Why Should I Go to Church?

            Every so often, I hear someone say something to the effect of this: “Why should I go to church?  You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.”

            Now, in one sense they’re right.  We aren’t saved because we go to church.  It isn’t a work by which we gain the mercy of God.  We’re saved only by the grace of God. And this grace is received only through faith in Jesus.  However, that being said, someone who truly believes in Jesus will want to go to church.  We see several reasons for this in Scripture.

            We see a couple of reasons in Hebrews 10:24-25, which says: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

            We see, first of all, that we’re called to gather together.  We’re told that we’re not to neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some.  And we’re told that we’re to do so all the more as we see the day, the day of Christ’s return, approaching.  If God desires that we should meet together, why would we refuse him?  As people of faith, we naturally desire to live life according to his will. 

            Yet there’s more to it than this.  We find that there are blessings God intends for us to receive through the church.  We see in this passage, for example, that we’re to go to church that we might encourage one another. 

The Christian life is not designed to be lived alone.  It’s designed to be lived in community.  And by gathering together, we’re able to stir up one another to love and good works, and to encourage one another in the faith.

            We see another reason for going to church in 1 Corinthians 12.  In verses 4-7, we read: “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” And in verse 12, we’re told: “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.”

            We see in these verses that the Spirit of God gives gifts to his people.  And he gives them not for our own good, but for the common good. In other words, the gifts that he gives to us are given for the benefit of the church as a whole.  For this reason, when we gather with our fellow believers, we’re able to bless them with the gifts God has given us.  And, in the same way, we’re able to be blessed by the gifts he’s given to others.

            In this chapter, Paul uses the human body to illustrate his point.  The body is made up of many parts with many functions.  Yet each of these parts, along with their functions, serve the good of the body.  And the same is true of the church.  We each have a function, we each have a role to play, for the good of the church.

            We see another vital reason to attend church in Romans 10:17, where Paul says: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” We are drawn to faith through the hearing of the Word.  And, although we can read the Word at home, although we can listen to preachers on the internet, TV, and radio, we are exposed to the Word of God primarily in the church.  We primarily hear the Word of God in church.

            This is far from an exhaustive list of the reasons we should go to church.  But it’s a good starting point.  If you haven’t been attending church, or if you’ve been very irregular in your attendance, prayerfully consider the Scripture passages mentioned here.  And I hope and pray that you will joyfully attend church each week.

Before It's Too Late

“Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

(2 Corinthians 6:1-2 ESV)

            It’s so easy to take for granted the many blessings we enjoy every day.  It’s easy for us to take our freedom for granted.  It’s easy for us to take our family for granted.  It’s easy for us to take our job, our home, and our wealth for granted.

            We do this because these blessings have always been there for us.  We’ve never been without them.  And, because of this, we seem to think that they always will.

            We often do the same thing when it comes to God.  More specifically, we do the same thing when it comes to his salvation.  We understand the love he has for us.  We know the sacrifice he’s made for us.  We know his desire for our salvation.  And, for this reason, we take it for granted.  We just assume that his salvation will always be available to us.

            Many people approach life thinking that they can turn to God later on.  They want to enjoy themselves now.  They want to satisfy their sinful desires.  And they think that they have plenty of time to confess to God and receive his mercy.

            Many people simply believe that, because God is loving, and because he desires their salvation, it doesn’t matter what they do.  No matter the life that they live, they believe that God will forgive them.  No matter how great their rebellion, they believe that God will save them.

            However, as we see in the above text, salvation is not something we can take for granted.  In this passage, Paul urged that the Corinthians would not receive God’s grace in vain.  He didn’t want them to receive it in an empty or meaningless way.  He didn’t want them to take it lightly. 

            He also makes it clear that God’s salvation will not be available forever.  He tells us that now is the favorable time.  He tells us that now is the day of salvation.

            We all realize that, as far as our life in this world is concerned, tomorrow isn’t promised to us. A sudden accident could take our life.  We could suffer a heart attack or go into cardiac arrest.  We could be unexpectedly diagnosed with a serious illness that brings our life in this world to an end.

