How well do you connect with others? How deep can you take the initial connection and develop a deeper relationship?

“Connect” as defined by The New Oxford Dictionary on my MacBook Pro, is

* To bring together or into contact so that a real or notional link is established
* join together so as to provide access and communication
* associate or relate in some respect
* (of a thing) provide or have a link or relationship with (someone or something)
* form a relationship or feel an affinity

Thanks to technological advances and modern media our contemporary society is more connected than ever before. Yet, hardly any of us need to be told that we are less socially engaged than ever before. It seems that to the degree of our connections through social media to the opposite degree are our interpersonal and intimate relationships. Indeed, people are connecting more but relating less.

It also appears that many are starved for relationships, but have apparently not learned the art of connecting well and in healthy ways with other people. Even this post on the art of connection can easily be irrelevant if it is merely an informational piece that is not  applied.

In fact, an individual can be a skilled and polished communicator and a relatively good listener yet never really connect with people. Extroverts and those who thrive on being with people seem more adept at connecting but may never engage and relate with others in healthy ways.

Good leaders connect with people. Great leaders do so effectively. Leaders influence others. Good leaders influence others for the good of the individual and/or the community. John Maxwell in his Becoming a Person of Influence wrote, “Connection is …absolutely critical if you want to influence people in a positive way. When you navigate for others, you come alongside them and travel their road for a while, helping them handle some of the obstacles and difficulties in their live. But when you connect with them, you are asking them to come alongside you and travel your road for your and their mutual benefit.”

There is a difference between the act of connecting and the art of connecting. On the one hand, the act of connecting is merely relating at a basic, casual or surface level. Social media and technology have made this skill quite easy. On the other hand, the art of connecting is taking the relationship to deeper layers in ways that are valuable and effective for positive influence. This is how many can experience new emotions and level of connection with people.

The act of connection requires listening and good verbal skills, but the art of connection also requires respect, sharing similar interests, experiences and values,  having a sincere interest in helping people grow and succeed, the ability to empathize. In other words, positive, healthy and effective connections are other-focused that is not only for your interest but also in their best interest. The art of interpersonal connection does this.

So, what are some ways to effectively connect with people?

Here are six suggested ways to take connecting from an act to an art that makes for better, more effective relationships:

1. See people as having value. After all, they are made in the image of God.

• Have a healthy interest in others. Selfish people may be able to connect, but they rarely make solid connections. Proud people at times will connect with others, but it tends to be shallow and short-lived. Humble, other-focused people genuinely relate and make significant connection with others.
• Recognize and respect differences in people’s personalities.
• Treat them with kindness and courtesy. Remember Christ’s “golden rule” (Luke 6:31).
• Give them a sense that they are really important. They may not be important to you, but they matter to God! Making one feel important is more powerful as a motivator than money, promotion, working conditions, or almost anything else.

2. Take the initiative to better know them and to consider how you might help them.

How?

Greet them warmly.

Meet them sincerely

Consider them potentially

The vast majority of friends you have were at one time unknown strangers. For a variety of reasons you and those strangers became friends.  All strangers are potential friends.  So, seek to get to know others with whom you connect by considering how you might become friends. One helpful tool I use is the acrostic “friend” (see below).  Most people are happy to tell you about themselves, but be aware of those who could feel distressed by your questions. Obviously, you need to be sensitive to body language or verbal cues that could indicate they are too uncomfortable with your inquiry. In any case, you can come up with additional questions or thoughts, but these are useful for starters:

Family –

Discover something about the person and his or her family. Does s/he come from a small or large family? Single or married?  Does s/he live with family?  Etc.

Recreation –

What hobbies does s/he enjoy? What kinds of things does s/he like to do for fun or to express a talent?

Interests –

What kinds of interests does this person have: animals, reading, philosophy, music, social cause, and so forth?

Education –

Where did s/he attend elementary or high school? Has s/he continued education beyond that? Would s/he like to get an advanced degree? Is s/he pursuing courses or seminars to enhance her or his growth?

Needs –

Did sh/e recently move into the area? Need any help getting settled or finding things? Looking for a new church? Financially challenged? Is there anything that I or we can reasonably do to help?
As Christians we have the greatest answer to the deepest and most serious need of all!

Dinner or dessert –

At this point you may wish to take your connection to the next level. You could simply ask something like, “How would you like to get together for coffee?” Perhaps even be more bold and say, “We’d like to have you over for dessert, would you be interested?”

3. Find common interests or share common experiences.

4. Communicate from the heart.

Don’t center the introduction or conversation on your own life. Allow the other person to get to know you, but make it a higher priority to find out about their lives. For some people this will be quite easy as they if they are more outgoing, needy, or even self-absorbed. For others, trying to draw them out in order to engage them in a caring way might be met with skepticism or distrust, or perhaps they do not know how to talk about themselves without being too self-conscious.

