Walking The Beat

A PATH TO SPIRITUAL VITALITY

I believe in and practice evangelism, missions, and seek to be a missional Christian. I support a Great Commission Resurgence in my denomination and pray for the task force.

I once thought that just winning souls solved everything. Or, if we have "revival" then surely it will just solve everything. Not so.

I began to read the Gospels and Acts over and over and over. I saw the value of Community expressed through small group in the ministry of Jesus. I first saw it in Scripture, then looked for models who were doing it well.

Community became a word that for me breathes relationship. A friend of mine defines Community (Acts 2:42) as: "Christian Community is the body of Christ expressing the life and message of Christ to build up one another and redeem the world for God's glory." Community is what we Baptists have typically called "Fellowship". Scriptures such as Gen. 1:24-2:35; Psalm 133; Eccles 4:9-10; Mark 3:14; John 17; Acts 2:41-47; 4:32-37; Romans 12; 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 2, 4; and 1 Peter 5:1-4 are ample to suggest that among the people of God Community is a significant part of their essence in both OT and NT.

In the Bible, the work of God moved along lines of relationship. W. Oscar Thompson, beloved Professor of Evangelism at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, taught us many years ago that in the NT the gospel moved on lines of relationship. C. J. Murphy has said, "No one has ever been won to Jesus by someone they did not like."

As an itinerant preacher, a consultant, a coach (whatever one would want to call it), denominational worker and interim pastor, I observed one constant that could be woven throughout dysfunctional churches: Broken and fragmented relationships. Conflict destroys biblical community. Control agendas destroy biblical community. These destroy the ability to celebrate community.

When Baptists begin to do something, we typically try to sell vision. But in reality we should take a cue from Nehemiah and sell the problem. This helps keep the sense of need high. And it begins with unity among leadership - all of the leadership. In other words, there must be such a focus on aligning the ministry to the model (vertically - common goal; horizontally - cooperation to the extent the silos are brought down). It is the setting aside of "my" for the sake of "our".

My influence is very small if at all. But I pray you will hear and I plead with congregations, denominations, and even to our SBC Great Commission Resurgence Task Force: Focus on Biblical Community as reflected in the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:36-40).

Why? Jesus lamented over Jerusalem … "How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing" (Matthew 23:37).

It is this same yearning that draws us to Himself and to one another in Biblical Community.  Community, or the lack thereof, defines who we are in our hearts as the people of God. Doctrine is absolutely important. Without the authority of Scripture, we would have no way of knowing the parameters God has set. But one can be right and still be wrong-headed. Even the demons believe there is one God…and they tremble (James 2:19). This passage is set contextually in a chapter where the author is warning against partiality and a dead faith! It is set in a chapter advocating authentic Biblical Community!

Community is essential to fulfilling the Great Commission. Why? People invite their friends to life.

As we do seek to be about the Father's business of the Great Commission mandate, let us do so by also returning with a contrite heart to God and the practice of the Great Commandment. May "loving God and loving people" be more than a vision. May it become reality in our lives and our churches.

DOES INCONVENIENCE REVEAL CHARACTER?

Oh, the best laid plans of mice and men... . I don't know about the mice, but this man has had his whole week's plan skewed by the storm last night in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. Sigh...

My wife and I were with friends and colleague to make a visit to a local church. No one showed. We stood in the parking lot visiting and waiting. We saw the storm approaching. The sound of a mighty rushing wind was immediate and the results obvious: Instantly a wooden sign in the lot was picked up and hurled across the hood of a westbound driver in a small BMW. Barely missed the auto and I certain all the driver saw was a blip.

The storm was to the north (where we live). We stayed south, but we spoke with a neighbor. When we returned home, the electricity was out, a huge tree limb (no trees like this one in our neighborhood) was at our driveway. We were fortunate. No fences down nor shingles off the roof.

So this a.m. we again drove into Colleyville for breakfast. A lady (recognized as the wife of a local physician) was commenting to two girls of high school age: "We've been without electricity for 14 hours. This is ridiculous." My thought was, "Lady, why don't you go get a chain saw and help these guys clear the power lines of the downed trees and limbs?"

Another conversation was overheard at our favorite coffee shop. Not quite the same tone, but a lot of frustration expressed.

Now get the picture: Two teen-age girls with fashionable rubber boots, shorts, one a Paris Hilton hair style, etc., etc.  and a lady driving a high dollar vehicle, well dressed (casually), sitting in a restaurant along with my wife and myself, eating breakfast and complaining about no electricity.

All of us had a vehicle with gasoline. We could travel. All of us had the money to eat in a nice place. We were not hungry. All of us have optional places to go temporarily for air conditioning. We did not have to be uncomfortably hot. We have beds. Most of our homes did not experience great damage and if they did, we do have some insurance.

But in this world, local world in which we live, there are people without air conditioning. There are people who cannot go to a restaurant to eat. Some with housing insufficient to withstand storms lose their homes, clothing, etc.

My wife volunteered at our church's new ministry, 6stones. Many people in the Mid-cities area of DFW have physical need and many people are sensitive to those people and their needs.

But too many others reveal attitudes where"entitlement" and cool" seem to be prized above all else. If a small inconvenience of an electrical outage brings out this kind of attitude, then what happens if real tragedy strikes? And can we suffer in community as did our parents and grandparents during the Great Depression and WW2?

I have a friend who recently lost her 8 year old grandson to a brain tumor. I suspect they would gladly burn a lamp if they could exchange electricity for that child's life. Others have lost jobs, retirement benefits, etc., etc., etc.

Do we have the collective character to suffer together, if necessary? Or are we so fractured that many only look out for themselves?

As others have said, "I am no prophet, nor the son of a prophet, and I work for a non-profit." But here goes. The face of the globe is changing. The face of this nation is changing. I do believe we are in the end times. This does not require fear on the part of believers. Rather, it will call for every ounce of true Christian character we possess. It is time to seek the Lord and reflect His image in all we do and say.

YES - I am back to blogging! :)