            We also know from Scripture that Jesus will soon return.  We don’t know when that day will come.  But it could come at any moment.  And, for this reason, we must be prepared.

            We must make sure that we are not treating God’s grace lightly.  We must make sure that we receive his mercy while we still can.  We must make sure that we receive God’s mercy through faith in Christ before the day of grace comes to an end.

            This passage also speaks to us in another way.  As we share in God’s call to make disciples of all nations, like Paul, we are ambassadors for Christ.  And this passage reminds us of the urgency of that mission.

            We often allow the demands of our day to day life to interfere with this call.  We allow our job, our chores at home, or even our recreational activities to get in the way of our ministry.  We allow these things to overshadow every opportunity we have to reach out to others.

We must not allow this to happen.  We must remember that, because the day of grace will one day come to an end, we must reach out to others before it’s too late.  We must reach out to them with the life changing message of the gospel, providing them with the opportunity to look to Jesus in faith, while it’s still the day of salvation.

Hell No?

“But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”

(Luke 12:5 ESV)

            Lately, I’ve run across several blog posts from “progressive” Christians.  And, in these posts, they’ve challenged the traditional Christian doctrine of hell.  They don’t believe in hell.  They don’t believe that God would send anyone to hell.

            The only way they can make this challenge is by dismissing certain passages of the Bible.  After all, hell is a theme that runs all throughout Scripture.  They have to, essentially, cherry pick the Bible that they might hold to this view.

            They use their reason and emotion to justify their belief.  They tell us that a righteous God, that a loving God, could not condemn people to an eternity of suffering in hell.  And they defend this by pointing to passages of the Bible, like 1 John 4:8, which tells us that God is love.

            We must remember, first of all, that we can’t use our reason or emotion to make a determination of truth.  Both our mind and our heart have been corrupted by sin.  As we read in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick…”

            In the same way, we read in Romans 1 that God has given man over to a debased mind.  We see, in Colossians 1, that we were alienated and hostile in mind before coming to faith in Christ.  And we see in 1 Corinthians 1 that the wisdom of God is foolishness to those who are perishing.

            The simple fact of the matter is that we cannot trust our human mind or emotions to guide us into a true understanding of God.  They will lead us only away from him.  They will lead us only to sin and judgment.

            For this reason, we must look to the Word of God to discover what is true.  We must not make ourselves to be the judge of God and his Word.  We must, instead, submit ourselves to God and his Word.

            We see, from the very beginning of the Bible, that suffering and death are the consequence of sin.  And the only way we’re able to escape this fate is through Jesus.  Through faith in him, through faith in his promise, we’re able to receive the blessings of forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.

            If we fail to look to Jesus in faith, we remain under the consequence of our sin.  And this is essentially what hell is.  It’s the place where we suffer the consequence of our sin in eternity.

            Does the reality of hell reflect a lack of righteousness on God’s part?  Does it reflect a lack of love on his part?  Absolutely not.

            After all, because of our sin, we deserve God’s wrath.  We in no way deserve God’s forgiveness or salvation.  Those who do stand condemned are receiving only what they are due.

And not only is this true.  We find also that God has done everything necessary to provide salvation to all mankind.   He sent Jesus, who gave his life on the cross, providing atonement for the sin of all people (1 John 2:2). They need only to receive it by faith.

            Telling people that there is no hell, telling them that God would never send anyone to hell, is the same tactic used by the snake in the Garden.  “You will not surely die…” he said to Eve.  He sought to convince her that, by disobedience, she would not bring upon herself the consequence threatened by God.  In the same way, these modern day serpents are telling us: “You won’t go to hell.” They are denying the reality of eternal punishment to those who do not look to Jesus in faith.

Thank you, Prince of Peace!

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

(John 13:34 ESV)

As a pastor, I’m expected to be there for people during difficult seasons of their life.  This is part of my calling.  And I love the fact that I can be a support and an encouragement for them.  However, I want to publicly thank my congregation, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Beulah, North Dakota, for the support they’ve recently shown to me.

