The world is a pretty big place. With more than 7 billion people sharing this planet with us, it is hard to imagine how any of us can really have any kind of significant or lasting impact on it. At some point in our idealistic youth we had dreams of how we might leave our mark in a lasting way, but reality has a way of subduing the passion of youth and causing us to settle for doing the best we can at improving our small corner of the world while the rest of the world becomes an unreachable mess beyond our control.
Let's face it, the vast majority of our energy and thoughts go into the world outside our doorstep that we see everyday. The rest of the world is merely made up of images on Fox News that are quickly forgotten. We are satisified with living life inside our bubble until some young preacher stands up in front of the church and insists that The Great Commission really does mean that we should make disciples OF ALL NATIONS. He might even go further to say that Christ may be delaying his return until we accomplish our mission of making disciples of all nations.
The first three core values I have written about are all reasonable and acceptable. It makes sense to TEACH GOD'S WORD, TRAIN GOD'S PEOPLE, and LOVE OUR COMMUNITY. But to leave it there falls well short of accomplishing our mission as a church. There is one more step we must take. It must be an equally important core value of our church. To neglect this fourth core value would mean we have failed in our mission to make disciples.
CORE VALUE #4: "Impacting Our World"
The question that first comes to mind when looking at that phrase is "HOW"? How can I have an impact on my world? How can my church and its limited resources have any real impact on this world of 7 billion people?
Then only way I can answer this question is like this:
1) You can't do it alone. Jesus gave the command to make disciples of all nations to his apostles as a collective group. He gave this command to the CHURCH. Without the church your efforts will be weak and ineffective. Christ gave us the church to be the means through which His work would be accomplished. We, collectively, are the body of Christ. If you think you can accomplish anything significant for Christ outside of the church, you are ignoring the truth of scripture and you are wrong.
2) The super-natural power of the Holy Spirit will empower you to accomplish things you could never do with your own natural power. This is precisely why Jesus told the apostles to wait on the Holy Spirit to come before trying to start the church. Read Acts 1 & 2 to see how this happened.
3) It can be accomplished by using simple math. If you take a small group of true disciples who are serious about their mission and each of them succeeds in making new disciples. It does not take long before a small group has impacted thousands or millions of lives. Jesus knew this mathematical truth. That is why he spent his earthly ministry focused on just 12 men. He knew if he made 12 true disciples, they could truly impact the world. And they did!
At First Christian Church in Monroe, we want to make disciples who are passionate about LOVING OUR COMMUNITY and IMPACTING OUR WORLD. We want to find ways to send people to all corners of the world to address needs and to spread the gospel of Christ. We want to support those who are already on the ground doing this work by praying for them and helping them out with financial resources. We want to be a part of planting churches where the gospel of Christ is not currently being spread.
At FCC we might not be able to send people or resources to every single corner of the world, but we can try. We can pray. We can pay attention to the needs. We can care.
What if the 100 or so people at our church became passionate about Impacting Our World? What if every church in Monroe started doing the same? What if all the churches in the Atlanta, GA area started working together to Impact Our World? What if churches all across the United States started passionately working together to Impact the World for Christ?
The fact is...we could reach every nation on earth with the gospel and address every social injustice that comes to light. We could truly impact our world if the church would just do its job and accomplish its mission.
If we did this and accomplished our mission, I believe there would be nothing else holding the King of kings back from returning and defeating the enemy for eternity. I want to see this happen. I want to be a part of the army of God. That is why IMPACTING OUR WORLD is a core value at FCC in Monroe.
TEACHING GOD'S WORD
TRAINING GOD'S PEOPLE
LOVING OUR COMMUNITY
IMPACTING OUR WORLD
Let's quit talking about it. Let's get it done!!!
Portwood Family
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
Core Value #3
As I mentioned earlier, the way I present these core values for FCC is not quite a finished product, but certainly captures the spirit and essence of how we hope to accomplish our mission as a church.
The third core value for our community of Christ-followers flows directly from what happens when a person or group of people begin pursuing a relationship with God on a daily basis. It relates to how the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to the "helpless and harrassed" people surrounding us where we live. Matthew 9 begins and ends with how Jesus expected his church to connect with those we see everyday in our community.
CORE VALUE #3: "Serving Our Community" OR "Loving Our Community"
(We haven't settled on which word works better as a core value; "serving" or "loving")
There are those people who are naturally compassionate and automatically see the needs and hurts of the people around them and they are often moved to take action. But lets be honest, most of us are oblivious to the needs of those around us. We need the Spirit of God to open our eyes and to put a burden on our heart to reach out to these people and to love them. These people are those in our community we see everyday in the stores, in the restaurants, standing in their yards, walking down the street, and looking for answers about why life is the way it is. They are lost and they don't even know it. They are hurting and they aren't sure why.
