Overcoming fear. Day #36 in my journey to a Revolution

We have finished 5 weeks in our journey to a Revolution.  Today we start commitment 6 “inviting someone to church with you.”

I’ll be honest. I was scared about this week. As a stay at home mom, I don’t run into a lot of opportunities to invite others to church. My prayer as I go through this week is that God will put someone in my path every day that I can invite and that I will act on the opportunity. How many of us have opportunities to invite someone and don’t take them? I know I am guilty of this. I get fearful of the response.  I know it doesn’t have to be hard but I make it hard.

John 1:35-50 gives us the words to say “Come and see.” It doesn’t have to be eloquent or profound. It’s as simple as come check out this Jesus guy.

 

 

Kids and serving. Day #35 in my journey to a Revolution

I know I have said this before but it was so true in my life growing up. Model what you want your kids to exemplify. We just talked about this in church in regards to marriage. So many kids today think marriage is a joke because their parent’s marriages are filled with anger, arguing and hurt. Kids disregard it as an option because of the picture that has been modeled before them. It is the exact same way in serving.

My parents would serve and still serve in any capacity wherever there was a need. They have served in children’s ministry, middle school ministry, highschool ministry, college ministry, women’s ministry, men’s ministry, care ministry, outreach ministry, prayer ministry, as small group leaders, teaching baptism classes, teaching Bible studies, etc. The list could go on and on but I knew and still know my parents put a high value on serving in the local church as well as in other ministries. They have the attitude of Christ Jesus. They are willing to serve wherever there is a need.

Let’s look at Philippians again chapter 2 verses 14 -16. It says “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life – in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.” I love this verse because it has such powerful imagery of shining like a star. What are the characteristics of a bright star? It gives light, it gives joy to those who get to experience the light, it fulfills its purpose.  It says in 2 Corinthians 4:6 that God “made his light shine in our hearts.”  Look at the next part of Philippians 2 where Paul says “that I did not run or labor for nothing.”  Paul says his running or labor is to see you and I be the lights. The best use of our service is to be the light and use our gifts so that others will obtain the light and share the light with even more people.

Resounding Gong. Day #34 in my journey to a Revolution

Yesterday we held auditions at one of our campuses for worship band positions. Because we are a church planting network, we are always forming new teams and so we are constantly adding in new faces.

Maybe the idea of auditions is shocking for a church role, but in 1 Chronicles 15:25 it says “Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.” I believe that music in the church needs to be excellent and I cling to that scripture of skill. I want all people to serve in their church but the Bible is clear that we all have been given different gifts and talents. In 1 Corinthians 12 it gives a description of all different gifts including teaching, encouragement, and administration. What is cool is that in the paragraphs prior, it talks about how we all make up one body. No role is more important than the other. It says in 1 Corinthians 12:26 “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”  We are unified because Jesus had to die for every single one of us.  Then in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 the chapter following the description of the gifts it says that if we utilize our gifts without the combination of love we gain nothing.  I have never really read all those pieces combined before because usually I read things in chapters. When you put it all together its interesting. It says in Corinthians 13:1 “If I speak in tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging symbol.” Our gifts are for unification and making up the church body but they need to be administered with love or they are useless. We are just “resounding gongs or clanging symbols.”

So that is what God has been teaching me lately about serving. What about you? What is God teaching you today that you can apply to your life?

Lawbreaker. Day #33 in my journey to a Revolution

Last night my husband and I saw the movie “Les Miserables.” As we watched, I was overwhelmed by the themes of redemption, law and grace woven throughout the story. Jean Valjean serves a jail sentence of 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread. Once freed he is still to be on parole for his lifetime because he is forever labeled a lawbreaker. Jean Valjean struggles to find work and is desperate for food. He stumbles upon a church and a priest offers him food and shelter.  Next we see, Jean Valjean fleeing in the night with a sack full of silver. The authorities catch him and bring him back to the priest. The priest tells authorities that he did not steal the silver but they were a gift and he gives him the candlesticks as well.  The priest tells Jean Valjean that he must take his new life and live it out of service to God.

I couldn’t help but see myself in the story. Because of my sin or debt, I am labeled a sinner. My wrongdoing may feel minute compared to others but just like Jean Valjean the price of one infraction labels me a lawbreaker. My penalty is death as it says in Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death.”  Just like in the movie where the priest offers Jean Valjean the silver as a gift, Jesus offers me grace as Romans 6:23 continues, “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  He takes my punishment on Him and He gives me a new life. The only requirement is to take that new life and serve God with it.

As I watched the movie, I felt like I needed to admit my wrongdoing. At one of our church campuses, we offer an additional service at night, and I have been having a bad attitude about doing it. As I thought about the qualities of a servant that we recently discussed:

What are the attributes of a good servant?

1. Humble

2. Improve interests of others

3. Faithful to the task set before him

4. Obedient

5. Submissive

6. Hard worker

7. Serve where there is need

8. Serve with no complaint

9. Available and ready

I felt like I have been a hypocrite.  I have failed at “serving without complaint.”  I have been given the best gift of all from a loving Savior and I need to serve Him without grumbling or complaining. What about you? What has God has been teaching you as we consider service to Him?