            So often, pastors are not given the level of support I’ve received.  Unrealistic expectations are frequently placed upon them as they labor among their flock.  It seems that congregation members don’t realize that, although we’re called to serve God and his people full-time, we too are human.  We too experience hardships.  We too get tired.  We too are burdened.  And this often ends in pastors becoming burned out.

            As my mom was suffering from terminal cancer, and as she passed away, the people of Prince of Peace were incredibly gracious.  I was told at the outset of her illness that I should take as much time as I needed to be with her, and that this would in no way be counted as vacation.  And these were no idle words.

            Having a big family, summer is really our only opportunity to travel.  And, on top of personal vacation, I also had two ministry related trips scheduled.  This made it seem that my time at the church was extremely limited. 

            Yet, in addition to a week with my parents in late May, I was able to schedule two trips to see my mom as her condition worsened.  And the church had no hesitation when, on the Friday before her death, I made a last minute decision to jump on a plane to be with her and the rest of my family.

            Her funeral required that I be gone yet another Sunday.  And, once again, the people of Prince of Peace were so supportive.  Our youth pastor jumped in to cover for me, as he always does.  And I was told repeatedly that I was not to worry about anything at the church.

            I so greatly appreciate the time that was given me to both be with mom and also to mourn.  It’s been an extremely stressful time, and the flexibility given to me made it so much easier.  I did have some feelings of guilt, being away so much.  But these were the result of my own sense of responsibility, and were in no way placed upon me by the church.

            I also appreciate the cards that were sent, the prayers that were raised on behalf of my mom and my family, and the condolences that were expressed.  I appreciate the congregational leadership who stopped by to simply check up on me and to reassure me that all would be taken care of.   And I appreciate the beautiful flowers that were sent to her funeral.  

            I am truly blessed to labor among you.  I am blessed by a congregational leadership that recognizes my needs.  And I’m blessed by a supportive staff, who gladly adjust and take on additional responsibility at a moment’s notice.

            Now that I am home and once again engaged in ministry, I continue to grieve.  I’m still a bit drained emotionally and physically.  But I am eager to be a blessing to the people who have been such a blessing to me.

           

Better By Far

Mom was a great lady, and she’ll be missed by all of us.  She was a great mother to Kristy and I.  As kids, she was so patient with us.  And, when she did lose it, it was short lived.  In fact, even when she gave us some much needed discipline, she would end up feeling bad about it.

She was also a tremendous grandmother.  All of the kids love her.  And she always enjoyed being around her grandbabies.

Most importantly, she was a woman of faith.  She wasn’t a theologian.  But she enjoyed going to church and attending Bible studies.  She also enjoyed reading her Bible at home.

As most of you know, mom’s diagnosis was very unexpected.  She wasn’t very old. And, outwardly, she seemed pretty healthy.

Like most of us, she worked to keep her weight down.  She made a habit of walking most days.  She liked to get in her 10,000 steps every day. In fact, she was wearing her fitbit all the way until the end.

It all started when she woke up with back pain.  And after visiting the chiropractor, who advised her to seek medical help, her real problem was soon discovered.

Mom was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. She was told from the outset that there would be no cure, from a medical standpoint anyway. Her treatments would serve only to minimize her pain and to provide her with a better quality of life.

She could be cured by God, of course. He has the power to do anything. And, if he so desired, he could have simply spoken the word, as he often did in the gospels.

And that's the rub, you see. It's the place where we often get hung up when it comes to our faith. If God has the power to heal, why didn't he do it? If he's as loving as Scripture proclaims him to be, why would he do nothing?

This is explained to us in Philippians 1, which is our epistle lesson for this morning.  When he wrote this passage, Paul was facing the prospect of death. Not in the same sense as mom. But he was facing the possibility of death in a very real way.

He had been arrested because of his faith and his ministry activities. He was now awaiting his trial, the verdict of which could be life. But it also could be death.

And look at the words Paul penned when faced with this prospect. Starting in verse 18, he says: “Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.”