At FCC, we are located fairly close to the center of town. I can take a one mile walk around the block and pass the homes of well over a thousand families. A sad truth is that poverty is epidemic in our community and it completely surrounds our church's property on all sides. Another sad truth is that most of us drive right by this poverty every Sunday morning so we can gather together for worship and never even give the slightest thought to how we might actually serve and love the community surrounding us.
As I see the example of Jesus unfold in scripture, I can't help but think about how he might respond to those in our community. I doubt he would spend much time at all hanging out in the church building with the other believers. To be a true disciple of Jesus, I need to start walking in his footsteps. Our church needs to start walking in his footsteps. It is time for us to stop DRIVING BY our community each Sunday and to start SERVING and LOVING our community.
A super-natural result of "TEACHING GOD'S WORD" and "TRAINING GOD'S PEOPLE" is that the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to see that our mission to make disciples must start with "LOVING OUR COMMUNITY".
It is easy to "go to church" each Sunday for worship. It requires very little effort and time for most church-goers. Loving Our Community is MUCH more difficult and requires considerable time and effort and sacrifice. Let's face it...most of us would never take this step on our own. This is not a natural core value for most believers. But for true disciples who have been transformed by the Spirit of God, this becomes a super-natural core value that cannot be ignored.
The leadership of FCC has a passionate desire to let our community know we love them and want to serve them in any way we can. We want this because it is the only way we can bring glory to God in Monroe. It is the only way we can ever hope to make new disciples - and THAT is our mission.
The forth and final core value we are working toward at FCC is how we complete the Great Commission. This final core value is what I believe Christ is waiting on his church to accomplish before he returns. I will discuss it further in my next post.
The third core value for our community of Christ-followers flows directly from what happens when a person or group of people begin pursuing a relationship with God on a daily basis. It relates to how the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to the "helpless and harrassed" people surrounding us where we live. Matthew 9 begins and ends with how Jesus expected his church to connect with those we see everyday in our community.
CORE VALUE #3: "Serving Our Community" OR "Loving Our Community"
(We haven't settled on which word works better as a core value; "serving" or "loving")
There are those people who are naturally compassionate and automatically see the needs and hurts of the people around them and they are often moved to take action. But lets be honest, most of us are oblivious to the needs of those around us. We need the Spirit of God to open our eyes and to put a burden on our heart to reach out to these people and to love them. These people are those in our community we see everyday in the stores, in the restaurants, standing in their yards, walking down the street, and looking for answers about why life is the way it is. They are lost and they don't even know it. They are hurting and they aren't sure why.
At FCC, we are located fairly close to the center of town. I can take a one mile walk around the block and pass the homes of well over a thousand families. A sad truth is that poverty is epidemic in our community and it completely surrounds our church's property on all sides. Another sad truth is that most of us drive right by this poverty every Sunday morning so we can gather together for worship and never even give the slightest thought to how we might actually serve and love the community surrounding us.
As I see the example of Jesus unfold in scripture, I can't help but think about how he might respond to those in our community. I doubt he would spend much time at all hanging out in the church building with the other believers. To be a true disciple of Jesus, I need to start walking in his footsteps. Our church needs to start walking in his footsteps. It is time for us to stop DRIVING BY our community each Sunday and to start SERVING and LOVING our community.
A super-natural result of "TEACHING GOD'S WORD" and "TRAINING GOD'S PEOPLE" is that the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to see that our mission to make disciples must start with "LOVING OUR COMMUNITY".
It is easy to "go to church" each Sunday for worship. It requires very little effort and time for most church-goers. Loving Our Community is MUCH more difficult and requires considerable time and effort and sacrifice. Let's face it...most of us would never take this step on our own. This is not a natural core value for most believers. But for true disciples who have been transformed by the Spirit of God, this becomes a super-natural core value that cannot be ignored.
The leadership of FCC has a passionate desire to let our community know we love them and want to serve them in any way we can. We want this because it is the only way we can bring glory to God in Monroe. It is the only way we can ever hope to make new disciples - and THAT is our mission.
The forth and final core value we are working toward at FCC is how we complete the Great Commission. This final core value is what I believe Christ is waiting on his church to accomplish before he returns. I will discuss it further in my next post.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Core Value #2
Make sure to read "Core Value #1" prior to reading this post.
