Lasting Life Transformation: The Sacremental Life

Galatians 3:1-14 makes one thing crystal clear: We are reconciled to God and receive His Holy Spirit by faith, not by obeying rules. Jesus accomplished what was need for our relationship with God to be restored (reconciled) when He died on the cross. The evidence of this restoration is the Resurrection and the Ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

I know this is not anything new, but this morning it hit me in a fresh way. I truly got it.

I finally realized that I was still trying to impress God with my accomplishments and deeds and successes. I finally realized that my success did not run my relationship with God. This was a mindset shift (a paradigm shift, if you will) for me. I didn't even realize I had fallen into this mindset of hoping for God's acceptance, but I had.

As I reflected further, I realized that the life transformation Christ called the Church to proclaim and accomplish in the lives of His Bride was this shift to a relationship of receiving God's grace and love in everything rather than trying to earn it.

The best title I could come up with this way of life was: The Sacramental Life. A sacrament is a means (i.e. medium, way, avenue) of grace. I am truly living in the Kingdom of God when the entirety of my life is a means of grace. When I can receive God's grace and love through every thing I do, I am truly living the life Christ died to give me. Sanctification is positioning myself to see God's grace and love in everything. The disciplines are simply a tactic for opening myself up to God and His grace and love. Serving others becomes a way of receiving grace and love. Worship is now a means of receiving grace and love. I'm no longer doing things to make myself a better person, I'm doing things so that I might better see God at work in me.

Today, I will begin seeing every situation, every person, every moment as an act of faith - receiving God's grace and love in each. I will live the Sacramental Life.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

How do we grow?

Right now Terra Nova is at a slight impasse. We keep bumping our head at an attendance level of 100+. We just can't maintain a growth curve because our meeting room is too small. We are currently exploring several options to manage this issue. I will be meeting with a friend next week who shared this resource with me on the multi-site concept for churches. I would love to hear any thoughts.

I'm just not sure that Delaware is a big enough county (in population as well as geography) to warrant this strategy. I wonder if we ought to be thinking bigger (sites in Marion County, Morrow County, etc) or not even think about mult-site at all.

One thing I did notice is that most churches that go to multi-site venues have a large attendance to begin with and can give up 100+ people to a new location to get things going. Obviously we are not at that point yet.

No matter what, the vision for Terra Nova remains the same: build a community (communities?) of people who love God and love people. Our strategy remains the same - help people experience lasting life transformation by connecting with God (Sunday morning Gatherings), connecting with people (Life Groups) and serving the world (Ministry Teams). Where we do this or in any number of venues doesn't matter.

I would love to hear thoughts...

Jason

Thoughts on Galatians 1:1-2

"Paul, an apostle - sent not with a human commission nor by human authority, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead - and all the brothers and sisters with me: To the churches in Galatia."

As I reflected on this verse the other day with a group of guys, we asked the question: What is the source and authority of our calling as Christians?

It really starts out as a question of "What is my calling?" Then, as we determine that, we have to ask if we are truly fulfilling that calling with authority and confidence.

I struggle every day with confidence in my leadership. If leaders were honest, I think many of us deal with this. But as I read this letter from Paul, I realized that as I understand I don't need to question the source of my calling (God) my real struggle is with my perceived competence. And competence is developed and refined - in other words I can work on that.

My mind really goes in two directions here:
1) I need to continue to "do my best to present myself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." (2 Tim. 3:15) I need to "fan into flame the gift of God." (2 Tim 1:6).

AND

2) I can stand firmly and confidently on my calling as a follower of Christ and a steward of His Gospel. I don't need to be tentative in following Christ. I can have confidence - even when I question my competence.

My leadership - and anyone who has responsibilities within the community of faith - is both a gift to be confident in and a talent to be refined and honed. What are you doing to develop your gift and how would a good dose of confidence change the way you view your ministry?

Under the Mercy,
Jason

"Endow the King..."

My Scripture reading this morning came from Psalm 72 (I use The Book of Common Prayer - Daily Office Readings). In this Psalm I was impressed with the prayer David offers on behalf of his son, Solomon who is about to take over as king. It is a list of blessings David prays for the new king. He prays that the king is endowed with (God's) justice, the mountains bring prosperity to the people, his rule extends from sea to sea, tribes bow before him and other kings offer him gifts. He prays that the king rescues the oppressed and the needy. He prays that the king would be like falling rain on a mown field. He prays that the land would flourish during his rule and that nations will be blessed through him.

I have a few observations...

1. I was convicted over the fact that I don't pray for our leaders enough. I watched "Frost/Nixon" last night and it reminded me of the great pressure our President and our government officials face every day. Shame on me for not lifting them up in prayer more often!