He says, first of all, that to live is Christ and to die is gain. If God spared him from the power of his earthly rulers, he would be able to live for the Lord. He would be able to continue in his ministry of directing the lost to the salvation found in Christ. To die, however, was to gain a blessing not possible this side of eternity.

Paul goes on to say that, if the choice were his, it would be a difficult one. He desired to continue in his service and ministry. But to be with Christ, he says, is better by far.

This is what we must bear in mind in a loss like this. Yes, had God healed mom, that would've been a great blessing. She would have loved to live among us for a while longer.  I know that she desired to watch all of her grandkids graduate, grow up, get married, and have families of their own. And, had she remained, it would've enabled her to be a blessing to all of us, as she’d always been. But, the simple fact of the matter is that to be with Christ is better by far.

No, I didn't want to lose mom. If I had been able to impose my will, she’d still be with us. But would I want to deny her the great blessing she's now received?

When it comes to our loved ones falling ill and passing away, we often make the mistake of thinking that this life is the greater blessing. We think that the greatest thing God could do for our loved ones is to restore them to us. But that's not why Christ was born into this world.

He came, he suffered and died, and he rose from the grave that we might be delivered from this world of sin and death. He endured the cross that we might dwell forever with him in his presence, in a place free of the sufferings of this life.

So, in calling her home, the Lord didn't fail her. And, in calling her home, he did not fail us. He answered our prayers by giving her the greater blessing. He answered our prayers by giving her the blessing that's better by far.

Isn’t this what we also look forward to?  Most of us enjoy our life in this world in many ways, and none of us are eager to die.  Yet, our life is filled with problems and hardships.  And our hope is that, one day, this will be a thing of the past.  Our hope is that, one day, we too will live in the presence of Christ.  And, through faith in Jesus, this is exactly what God has promised us.

The Church as Family

"My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."

(Luke 8:21 ESV)

            All of us, I think, would say that our family is of the utmost importance to us.  We would say that we value our family over everything else this world has to offer.  And most of us have a fierce loyalty when it comes to our family.  Who hasn’t heard the expression: “Blood is thicker than water.”

            This is why we’re shocked when we read the words of Jesus, seen above.  We see in Luke 8 that, as Jesus was teaching, his mother and brothers came to him.  However, they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. Word was then brought to him that they were outside, desiring to see him.

            It’s in this context that Jesus utters these words.  And, for this reason, they almost come off as disrespectful.  It sounds to us like he’s devaluing his earthly family.  We wonder why he wouldn’t prioritize his family over the crowd who was listening to him.  We wonder why he didn’t stop and immediately go to his family.

            Jesus, however, would never disrespect or devalue his family.  He is God, after all.  And he perfectly kept all of God’s commands, one of which is to honor your mother.

            Yet, he does make an important point.  He makes the point that the people of faith are his family.  He makes the point that it’s faith which binds us together.

            This is something that we, as Christians, tend to overlook.  We continue to place a heavy emphasis on our earthly relatives, as we should.  But, at the same time, we disregard our place in the church.  We fail to understand our relation to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

            We view our fellow believers as friends and acquaintances.  And we’re happy to visit with them on Sunday morning.  We may even enjoy seeing them.  But rarely do we view them as family. 

            We don’t prioritize our fellow believers as family.  We don’t truly love them like family.  They are, honestly, more of an afterthought as we tend to more pressing responsibilities.

            Although we desire that each of our earthly family will be saved, there are no guarantees of this.  We can share the gospel with them and pray for them.  But it’s only by faith that they’ll be saved.

            However, because of their faith in Jesus, our fellow believers will be with us in eternity.  Our relationship to them will endure forever.  So it only makes sense that this is something we should greatly cherish and value.

            In this spirit, my prayer is that each of us would consider our fellow believers at Prince of Peace to be family.  My prayer is that we would all love each other as family.  My prayer is that we will gladly build these relationships and seek to minister to one another out of this love.

           

Faith = Opinion?

