Humilitas

I can’t quite put my finger on when my “pride problem” started to take root in my life. Maybe it was when I became a successful college athlete. Maybe it was when I finished my second master’s degree. Maybe it was when I became the director of a church planting ministry. I remember now, I believe I was a preschooler when my sinful nature kicked into high gear (like a Ford Cobra GT shifting into fourth gear). How about you? When did you start saying and doing something with an intentional “look at me” (i.e. - pride problem) attitude?

I am now convinced that we can all overcome our pride problem with a healthy dose of Humility! I really enjoyed my time reading Humilitas by John Dickson (http://johndickson.org). His thesis is simple: “The most influential and inspiring people are often marked by humility. True greatness, in other words, frequently goes hand in hand with a virtue that, on the face of it, might be thought to curb achievement and mute influence. In fact, it does just the opposite.”  Matt. 23:12 points this out, "Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

Humility is about redirecting our powers, whether physical, intellectual, financial or structural, for the sake of others. Thus, humility is the noble choice to forgo our status, deploy our resources or use of influence for the good of others before ourselves. More simply, you could say that a humble person is marked by a willingness to hold power in service to others. Paul writing to the church plant in Philippi states “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take interest in others, too.”

Let me be clear. I am not saying that humility automatically makes someone great. Nor am I saying you can’t ascend “the heights” without humility. What I am saying is that humility enhances the ordinary and makes the great even greater. For most of us Jesus would be the greatest example of humility that there is! He was and is the greatest King we will ever know. Can we follow His example of being the quite, innocent Lamb being lead to the slaughter (http://www.new-testament-christian.com/humility.html)? I have to admit, it seems almost impossible . . . .

But praying daily for such a heart might be a start! Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche Communications, where Henri Nouwen (http://www.henrinouwen.org) spent the most significant years of his ministry among the severely disabled, gave a fitting benediction at Nouwen’s  ordination to the priesthood: “May all your expectations be frustrated. May all your plans be thwarted. May all your desires be withered into nothingness, that you may experience the powerlessness and poverty of a child and sing and dance in the love of God the Father, the Son and the Spirit.” 

It would be good if we could memorize this prayer and start to repeat it daily. Humilitas could eventually begin to creep into our skin, our blood stream, and eventually invade our hearts.  What a humbling experience that we all need to encounter!

WWF - God Style

    In Genesis Chapter 32 Jacob starts to get his gifts ready to give his brother Esau as they will eventually meet up in the future. These gifts are a way of Israel apologizing for the long ago incident where he stole his brother’s birth rite. The apology isn’t possible until Jacob becomes Israel. The name change is the result of an encounter with God that changes his life forever. Have you ever had an encounter with God that was so powerful you thought about legally changing your name? Like from Mike to ______?

     The encounter in itself lasted part of one physical day, but the effects change Jacob’s life forever. As dawn approached Jacob suffered a physical injury to his hip, but the wrestling match that lasted all night also caused his spirit to be broken as well. Suffering in itself does not cause healing. Only suffering that has a meaning and is accepted willingly has the power to heal, to transform an individual into a whole person. That is, someone who is undivided, who can come to terms with himself/herself, and even with his/her enemies, as Jacob did with Esau and Laban. Transformation or real change of character, can take place in a person only when, through suffering he/she engages in an active struggle with the “Shadow,” which is the dark side of himself/herself.

    Jesus promises that if we are His servants we will go through suffering as it is a natural part of serving Him. Suffering so painful and powerful it forces us to look at the core of who we are. We have often heard it said, “Spiritual growth takes place in the valleys of our lives.” Have you experienced such suffering that when you looked in the mirror you didn’t recognize yourself? There was almost a demonic glow on our face and it scared us to humbly bow before His throne and seek restoration and forgiveness. Not just for ourselves, but now in a restored state for others that we have offended in our lifetimes.