One way to communicate with heart this is to actually say, “Tell me, what’s your story?” Then listen with attentiveness and empathy. Be honest and authentic in the dialog, and let them do most of the talking.

5. Spend time with them in order to connect at a deeper level.

Spending time by sharing something in common helps build relationships. Certainly there are many ways to spend time together. However, three effective ways to get to know someone better are eating a meal together, having fun together, and working on a common project together.

6. Sustain an on-going connection through genuine care:

a. Encourage – build them up, help to increase their confidence, and give them hope for the future.

b. Appreciate – show gratitude for their specific contributions.

c. Affirm – show and tell them you admire their personal gifts, talents, and strengths.

d. Recognize – express to others their accomplishments. Brag about them in a way that is truthful and elevates            them in the eyes of others.

e. Confront – with permission, address his or her failures, mistakes, or sins with gentleness, truth, and love so               that s/he may change, grow and improve.

Connecting with people has never been easier than it is today. However, connecting with people at a deeper relational level has, for many, become an unknown skill or a lost art. This article provides you with six suggested ways to take connecting from an act to an art that makes for better, more effective relationships.  Practice one or more of these things each day and watch how you will begin to develop better relationships and more friends.

If you need any help with this just let me know.

Cheers;

Don

South Fellowship is having their men’s retreat this mid-October weekend. It’s not clear from what the men are retreating, but it sounds like they will have great time doing so. Perhaps next year I’ll be able join in retreating?

In any case, this got me thinking about a subject near and dear to me: man-ness. The essence of being a real man. Every era and culture has its own definition or expectations for what a manly male is like. Right now you could Google until you Yahoo, searching billions and billions of books,  blogs, articles, myths, stories and poems on man-ness. Frankly, I enjoy The Art of Manliness as it provides historical, hysterical and helpful articles on the subject. The author even gives very practical lessons on such things as how to paddle a canoe or how to date a woman, 1950’s style (which might include paddling a canoe while on a date with a woman?)

Christian leaders have authored books on the subject; of course. Some will have you believing that a real “Christian” man is tough, gruff, and filled with stuff with the looks, build and strength of Superman. You know, Superman with a halo! Others focus only upon character. Still others bring more opinion to the table than substance from the Creator of men. Sadly, such sources tend to pontificate from the imaginations of the proud. In other words, it’s more an exhortation to “think like I think and do like I do and you’ll be a real man.” My thought? Don’t try this at home!

Before you allow me to chase rabbits further off the beaten path, let me get back to trying to give a description and somewhat of a narrative from God’s Word about man-ness. After all, God created male and female. His original male was a true man; a real man; the normal man. Hopefully, God’s Word informs this article far more than my pompous opinion.  With that, let’s dig in further to see what is meant by this.

The Original Man was a Real Man

The original man, Adam, was made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27;5:1; 9:6 Ps. 52:1; 1 Cor. 11:7; 15:49; Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24; Jas. 3:9).   This means he was created with:

Connection –

Like God, the original man, named Adam, was created as a social being. By the way, I like that name. It means dirt or more precisely, red clay. So guys, if someone says your name is mud, they really aren’t too far from the truth.

As a creature he was created with the need and ability to relate with others, namely with God and with people. The essence of this connection was love. Man was also given an earth suit (body) in order to relate with others and to have an active affinity with God’s new creation. Adam’s body was endowed with perfect health, incredibly chiseled strength, and absolute masculine beauty – – every woman’s desire and every man’s wish.

Comprehension –

Man was made to know and be known. God gave Adam brilliance, gifted with the highest intelligence and emotional quotients. He was made analogous to God in his thinking, though with knowledge that is created, limited and acquired. He was made to think God’s thoughts after God, to learn truth, to understand himself and others, and to fully know the wonders of creation. In other words, Adam surpassed the best of all Renaissance men. He was also created to be in consort and in council with God, and then announce and proclaim the will of Heaven on earth.

Character –

Adam was created with the capacity and ability to do God’s will, because he could and would make choices consistent with God’s will. As such he was created with moral excellence and integrity. He was holy and godly (which means God-like)

Call –

Adam was made a man with a mission. He was created with the inclination and executive power to do the right things. God issued a call to him to be responsible, productive, and to serve creation and God’s creatures. This service was as a co-ruler, not for domination but for glorification of God’s creation.

The original man was the “normal” man. He was a real man!

But Man Had a Great Fall

Though created innocent, Adam failed a major test: he failed to believe God, to proclaim the Law of God when he was tempted by , and to speak God’s will with clarity and directness to his bride and the enemy (Genesis 3). He also failed to guard the garden and guard his bride from the deceiver. In his failing a transformation took place within Adam. He wanted to become just like God in ways that was impossible. He also wanted to dominate and rule as an equal with God. This transformation from normalcy is called sin. Adam sinned and henceforth became a sinner. He became abnormal.

