblings in which only God was called Father, in which there were differences among members and in which each family member used his or her strengths to enrich the quality of life in the family of God. Within such a family, contributions were not determined by one's sex, one's ecomonic status, or one's race. They were determined by the "measure of faith/responsibility/trust" (Rom 12:3b) God assigned to each. Within such a family, the measure of responsibility assigned by God as a gift of grace was not aimed to enhance the recipient's status but to build up to community. Egalitarianism is based on rights possessed, just deserts to be received, and aims at the enhancement of the status of the one who possesses such rights and who is granted such just deserts. The family of God is based on God's gracious gifts to each of His children regardless of sex, status, or race, which gifts are to be used for the enchancement of others. Egalitarianism is based on power! Christian community is based on human transformation by divine agency: on God's enablement of our transcending our Adamic nature.
In preaching through Romans 16 Sunday night I was called on to share my heart on this issue again. At the very least Romans 16 and a truckload of other biblical passages should give pause to the complementarians that so easily decare "what the bible teaches" on this issue. They can, for sure, offer an additional list that causes me to hold my position with humility. We all should embrace an irenic spirit because this issue is not a matter of dogma.
Charles Talbert of Baylor University (his father pastored FBC Pearl for a number of years) made some comments about this issue that I think are golden. I want to offer them to you for your consideration -
At the same time that one acknowledges the involvment of women in ministry in earliest Christianity, it is important to note that for Paul the offosite of partiarchy was not egalitarianism but something else! Paul's vision was for a society of siblings in which only God was called Father, in which there were differences among members and in which each family member used his or her strengths to enrich the quality of life in the family of God. Within such a family, contributions were not determined by one's sex, one's ecomonic status, or one's race. They were determined by the "measure of faith/responsibility/trust" (Rom 12:3b) God assigned to each. Within such a family, the measure of responsibility assigned by God as a gift of grace was not aimed to enhance the recipient's status but to build up to community. Egalitarianism is based on rights possessed, just deserts to be received, and aims at the enhancement of the status of the one who possesses such rights and who is granted such just deserts. The family of God is based on God's gracious gifts to each of His children regardless of sex, status, or race, which gifts are to be used for the enchancement of others. Egalitarianism is based on power! Christian community is based on human transformation by divine agency: on God's enablement of our transcending our Adamic nature.
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