     Jacob can fully face his own past only has he seeks reconciliation with Esau, and this he can do only as he becomes a different man. The formerly self-assured and successful Jacob is now diminished in appearance; no longer with a proud purposeful stride but with a hesitant limp will he greet his brother. The reconciliation occurs because Israel, not Jacob, whom Esau meets, is a  new man who asks forgiveness, if not in words then in manner, who limps toward him with a repentant air, not deceitful arrogance. He is not a man to be put to the sword, he is a man who can be loved by a brother.

     Maybe we should all pray that God would bless us through suffering and we would start limping around in life. Or we should pray for some evidence of suffering that takes place in our lives and how it has forever changed us to look and act more like Jesus. We all desire, I am sure, to be loved as brothers and sisters in Christ. As we wrestle with God, may our names be changed!

Attractional/Missional?

You would have to have your head in the sand if you haven’t read about and considered the

“Attractional/Missional” conversation addressed by Christian leaders, books, blogs and magazines articles. (Attractional or Missional? 04-15-12 www.christianstandard.com) Where do you stand?

Since I am not attractive I probably lean toward Missional. Just kidding! To summarize Attractional we have typically said that it is “Come and see. Ministers are gifted to serve us. Come to our building and we will serve you with programs and staff. You will worship at the church building. Proclamation takes place through the church and you may join us for religious services.” Is your church Attractional?

Missional, is actually more attractional to me, although I could be persuaded to be “Christianal.” On the Missional side of the coin we see: “Go and be like Jesus. The church is gifted for service. Go love others, serve in the community. Worship by your life in the community. Good news/deeds are proclaimed. Go to the people and serve their need. Life is more than a Sunday morning church event.” Is your church Missional?

 

To live missionally is more than simply doing mission activities. There are many churches taking the lead to be “Externally Focused” (http://externallyfocusednetwork.com)

But good deeds without good news is not the Gospel. “It’s going to take both missional church plus missional disciples to make a missional movement,”  says Alan Hirsch. (http://www.theforgottenways.org) It’s impossible to be a missional church if we fail to be a missional people. 

So was Jesus Attractional or Missional? Can you find examples of Jesus being both in the Bible? 

Last month I visited “Substance” (http://www.substancechurch.com)   

in Minneapolis. I talked with Armin Assadi the Campus Pastor at the Fridley Campus where I attended the service. He told me what “Substance” (in the OT) represents, basically “Jesus Christ.”  Personally, I tend to believe that Christ’s church should be both Attractional/Missional.  More importantly whatever the model it must be a representation of Jesus. More like this:  Attractional/Missional = “Christianal”

“Decisionism” ~ What’s That?

Have you ever attended an evangelistic crusade type event (http://www.tillhecomes.org/crusade-evangelism-effective) where at the end of the message the speaker has people raise their hands or come down front if they want to engage in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? The “sinner’s prayer” has been a popular conversion plan with many religious groups. The only problem is . .  . can you find that approach in your Bible? Have you ever made that decision?

Have you ever been in a church when a person comes forward at the “altar call” and wants to be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of their sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit? Sure enough, they come up out of the water cleansed and ready to start a new life with Christ. Is that it? They are now a disciple of Christ or did they just get wet? Have you ever made that decision?   

"Decisionism" (you have decided to accept Jesus) rather than "Dicipleship" (you are a lifelong learner who becomes more like Him). I believe what we have done in many movements for too long is to get “decisions.” The Bible never addresses or commands us to do this but instead exhorts us to make disciples. “Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ. It remains an abstract idea, a myth which has a place for the Fatherhood of God, but omits Christ as the living Son. … There is trust in God, but no following of Christ.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer http://www.intothyword.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=37331

The negative evidence of “decisionism” is rampant. Why do you think there is not much difference between a “Christian” and “NonChristian” when it comes to one’s lifestyle and the choices that are made? http://ezinearticles.com/?Christian-VS-Non-Christian---Whats-the-Difference?&id=3905340  Why are so many people going right out the back doors of our churches after they make a “decision” for Jesus? One of the reasons might be that we aren’t making disciples. How are we doing as disciples? Are we lifelong learners, or like most, have we arrived at a point where not anyone (including the Holy Spirit) can teach us much about anything? 