The second core value we want to put in the center of all we do at First Christian in Monroe focuses on taking people from being "believers" into being true disciples of Jesus. To be a disciple of someone, you can't just hear about them and acknowledge how great they are. You must commit your life to following in their footsteps. You must commit to trying to become just like them in every way possible. Being a believer is easy. Being a disciple is not! It is demanding and it is difficult (see Luke 14:25-35). To be a disciple of Jesus, you have to be prepared for more than just going to church. You must be ready to do whatever it takes to become like Him.
CORE VALUE #2: "Training God's People"
At FCC, once we have introduced people to God's Word, we want to begin training them to become true disciples of Jesus. I love using the term "SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE". A Spiritual Discipline is an activity that enhances a person's personal relationship with God and obedience to what He has commanded. A person must practice these disciplines over and over until they become a natural part of their life.
A few common examples of Spiritual Disciplines a person might practice are: BIBLE STUDY, PRAYER, GIVING, SERVING OTHERS, WORSHIP, FASTING, and MEDITATION/SOLITUDE. Doing these activities does not define or determine one's salvation, but ARE part of a true disciple's life. These are some of the things we do that draw us nearer to God in our relationship with Him. These are the things we do to hear the Holy Spirit speak to us and to be obedient to the Holy Spirit's leadership.
At FCC, we don't just want to make believers. We want to make disciples. We what to show people how Jesus lived and what he commanded. We want to show people how to become true disciples of Jesus and to do these things in their lives too.
TEACHING GOD'S WORD and TRAINING GOD'S PEOPLE are the first two core values we are passionate about at FCC. If we do these two things well, the next two core values will be much easier to accomplish. Our mission is to MAKE DISCIPLES. That means we never stop and we never are satisfied. Once we help someone become a disciple, they join us on our mission to make disciples of others. That leads us to Core Value #3. I will write about that later!
The second core value we want to put in the center of all we do at First Christian in Monroe focuses on taking people from being "believers" into being true disciples of Jesus. To be a disciple of someone, you can't just hear about them and acknowledge how great they are. You must commit your life to following in their footsteps. You must commit to trying to become just like them in every way possible. Being a believer is easy. Being a disciple is not! It is demanding and it is difficult (see Luke 14:25-35). To be a disciple of Jesus, you have to be prepared for more than just going to church. You must be ready to do whatever it takes to become like Him.
CORE VALUE #2: "Training God's People"
At FCC, once we have introduced people to God's Word, we want to begin training them to become true disciples of Jesus. I love using the term "SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE". A Spiritual Discipline is an activity that enhances a person's personal relationship with God and obedience to what He has commanded. A person must practice these disciplines over and over until they become a natural part of their life.
A few common examples of Spiritual Disciplines a person might practice are: BIBLE STUDY, PRAYER, GIVING, SERVING OTHERS, WORSHIP, FASTING, and MEDITATION/SOLITUDE. Doing these activities does not define or determine one's salvation, but ARE part of a true disciple's life. These are some of the things we do that draw us nearer to God in our relationship with Him. These are the things we do to hear the Holy Spirit speak to us and to be obedient to the Holy Spirit's leadership.
At FCC, we don't just want to make believers. We want to make disciples. We what to show people how Jesus lived and what he commanded. We want to show people how to become true disciples of Jesus and to do these things in their lives too.
TEACHING GOD'S WORD and TRAINING GOD'S PEOPLE are the first two core values we are passionate about at FCC. If we do these two things well, the next two core values will be much easier to accomplish. Our mission is to MAKE DISCIPLES. That means we never stop and we never are satisfied. Once we help someone become a disciple, they join us on our mission to make disciples of others. That leads us to Core Value #3. I will write about that later!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Core Value #1
Together with the Leadership Team at First Christian Church in Monroe, I am working to clarify our mission and our core values so our entire church family can be unified around what it is we are trying to do and how we are going to do it. The process isn't finished yet, but with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I am convinced that we will align the activity of OUR church with the mission Christ gave to HIS church.
Over the next few days, I am going to post a series of four short blogs, each one centered around one of the core values that will define the activity of our church and help us accomplish our mission.
For a community of believers to accomplish what God has called them to do, they must first determine their mission. They all need to clearly understand that Christ commissioned his church to MAKE DISCIPLES (Matthew 28:18-20 & Acts 1:8). To accomplish this mission, the leadership of FCC is narrowing its focus down to a set of "core values" that will clearly define what we believe are the keys to success. There are a lot of "good" things a church can do, but we are focused on these four things.