We all have a different part to play. Day #32 in my journey to a Revolution

In Day #3 in my journey to a revolution I mentioned a woman by the name of Mama Maggie. She radiated light and it was obvious that she had Jesus in her.

After I blogged about my Mama Maggie experience someone told me that when I lead worship I have that same look on my face of light and joy. What is cool is that the person who said that to me works with kids and when she is serving she lights up the exact same way.  So maybe, just maybe, when we are in service to the Lord and focused on Him that is when we radiate Him the most. It isn’t conscious. We are doing what God has called us to do and as a result we reflect Him.

I’m sure some of you are thinking what is there to do even do at my church?  Maybe you are thinking there is nothing for you. Well, I can’t go in detail about your church but I can give you a glimpse into all the different roles at my church.

Arts If you like…communications, graphics, social media, music, video, audio, lighting, computer graphics or photography.

Campus Support If you like… Interior cleaning, maintenance, roadies – setup & teardown

Children (Nursery & Toddlers, Preschool, Elementary) If you like kids, curriculum, tech support, or security.

Students (Middle School – 6-8th grade) If you like making a difference in a student’s life.

Prayer If you like…praying for the church, our leaders and individuals.

Church Planting (One Life West) If you like…construction (design and build), painting, cleaning, set-up

Guest Services If you like welcoming, providing info, coffee, parking, or guest services.

Local Compassion If you like…Community-wide initiatives & varied service projects.

Global Compassion If you like…mission trips, orphan sponsorships*.

We all have different gifts and talents and sometimes you just have to try things to see if they are a good for you. In 1 Corinthians 12:12 it mentions that we all have different jobs. Get moving and serve. It’s time for a revolution!!

“Where everybody knows your name…” Day #31 in my journey to a Revolution

For some reason as I think about serving I think about connecting with others and the theme song of Cheers comes to mind. “Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name and there always glad you came….”

In my experience serving in the local church has always proved the best way of getting to know a lot of people.

Right after my husband and I got married we moved to Vero Beach, Florida. For some of you that sounds heavenly but for me it was extremely difficult. I left behind my family, my job and my church all in one big swoop. While Chris would work, I would search for jobs but I felt extremely lonely.  We struggled to find a church where we really belonged. We attended different ones and then finally after months of searching came across Calvary Chapel Vero Beach. We loved it but still felt we didn’t know very many people. Calvary met in a school gym so every weekend everything had to be set up and then torn down so we helped out with that. Pastor Jim started a young adults Bible study so Chris and I played and sang for that.  Then we started helping out with praise and worship on Sundays as well. For me this was the key to getting to know people at our church and in the community.  We formed relationships because we served.

How about you? Do you feel disconnected at church? Are you serving anywhere? Maybe you don’t feel equipped to do much. Let’s look at a story about that.

Last week we studied John 6.  Jesus took one boy’s five small loaves and 2 small fish and fed 5,000 people with it.  I look at our service to the Lord the same way.  We offer all that we have just like the small boy even though it may be small in nature. Jesus can take it and multiply it and use it to minister to the masses.

What would happen if we all took what little we had and gave it all to the Lord for service?  A Revolution!!!

 

“Serve God because He is already at work.” Day #30 in my journey to a Revolution

Every year I try to attend the Global Leadership Summit.  The Summit is a two day leadership intensive offered every year in the month of August.  As we talk about you and I serving in the local church, I wanted you to hear the reason why Willow does the Summit.

“A church’s effectiveness in pursuing its God-given mission is largely dependent on the character, devotion, and skill of its leadership core—which can be formal or informal, staff or volunteer, clergy and laity.

The influence and impact of the church is felt most fully when Christ-centered leaders are at the forefront of establishing and growing well-led local churches and organizations…key reasons why The Global Leadership Summit exists.

The church is at its best, as God’s love and care inevitably spills out into our neighborhoods, towns and cities through acts of love, justice, mercy, service, and restoration. “

[Courtesy of willowcreek.com]

So maybe you are looking at your local church and thinking “Why are they not doing anything?”  Great question but first we have to remember that we are the church and so the question is “why are you and I not doing anything?”

There was one speaker last year that really stood out for me. Here name is Pranitha Timothy.  She shared that she felt a calling from God while hearing Isaiah 42:1-4 to help fight injustice.  Weeks later she had a brain tumor that left her mute and numb on 60% of her body. She said after 2 years God gave her voice back but the biggest transformation was the renewal of her hardened heart.  She has led over 50 slave rescue operations that have freed over 4,000 people from slavery.

She gave three main points that struck me to the core. They are:

1. Serve God because He is already at work.  Pranitha said she learned that she was no hero. God would strengthen her for the task.
2. This life is not my own and I have to make a willful decision every day to remember that.
3. God is good. She said our faith must encompass a God who is good even when what we see in the world is not good.