“One more point: focusing youth events, retreats, and programs on persuading people to make a decision disarms the Gospel, distorts numbers, and diminishes the significance of discipleship.” - The King Jesus Gospel by Scott McKnight

The Bible never speaks about getting decisions. So let’s start making more disciples, who in turn disciple others. That’s called being a discipler. If this happens exponentially, Christ will be able to change the world again through His Bride, the church. Hey, Easter Sunday would be a gr eat day to adopt the Biblical command and lifestyle of Making Disciples!

Finishing Last?

You pull into a parking lot and there sits a Cadillac Escalade taking up two parking places. Entitlement. Have you ever noticed it’s not the inexpensive $2,000 cars that take up two places, but the owners of expensive vehicles? People who don’t return phone calls: some college presidents, some college professors, and mega church pastors. I take that back - most all pastors, authors, and publishers. Entitlement. Have you ever noticed that it is most often the prestigious people that don’t respond and not the average person? Then there are even people in our churches who give money to the church and expect the right to vote. Entitlement - whoever controls the purse has the power.  

 

In Walter Isaacson’s Biography of Steve Jobs http://www.amazon.com/Walter-Isaacson/e/B000APFLB8 he says, "At the root of the reality distortion was Jobs's belief that the rules didn't apply to him." Rebelliousness and willfulness were ingrained in his character. He had the sense that he was special, a chosen one, an enlightened one." I can relate to that. I was slighted once when a church where I spoke at put me up in a lower class motel. How dare they! Entitlement. 

 

William Bennett asks the question, “Does today’s worship of self oppose virtue?” I saw the glorification of the self-ethic on an Oprah show. There was a guy on the show who was a molester of children. The audience was pummeling him. He then recited the mantra of the time: “I am who I am. This is authentically me.” Very few people knew how to criticize that because the notion has been almost canonized. One of the worst speeches in literature is, “To thine own self be true.” Charles Manson once said, “I was true to my feelings.” 

One of the most powerful, prestigious, and wealthiest person on this earth was Jesus Christ. His view of entitlement was to wash the feet of his disciples (become a slave). He said He came to be a servant of all. He said the first shall be last and the last shall be first. “We are entitled to finish last.” Seems like we all need to get in shape to do that. It might take some different training regiments for all of us. See you in the training room!

Pain Helps Us Jump Into God’s Lap

This is the first time I have written my blog since March of 2011. As most of you know, I underwent three surgeries 

in 2011. I also discovered that I have major cervical and lumbar spinal issues, which will someday need major surgery. I just got the OK today from my hand doctor to get back to normal activities, so I have decided to write once again.

I wake up, most days now, with pain. However, God created the human body to  withstand and adapt to tremendous amounts of pain. It is a resilient piece of work, fearfully and wonderfully made. http://christiananswers.net/q-aiia/god-pain.html

I am studying the Torah, this year, and I happened to read, the other day, that Abraham circumcised himself when he was 99 years old. Do not dwell too long on that image. And he did it with what we would surely view as crude tools. Ouch! (Sarah says, "Abraham, what are you doing in there?") Yet this painful procedure brought the Jewish people into covenant with God.
http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/4714-covenant

Today the action of circumcision takes place on our hearts. Is this as painful for you as the act of circumcision would have been in the physical form?  Has the pain created from the surgery God is performing on your heart causing you to draw closer to the Father or become more distant?

Julian of Norwich, an English mystic (1343-1413), actually prayed that God would wound her soul. At 30, she was on her death-bed when God revealed Himself to her. The pain she suffered brought her closer to God for the rest of her life, which would have never happened without this near-death experience.
http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/julian.htm

My personal pain has forced me to sit more often in Abba Father’s lap. It is amazing what comfort and encouragement that can bring. Let’s not work on getting rid of the pain in our lives, but use it to motivate us to climb into our Father’s lap where we can be taught and comforted. We can learn a lot from that vantage point!

Relaunching

My blog will relaunch in February! I recently got clearance from my hand doctor to resume normal activities (like typing). I am looking forward to continuing on this journey with you!

MTS