“For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Galatians 1:11-12

   In today’s culture, faith is often equated with opinion. People often tell us, when we express our faith, that it's merely what we believe. They assert that your faith may be true for you, but that this doesn't make it true for everyone else.

    For this reason, missions is discouraged. In fact, it's often viewed as racist, intolerant, and bigoted. It's believed to imply that our opinion and practices are superior to those of everyone else.

    As those who are called to proclaim the Good News of Christ, we must understand that this isn't the case. Our faith is not merely an opinion.  It isn't merely man’s gospel, nor did it come from man. It's the revelation of God that's come through Jesus.

    This is the very point Paul was communicating to the Galatians. Although other teachers had come among them, and although a different “gospel” was being promoted, there was something fundamentally different between the two. Paul’s gospel had come from God himself.

    We remember, of course, how Paul was brought to faith. Jesus himself appeared to Paul as he was traveling on the road to Damascus. He went on to explain that, after being called by Christ to proclaim the gospel, he didn't consult anyone. He went into the desert of Arabia, and returned to Damascus. It was only after three years that he went to Jerusalem to meet Peter.

    His point is that his message came from none other than God himself. And, in the same way, he was not commissioned by man, but by God. It's this mindset that we also must maintain as we go to the nations.

    If our message were simply the teaching of man, we'd have reason for reservation. If our commissioning had come only from man, we'd have reason to question its authenticity. But, like Paul, we have a message that has come from the mouth of God and that was revealed in Jesus. And, in the same way, we have been commissioned by Christ himself, who has called us to proclaim the gospel to all nations.

    We must, therefore, faithfully go. We must faithfully proclaim this message. We must do so knowing that it's by this faith, and by this faith alone, that man can escape the power of sin and death.

My Pastor

“We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work”

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

         Among those who are in ministry, we typically refer to each other by our first names.  We do so because we all share the same title.  And we do so because we are all colleagues.
However, there is one man that I’ve always called “pastor.” I could never bring myself to address him by his first name.  The man I’m referring to is the pastor under whom I grew up, Pastor William Richard Graves.
          I had a unique experience while I was visiting my parents this past week.  I was able to attend the funeral of this man who was so influential in my life.  I was also asked to read Scripture during the service, which I counted a great honor.
     As a pastor, I’ve conducted many, many funerals over the years.  And I’ve attended and taken part in many more, outside of ministry responsibilities.  However, this one was different.
          It was different because this was the man who baptized me, when I was nine years old.  This was the man who confirmed me.  This was the man to whom I went when I was being called by God into ministry.  This is the man who encouraged me in this calling, giving me opportunity after opportunity to learn and grow.  This is also one of the men who laid hands on me during my ordination, right after I graduated from seminary.

           God definitely used this man in my life, to both influence me and to prepare me for the calling I received.  And since I’ve been in ministry, he was always a source of encouragement.  Every time I saw him he would remind me that he was praying for me.

In a conversation, during the visitation, someone who knew me long ago said, “I don’t know where you are, as a pastor...” I could only reply to him, saying: “If you knew Pastor Graves, then you know where I’m at.”  

I can only hope and pray that God will use me in this way.  I can only hope and pray that God will use me to lead people to faith, to strengthen them in faith, and to prepare them for service.  I can only hope and pray that others might be able to say the same of me, when my time in this world comes to an end.

So thank you, Lord, for Pastor Graves.  Thank you for the great blessing he was in my life, and in the lives of so many others.  Thank you for his willingness to be used by you.  And thank you, also, for your continued work in my own life.

Back from Alaska!

“We love because he first loved us.”

(1John 4:19 ESV)

Our group of 12 is safely home from Alaska.  And I think a good experience was had by all.  I believe that we were a blessing to the mission in Alaska, to the missionaries, as well as to the people served by the mission.

            The women in our team served primarily at “The Net.” This is a place where residents, cannery workers, and fishermen can stop in for a free cup of coffee, a cookie, and to use the internet.  Our volunteers are also able to interact with the visitors and to share with them the hope we have in Christ.