So what is God calling you and I to do?

“Egolessness.” Day #29 in my journey to a Revolution

Today marks the first day of Week 5 in our commitment to serve in a local church in our journey to a revolution.  I specified serving within the local church but it is definitely not the only place to serve. I do think it’s a great starting point for anyone wanting to get moving.

The attitude of service was modeled with Jesus. Let’s look at this passage in Philippians. Its kind of a big chunk but there is so much we can learn.

Philippians 2:1-8

2 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴ Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

⁵ Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
⁷ but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

[Courtesy of biblegateway.com]

What can I learn from serving in this passage?

1. Jesus modeled the attitude of service. As we have been studying in John, He is the Word. He was with God in the beginning and through him all things were made.  Then we see in Philippians, that He humbles himself and becomes nothing. He becomes a servant, a man and dies on the cross for the sin of the world.
2. Humility and service go hand in hand – What does humility mean? I looked it up and wikipedia says “being modest and respectful.” Another definition which I thought was cool is “egolessness.” What a great description of what it takes to be humble. If we want to serve with humility, we have to lay down our egos and our pride.
3. Take on the nature of a servant

What are the attributes of a good servant?

1. Humble

2. Improve interests of others

3. Faithful to the task set before him

4. Obedient

5. Submissive

6. Hard worker

7. Serve where there is need

8. Serve with no complaint

9. Available and ready

So what can we take away from this? What is one area of servanthood that we can apply to our lives today?

Fear. Day #27 in studying the Bible and praying

As I read John 7 today, I feel bad for Jesus. His own brothers were ridiculing Him and now in 7:12 people  were whispering that He deceives people.  Then in verse thirteen it says “But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews.”

I keep thinking about that verse “no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews.” What power did the Jews have?  It says in one commentary that they could excommunicate that person from the synagogue. This was quite severe since that was where they worshipped. It was also a social consequence as well. To be excommunicated would mean you no longer had a community of people to support you.

What is my application from this?  Don’t be afraid to speak up. What is holding me back? Fear. Fear that I’ll be ostracized or ridiculed for what I believe. Fear that I don’t know enough or have the knowledge to back up what I believe. What am I going to do about that? As I aspire towards a revolution, I know I need to deepen my understanding of what I believe and what others believe.

I have been working my way through a book called “Total Truth” by Nancy Pearcey.  She does an excellent job at breaking down different worldviews and how they fall short of total truth. She talks about her own journey and says “I had learned my Bible but had no clue how to relate biblical doctrine to the realm of ideas and ideologies.” Maybe some of you can relate to that. I know I can. Nancy says “We all have a responsibility to learn how to give reasons supporting the credibility of the gospel message.”  That is my challenge for today.

My prayer is that the Lord would take away all fear. That I would be armed with “total truth” so I can speak up without fear.

 

Siblings. Day #25 in studying the Bible & praying

I mentioned before that I get up at five to be up before my kids. Well not today both are already awake. When that happens, I let them watch a movie while I study my Bible. This is the best solution for me. What do you do?

Let’s stop and ask the Holy Spirit to really teach us from the scriptures.

Let’s pick it back up in John 7. I think the verse that really strikes me is in verse 3. “Jesus’ brothers said to him, ‘You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do.’”

I have two older sisters and a younger brother. Growing up there were multiple times that we would try to have authority over each other.  I can remember one time right before Christmas. My dad wanted me to wrap some presents for my mom but she had sent us to bed. She said that if any of us got out of bed again we would be punished. I had a mission to get the presents wrapped so I told my brother who was maybe 3 to get out of bed. I used him as a diversion to get to the garage so I could wrap the presents. At the time I felt like this was a great solution. Yes, I know I’m a horrible older sister who led my brother astray. He has forgiven me.

That is what I see in this passage in John. We know from scripture that Jesus is the oldest but these younger brothers are trying to offer their advice and put authority over him.  Maybe they didn’t like him? Maybe they thought he was a little on the crazy side?  I wonder if they sensed from their mom that there was something special about Him and they resented Him?  We don’t know but we do know that it says in verse five “For even his own brothers did not believe in him.”

It reminds me a lot of the story of Joseph in Genesis 36. Joseph was set apart by his father when his father gave him a richly ornamented robe. Josephs’ brothers hated him and plotted to kill him. Instead of killing him, they sold him into slavery but told their Father that he was killed by an animal.  Joseph becomes a slave in a household and then was accused unjustly. He was put into prison and his imprisonment ends up placing him in front of the Pharaoh to interpret a dream. In the end, Joseph was put second in command in Egypt and he creates an economic system that keeps people from starving during a famine.  We see with Joseph that God uses all the circumstances to put him in the exact right place to impact the world.

Jesus was also set apart by His heavenly Father. He knew that there would be a time when his glory would be revealed but the timing wasn’t now. He did not listen to his brothers and trusted God above all else.

For me that is my take away. Trust God above all else.  Jesus knew his brothers were trying to lead him astray and he chose not to listen.