CORE VALUE #1 - "Teaching God's Word"
Seems pretty obvious, right? What else can be more important when trying to make disciples than to teach God's Word? Sadly, this isn't quite as obvious as you might think. Sure, churches spend A LOT of time talking about God's Word. They present passages and concepts from scripture each Sunday morning. They talk about the Bible as the "guide" to their lives and teach the kids to treat the book with respect. But I see a level of Biblical illiteracy in most church-goers that is frightening. Church leaders are TALKING about God's Word, but many people simply are not digging in to God's Word with a hunger and thirst that defines their daily life.
Hebrews 4:12 (one of my favorites) says..."For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." In other words, scripture changes everything! It has a transforming power that cannot be explained. God's Word comes with a companion called the Holy Spirit. Each time you dig into scripture, the very Spirit of God speaks directly into your heart. It is powerful and it changes you fundamentally forever!
For many church-goers, allowing the Pastor to share what the Spirit of God has said to him once a week is enough. They are content with a challenging, or at least entertaining message each Sunday. They simply do not realize that the Holy Spirit of God has a specific and direct message for them if they will dig into God's Word on their own. Hearing a good message on Sunday is a good thing, but it can never replace what God wants to say to you directly!
Once a person has experienced the transforming power of scripture in their own personal life, it changes everything. Bible study turns from being a mundane and confusing exercise in futility into an exciting and life-changing mystery. They simply cannot wait until they get to do it again. It becomes a part of their daily life and they would never want to go through a day without it.
At FCC, our Leadership Team wants to see TEACHING GOD'S WORD become more than something we talk about and preach about. We want to teach every person we come in contact with just how powerful and amazing God's Word really is. We want to teach them how to study the Bible and how to understand it. We want to give them tools for developing daily Bible Study habits. We want to give people arenas where they can discuss what they are studying with other believers and share what God's Spirit is saying to them through scripture.
If we want to make disciples, it MUST begin with teaching God's Word. When a person is confronted with the truth and the power of scripture, transformation is the only possible result.
Core Value #2 flows from the first one. It is also a critical key to our church accomplishing its mission to make disciples. But you will have to wait until my next post to see what that is all about!
Over the next few days, I am going to post a series of four short blogs, each one centered around one of the core values that will define the activity of our church and help us accomplish our mission.
For a community of believers to accomplish what God has called them to do, they must first determine their mission. They all need to clearly understand that Christ commissioned his church to MAKE DISCIPLES (Matthew 28:18-20 & Acts 1:8). To accomplish this mission, the leadership of FCC is narrowing its focus down to a set of "core values" that will clearly define what we believe are the keys to success. There are a lot of "good" things a church can do, but we are focused on these four things.
CORE VALUE #1 - "Teaching God's Word"
Seems pretty obvious, right? What else can be more important when trying to make disciples than to teach God's Word? Sadly, this isn't quite as obvious as you might think. Sure, churches spend A LOT of time talking about God's Word. They present passages and concepts from scripture each Sunday morning. They talk about the Bible as the "guide" to their lives and teach the kids to treat the book with respect. But I see a level of Biblical illiteracy in most church-goers that is frightening. Church leaders are TALKING about God's Word, but many people simply are not digging in to God's Word with a hunger and thirst that defines their daily life.
Hebrews 4:12 (one of my favorites) says..."For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." In other words, scripture changes everything! It has a transforming power that cannot be explained. God's Word comes with a companion called the Holy Spirit. Each time you dig into scripture, the very Spirit of God speaks directly into your heart. It is powerful and it changes you fundamentally forever!
For many church-goers, allowing the Pastor to share what the Spirit of God has said to him once a week is enough. They are content with a challenging, or at least entertaining message each Sunday. They simply do not realize that the Holy Spirit of God has a specific and direct message for them if they will dig into God's Word on their own. Hearing a good message on Sunday is a good thing, but it can never replace what God wants to say to you directly!
Once a person has experienced the transforming power of scripture in their own personal life, it changes everything. Bible study turns from being a mundane and confusing exercise in futility into an exciting and life-changing mystery. They simply cannot wait until they get to do it again. It becomes a part of their daily life and they would never want to go through a day without it.
At FCC, our Leadership Team wants to see TEACHING GOD'S WORD become more than something we talk about and preach about. We want to teach every person we come in contact with just how powerful and amazing God's Word really is. We want to teach them how to study the Bible and how to understand it. We want to give them tools for developing daily Bible Study habits. We want to give people arenas where they can discuss what they are studying with other believers and share what God's Spirit is saying to them through scripture.
If we want to make disciples, it MUST begin with teaching God's Word. When a person is confronted with the truth and the power of scripture, transformation is the only possible result.
Core Value #2 flows from the first one. It is also a critical key to our church accomplishing its mission to make disciples. But you will have to wait until my next post to see what that is all about!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)