            The men engaged in several work projects.  Much of our work took place at the South Naknek church where two entryways were insulated and finished.  Damaged drywall and a ceiling that was falling in were repaired.  And the entire interior of the church was painted.  The parsonage deck in South Naknek was also repaired, scraped, power-washed, and mostly painted (we were rained out and unable to complete the last bit of this work).  We also replaced two doors at the radio station and installed a vent which will help to cool the transmitter room. 

In addition, I was able to give a break to the pastor by preaching at two services. And several of our men and women also gave the Net a good cleaning, shampooing the carpets and the couch.

            However, I believe that the greater blessing on a trip such as this is received by the team itself.  It often serves to encourage us and wake us up when it comes to outreach and serving.  And this is then brought back to the sending church.

            What I mean is this: When we go on a mission trip, we pay to work.  Normally, when we work, we expect to get paid for our efforts.  But, on a mission trip, we pay our way or raise support that we might freely give of ourselves.

            Because of this, we make the most of our time.  We want to complete as many projects as possible for those we’re serving.  We want to touch as many lives as possible with the message of the gospel.  After all, that’s what we came to do.

            We’re reminded, then, that this is also what we’re to be doing at home.  We’re called to serve the body of Christ.  We’re called to love those who are perishing.  We’re called to reach out with the message of the gospel.  And we’re to do this freely, expecting nothing in return.  We’re to love because Christ first loved us.

            I firmly believe that each member of our team has returned with this blessing.  And I pray that it will be an encouragement to us to serve in the same way at home.  I pray that our service will be given not out of obligation or a desire for return, but because of our faith in Christ and our love for those around us.

Off to Alaska

"Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

(Mark 16:15-16 ESV)

When I arrived in Beulah to serve as their pastor, the deacons immediately raised a question.  They heard that I’d taken a group from my previous congregation up to the AFLC mission work in Naknek, Alaska.  And so, with drool practically dripping from their mouths, they asked: “Can we go too?”

That question sparked the trip on which we’ll be embarking early Monday morning.  A group of twelve from Prince of Peace will be heading to the mission.  And I pray that, not only will we be able to serve the missionaries and the community of Naknek, but that it will also be a life transforming experience for all who go.

Even though I feel called to serve as a pastor here in the United States, missions is a great interest of mine.  It’s heavy on my heart.  I’ve always enjoyed praying for our missionaries and hearing from them when they’ve returned on furlough.  But I’d never been able to take part in a trip until I first went to Alaska.

A year later, I was elected to the World Mission Committee of the AFLC.  I was immediately invited to go to our mission fields in Uganda and India.  And what a blessing it was to not only hear about these ministries and to pray for them, but to see them first hand.  What a blessing it was to be given the opportunity to serve.

It’s for this reason that, as our current Alaska trip was being planned, I decided to bring along my oldest son.  I want him to see what the Lord is doing outside of our own community and culture.  I want him to experience the blessing of coming alongside our missionaries to serve them.  I want him to experience the blessing of being a blessing to the community served by the mission.

With that, I want to thank all of those who’ve contributed to this trip.  You are a greater blessing than you even realize.  I ask also that you’ll pray for us as we go.  Pray for our safety and that the Lord will use us.  Pray that the Lord will work in us as we ask him to work through us.

Consider also what you might do to proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.  If you can go on a mission trip, I encourage you to go.  But, by all means, share the gospel right where you are.  Support the work of your local congregation and also the missionaries who serve around the world with your gifts and prayers.  Use the gifts that God has given to you to point people to Christ and to simply be a blessing.  But, by all means, go.

Making Disciples

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

(Matthew28:19-20 ESV)

            This is a passage with which most of us are very familiar.  In fact, I would dare to say that a good number of us have it memorized.  However, even though we know it so well, are we actually living it out? Are we actively making disciples?

            If I were to make an educated guess, I would venture to say that most of us are not obeying Jesus’ call.  Most of us view this passage as a call to missions (which it is).  And, for this reason, we think the only way it can be lived out is by moving to a foreign country and making it our full-time endeavor to tell people about Jesus.