2. I was reminded that God's people need to remember that their role is to be a blessing to the world around us. Too often we have an escapist mentality where we are only thinking about the future and heaven and "escaping these earthly chains," but the more I read Scripture, the more I realize that God isn't nearly as interested in harps and clouds as He is His people doing His will on earth as it is in Heaven. Maybe I need to focus a little more on bringing Heaven to earth now.

3. I was impressed by the measure of success used to determine how good the king was. The king was blessed if...

• the righteous flourish
• the community is strong
• others recognize his wisdom and justice
• the afflicted have an advocate
• the weak and needy are helped and rescued
• other leaders and communities are blessed by him

What would happen if we started using these measurements to determine if our churches are "successful"? Rather than attendance and budgets and buildings, what if we measured our success based on the health of our community and the way we are a blessing to others and the status of the needy and oppressed in the communities around us?

The end of this Psalm ties the glory and praise of God to the way His chosen leader leads. That is a sobering connection. The way I lead in God's Church is a form of worship.

I hope I never forget that.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

What the Church Can Learn from "Public Enemies"

I went to see the movie “Public Enemies” with the guys from my family last week. I won’t give a critical review of the film, but I did notice something that made me think. The movie was about John Dillenger – public enemy #1 in the 1930’s. It traced his heyday of bank robberies and narrow escapes from the law. He became a sort of hero (many would call him an “antihero” today) in those hard times.

Here’s what caught my eye. In a poignant scene, Johnny is talking to a Syndicate (mafia) boss. They are in a hidden room filled with telephones and guys taking bets on horse races. Johnny is ready for another big score and is a little frustrated that his mafia connections are letting him down. As he confronts the mafia guy, the mob boss finally says:

“Johnny, what did you score in that last heist? $74,203? Yeah! Well this operation in this room brings that in every day now! This is a river of money from all over the U.S. Helping you is too risky because what you are doing is making the Feds pass laws to make interstate crimes a Federal issue. When that happens, this river could dry up!”

That is a paraphrase – I wasn’t taking notes in the movie theater!

Here’s what ran across my mind. Johnny was stuck in an old way of doing things. He couldn’t move forward with the times. He couldn’t think outside of his one way of doing things – robbing banks. When you already have the answer to the question – no matter what the question is – you will eventually be wrong. Johnny’s answer was “rob a bank.” It didn’t matter what the question was. But the question was changing…

In our life as a church (we don’t rob banks or run a gambling syndicate…or anything illegal!) we have to constantly ask ourselves if we are doing the most effective thing to accomplish our goal. Our goals are not nice clothes, lots of money, and fast cars – like John Dillenger. Our goals are helping people find hope in Jesus and live lives of meaning and significance.

Are we doing the best things possible to accomplish our goals? Are we becoming more known for a method and not for the message? Are we more married to a method of doing “church” than to the message of Jesus?

These are questions we must constantly ask ourselves.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Evaluate Input to Optimize Outcome

This past week our text on Sunday was 1 John 2:27-3:10. As I reflected on the passage it became clear that John was saying, in essence, take a good look at the lives of the people (and things and companies) that are shaping your life. If they don't look like what you want to look like, don't follow them!

I wonder who and what are shaping my life. I know a lot of the people who give input into my life. I wonder if there are others that I am just not aware of. Authors, writers, directors, marketers, web page hosts. What corporations and organizations shape my life?

I have decided that I am much more than one of Pavlov's dogs. I will not simply drool everytime I hear McDonald's commercials or see a Golden Arch. I will not reach for my wallet everytime I see a shirt that might make me look more cool. I will not let hidden writers and directors shape my life.

I will evaluate every person (and thing) that has input into my life. I want to know that they are shaping me into what I want to become based on God's dream for my life.

In a phrase, I will "evaluate input to optimize outcome."

I don't put water in my car's fuel tank. I don't feed my kids junk all the time. I don't allow those I love to breath in foul air or eat spoiled food. I evaluate what goes in those things and people I treasure.

Do I treasure my soul enough to evaluate who has input on it? Do you?

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Morning Musings

Lately I have been following the Book of Common Prayer for my daily Scripture readings. This morning it directed me to Psalm 101. Verse 3 of this passage said,

I will not look with approval

on anything that is vile.

This verse really made me think. What do I look on with approval that I shouldn't? What vile things enter my line of sight on a regular basis? Do I look away? Do I permit these things in my view?

What do I look at on a regular basis? What media do I allow into my home? What shows and movies do I watch that might be considered "vile"?

I know this is all very subjective. What is vile to me may not be vile to you (and vice versa). I am in no way imposing my standards on you, but I would like to challenge you - what do you consider vile in your heart of hearts? Do you allow it in your sight? What images need to be purged from your sight? Are you willing to actually stop looking at them?

I am asking God to soften my heart so that I am sensitive to things that are vile to Him. I wonder what I will see that I didn't used to notice, but now I will consider vile?

Under the Mercy,
Jason