According to the most excellent book, Missional Church (Guder), the church is a community of God's redeemed people who are an expression of God's Kingdom. The church provides a foretaste of the kind of life we will have in heaven - unconditional love, service to one another, no taking advantage of others, no unresolved conflict, no self-centeredness, rather God is at the center and we enjoy him without any barriers - you get the picture right? ...it's heaven!
The church leaders must model and cultivate their church community so that it is always moving toward this ideal.
I think that the small group context is one of the best ways to accomplish this, because:
a) small groups are small - there are fewer issues than in an entire congregation
b) small groups tend to attract similar types of people - or at least people who like each other - so there is already an advantage.
So, teach the small group leaders (or keep reminding them) that their small group is to be a little piece of heaven. Hmmm...that sounds like a great challenge!
Monday, February 9, 2009
What about fear?
I was challenged by one of Charles Stanley's Life Principles (http://www.intouch.org/) today - the principle of the "Landmine of Fear". In the past few days I encountered several specific confessions of fear from various people - fear with respect to an upcoming meeting, with respect to certain aspects of the future and so on. And so I am thinking - what place does fear have in the life of a believer...in my life? What brings out fear in me? Is it failure? Is it sickness? Is it poverty, rejection, loneliness, old age, my kids...and the list could go on.
I am not talking about the "good" fear which protects us from harm: such as the fear I feel when standing on the edge of a cliff. The fear I am talking about is the anticipation of pain, hardship or other "bad" stuff in life. This fear can muddle the mind, paralyze, lead to irrational choices, passed up opportunities, and problems in relationships with people and with God.
The bible has a lot to say about fear - God is very adamant about the fact that we ought to fear him only and trust him to look after all the other stuff that generally causes fear. We are not to be afraid of anything that might come our way. Fear happens when we look at the circumstances and forget to look at God. How well do you know God? Do you trust him to do what he says he will do? Do you trust that even the difficulties in life will bring about your good.
Next time you feel fear due to the circumstances in life read Psalm 3 and make it your own declaration of trust.
Remember:
- fear is not from God (2 Tim 1:7)
- fear is an indication of a lack of faith
Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
I am not talking about the "good" fear which protects us from harm: such as the fear I feel when standing on the edge of a cliff. The fear I am talking about is the anticipation of pain, hardship or other "bad" stuff in life. This fear can muddle the mind, paralyze, lead to irrational choices, passed up opportunities, and problems in relationships with people and with God.
The bible has a lot to say about fear - God is very adamant about the fact that we ought to fear him only and trust him to look after all the other stuff that generally causes fear. We are not to be afraid of anything that might come our way. Fear happens when we look at the circumstances and forget to look at God. How well do you know God? Do you trust him to do what he says he will do? Do you trust that even the difficulties in life will bring about your good.
Next time you feel fear due to the circumstances in life read Psalm 3 and make it your own declaration of trust.
Remember:
- fear is not from God (2 Tim 1:7)
- fear is an indication of a lack of faith
Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Remember
It was communion Sunday this past week at my church. We introduced communion with the memory recitation of Psalm 121 by one of our small groups...I love seeing people quote the bible! As I was taking the bread, in my private moment with the Lord, I said, as I often do "I remember". However the word remember came into focus in a new way. So, I started to leaf through my memory for what the bible says about remembering.
Remember is an action verb in the bible - to remember means to jump up and do something...as when you say "Oh my! I just remembered I am supposed to be at a meeting!" ... and you drop everything and run to the meeting.
-When God remembered Noah, he stopped the catastrophe of the flood.
-When God remembered Abraham he saved Lot in the midst of the Sodom overthrow.
-When God remember Rachel, she conceived.
-When God remembered His covenant he brought about the unforgettable events of the Exodus.
-When God remembered Babylon, he wiped "her" out completely.
-When Jesus remembered the thief on the cross - the thief was saved.
When God remembers - he acts - he jumps into action in behalf of those he "remembers". So what do you think Jesus means when he asks you to remember him? I think he wants us to jump up and say "Oh my! I am supposed to be about my Lord's business!"
Do you remember that you have a Lord and a King?
When you go to war in your land against the adversary who attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and be saved from your enemies. Numbers 10:9 9
Remember is an action verb in the bible - to remember means to jump up and do something...as when you say "Oh my! I just remembered I am supposed to be at a meeting!" ... and you drop everything and run to the meeting.
-When God remembered Noah, he stopped the catastrophe of the flood.
-When God remembered Abraham he saved Lot in the midst of the Sodom overthrow.
-When God remember Rachel, she conceived.
-When God remembered His covenant he brought about the unforgettable events of the Exodus.
-When God remembered Babylon, he wiped "her" out completely.
-When Jesus remembered the thief on the cross - the thief was saved.
When God remembers - he acts - he jumps into action in behalf of those he "remembers". So what do you think Jesus means when he asks you to remember him? I think he wants us to jump up and say "Oh my! I am supposed to be about my Lord's business!"
Do you remember that you have a Lord and a King?
When you go to war in your land against the adversary who attacks you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and be saved from your enemies. Numbers 10:9 9
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