            So, when we think of this passage, we think of our missionaries in Brazil.  We think of our missionaries in Uganda.  We think of our missionaries in India, Ecuador, and Mexico.  We don’t see how we fit into the picture.

            This call, however, is something that’s been given to each one of us.  And, while some are called to move overseas, it’s something that can also be fulfilled right where we currently find ourselves.  We can make disciples in our own community, while working our regular job.

            Fulfilling this command of Christ simply requires us to invest in the lives of unbelievers.  It means that we share with them the good news of Jesus.  It means that we share with them his Word. 

            All it takes is for us to befriend an unbeliever.  All it takes is for us to show interest in them and to spend a small amount of time with them.  We can get together with them for a cup of coffee once a week.  We can visit with them while our kids play at the pool.  And, as we do so, we can share with them the hope that we have in Jesus.

            If they place their faith in the Lord, we can continue to invest in them.  We can take the time to teach them, perhaps by going through a Bible study together.  We can help them to find answers to their questions.  We can pray with them and for them.  We can invite them to church and introduce them to the body of Christ.

            I realize that we’re all busy.  I realize that we have enough to do between our job and our family.  We don’t need one more responsibility thrust upon us.  However, when I say that we’re to invest in the lives of unbelievers, I’m not saying that we have to minister to a great multitude.  We can make a huge difference by working with only one at a time.

            As I think back on my life of faith, I can point to several people who took an interest in me.  I can point to those who invested in me and discipled me.  Through regular interaction with them, I grew in my faith.  Perhaps the same is true of you as well.  And you can be that person for someone else. 

            I realize that most of us feel unqualified for such a task.  But just as the Spirit of God worked through the disciples, he can work through us as well.  He can work through us to build up others in faith.  And they, in turn, can do the same for still others.

            I challenge each of you to pray that God might bring into your life someone with whom you can share the good news.  I challenge you to then invest in that person.  In this way, one person at a time, we can carry out the call of Christ.  In this way, we can fulfill the Great Commission.

An Imperfect Record?

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

(John 14:26 ESV)

            One of the primary objections people raise, when it comes to Scripture, is that it was written by men.  Men are imperfect, they tell us.  Men make mistakes.  And, for this reason, we cannot trust every word of Scripture.  We cannot rely on it completely.

            They then begin to dissect the Bible.  They look at it, using their own wisdom and understanding, to determine whether its statements are true or false.  And when they find something that challenges them, when they encounter something they don’t want to believe, they declare that God would never say such a thing.

            They are right when they say that men are imperfect.  They are absolutely correct when they say that men make mistakes.  However, they fail to understand the blessing given to the apostles, enabling them to accurately and precisely record the words of Jesus, the things that took place, and to correctly teach the church.

            Before Jesus died on the cross, he made a great promise to his followers.  He promised them the gift of the Holy Spirit.  And, in the above verse, we see how the Spirit of God would help them to correctly communicate the Word of God to the people of their day, as well as to our own.

            According to Jesus, the Spirit of God would enable them to remember all that he’d said to them.  For this reason, they weren’t dependent upon their faulty memory when teaching the people of their day or when writing the gospel accounts.  They remembered everything just as Jesus had said it.

            Jesus also said that the Spirit would teach them all things.  So, as they taught the church, and as they penned the epistles, they communicated right doctrine.  They did not have to deal with flawed reasoning or a false understanding.  Everything they wrote to the people of their day, everything that we have in our Bible today, is right and true.

            If in writing the gospels and the epistles, the apostles were dependent solely upon their human memory and understanding, there would absolutely be flaws.  There would be places where a memory lapse clouded the account.  There would be places where a flawed understanding caused them to impart wrong doctrine.  However, as we’ve seen, they were blessed with a supernatural ability to remember and to understand.

            For this reason, as we read the words of Scripture, let us not critically pick them apart.  Let us not judge them by our own wisdom and understanding.  Let us, instead, rely on them to judge us.  Let us rely on them to correct our natural way of thinking and believing.

What Is the Church?

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” 

(Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV)

            When we think of the word “church”, a certain image comes to mind.  For most of us, the image is that of a building.  Perhaps it’s the image of a sanctuary.

            However, the word “church” literally means “assembly.” The church is, essentially, the people of God.  It’s the gathering together of his faithful.

            In our day and age, church has little to do with the gathering together of the body of believers.  For most of us, it’s simply the one hour each week that come for worship.  We come to sing the songs, to pray the prayers, and to hear the message.  But we don’t truly desire to interact with one another.   As soon as the service is over, we’re out the door.

            Most of us, today, think of the Christian faith as “Jesus and me.” We don’t think that our faith has anything to do with the church, the people of God.  And this contributes to the low priority we place on gathering together.

            In one sense, this thinking is correct.  Scripture tells us that we’re saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus.  We aren’t saved by the faith of anyone else.  However, that being said, we have been called to make disciples.  We’ve been called to edify the body of Christ.  We’ve even been called to receive ministry from the church.  And these are not things we can do by isolating ourselves.

The Christian faith was never meant to be lived alone.  As we see in the above passage, we’re not to neglect meeting together.  We’re, instead, to consider how we might stir up one another to love and good works.  We’re to encourage one another.  And we’re to do so more and more as we see the Day, as we see the return of Christ, drawing near.

            We’re to seek ways that we might build up one another in faith.  We’re to encourage one another in the expression of our faith.  And this isn’t merely a one-time thing.  It’s ongoing.  It’s something we’re to do continually.  It’s something we’re to do more and more.

            When understood properly, gathering together with the church should be a priority for us.  It shouldn’t be done only when we have the time.  It should be something so important that we wouldn’t miss it.

Honoring Moms Without Dishonoring God

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”

(Psalms 139:7 ESV)

            Mother’s Day, as all of us know, reminds us to honor our mothers.  This, of course, is something we should do every day and not simply once a year.  But the holiday is a good reminder to us, because we’re often short-sighted.

            We also know the command of God, that we’re to honor our father and our mother.  So not only is this a good practice.  It is a command of God.  It falls in line with the will of God.  And, for this reason, by honoring our mothers, we are honoring God.

            However, in the course of doing this, we must not dishonor God.  There’s an example of this on a church sign in our town.  It reads: “Because God could not be everywhere, he created mothers.”

            I pass by this sign fairly often, and I’ve been gritting my teeth each time I do so.  I like to give people the benefit of the doubt.  So my hope is that this sign is simply a failed attempt to honor mothers.  My hope is that the person who posted it didn’t consider what it was saying about God, but merely what it was saying about mothers.

            I think all of us know and believe that our mothers are a gift from God.  After all, God used them to bring us into this world.  It was within the womb of our mother that we were knit together.  And mothers play a crucial role in bringing up their children.  They play a crucial role in raising their children in faith.

            Yet, in our effort to honor them, we must not diminish the honor that we give to the Lord.  We must always consider carefully what we are saying about God.  This, after all, is a very public statement.  And it’s telling people that God is limited.  It’s telling them that he’s not everywhere present.

            This is a denial of the very essence of God.  It denies the teaching of Scripture when it comes to the person of God.  And, for this reason, it has potential to give people the wrong idea about him.  It has the potential to lead people to a false understanding of God.

            As we see in the above passage, God certainly can be present everywhere.  And he is everywhere present. There is nowhere that we can flee from the presence of God.

            God didn’t raise up mothers because there was a task he was unable to perform.  He raised up mothers because he desired to use them in his work.  He is working through godly mothers to raise up godly offspring.

            We must be careful to present to mankind a right understanding of God.  When we do, this will in no way take away from the honor we give to our mothers, to our fathers, and to others in authority over us.  In fact, a right understanding of God will enable us to properly honor them. 

We’ll honor them for the role that they play in our lives.  We’ll honor them for the way God uses them in our lives.  And, in so doing, we’ll also honor the God who provided them to us.