Judicially, Adam represented all mankind; but he also passed this deformity on to all those who descended from him. Since then, we are all born with the condition of sin. This defect in normalcy quickly affected humanity and the environment in which all live. It also had a ripple effect in the unseen spiritual dimension.

Another sad consequence was that man became ignorant, guilty, sinful, and disconnected. The penalty was that he suffered spiritual death (Eph. 2:1-5), judicial death (Rom. 5:16), and a psycho-social death (Gen. 3:19). The result of spiritual death was a horrific disconnect from God, and a disability in understanding spiritual realities. The fallout of judicial death rendered Adam incapable of ever meeting up to God’s holy standards and ever being pure like God. Consequently, sin caused him to have character defects. It also rendered him incapable of being completely unbiased and rendering fair judgments. As hard as he might try, he would not be able to be perfectly equitable and impartially just. The psycho-social death negatively affected all relationships, since his propensity toward selfishness, lust, and power would only bring about some level of conflict in all his relations. From the moment of that fall man would lose the struggle to be an ideal servant and a responsible steward. Instead man is inclined to dominate and rule, often abusively. This fall from God into a dark condition would pollute and contaminate not only relationships with other people, but also other creatures and with God’s good creation.

This fall into a state of sin and misery reverses what God created as normal. Man now thinks himself to be wise, but without reference to God (Rom. 1-3). His inclination is to suppress God’s truth in unrighteousness (Rom. 1:18). Therefore, he twists and redefines truth, and assumes God’s Word is subject to man’s judgment. This is not truly normal.

Man also set himself as the standard of good and evil. He seeks to be worshiped rather than to worship God. Either that or he seeks to create a god in his own image and build a kingdom on earth as it is in his head. He desires not self-sacrifice but self-aggrandizement. He also no longer seeks to give unselfishly, but rather seeks to get for himself. Rather than glorifying creation as a steward he seeks to dominate. His tendency now is to misuse and abuse. He seeks to conquer. What’s more, his new impulse is either toward laziness or “workaholism.”

While this is the reversal of God’s original blueprint for what it means to be a real man, this does not mean that men are as bad as they could be. Contrary to what some believe, men do relatively good things. The hope given to mankind is that God put into place his plan to reverse the effects of the great reversal. Confused yet? In other words, God has made a way for abnormal man to become God’s normal man, to become a “real” man.

The New Man

The preexistent, eternal God became a man (John 1; Heb. 2:6-8; Col. 1:15). He became a “normal” human while retaining his divinity. This was Jesus the new Adam, but perfect God (1 Cor. 15:45-49). Jesus started his ministry in the place of the wilderness, the figurative arena for the kind of fallen life that man suffers (Matt. 4). The place where sin-infused man-ness resides. Jesus entered into that place in order to bring mankind out of the wilderness and back to the place of Eden’s normalcy. Well, actually beyond Eden to an eventual new heaven and a new earth.

Jesus was rightly and perfectly connected to God and others through love. He was born with true knowledge, sinless moral character, and faultless integrity. He lived his life as the Man with a mission: to lead people back to Eden’s beautiful utopia and beyond. Yet, in order to do so Jesus also suffered disconnection and rejection by others, and ultimately by God the Father when he took sinful man’s place and hung upon the cross judged by fellow man and by God.

Jesus fulfilled everything that Adam failed. Therefore, Jesus completed what all men fail to do. But then Jesus traded places with man, suffering the demise that awaits all infected and defective creatures: the hellish, painful experience of all that is wicked and evil, such as suffering, pain, ultimate loneliness, total rejection, a cruel death, and a deafening, dark blackness.

Thankfully, while this was his destiny it was not his end. God’s acceptance of Jesus’ mission to lead his people in the great exodus out of the wilderness of sin and evil, and because of his own power, Jesus passed right through that tar pit of death’s underworld to the other side of life (Rom. 5). He took with him man’s sin and came through alive and with a new body (1 Cor. 15).

Jesus did this in order to rectify man’s ignorance, resolve his guilt, reverse the effects of sin, and reconnect with God. How is this relevant for you? It is relevant because through his perfect work in life and his sacrificial death upon the cross Jesus redeems and restores your knowledge, holiness, and righteous state (Eph. 4:24; Col 3:10). The process of restoring man began at the cross, and it begins with each man when God’s Spirit brings him to the place of that cross by faith. In other words, Jesus Christ remakes and re-forms man, bringing him back to the place of what is truly normal. He makes man real again.

You – A New Man!

When you, or any man, trust in the God-Man Jesus Christ, and rest in his work and accomplished mission, a transformation takes place (Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:8-10). First, Jesus Christ reconnects your disconnected relationship with God. His finished work is the guarantee that you will also pass through hell on earth and come out alive and well.

Jesus did incredible things for you. By the Laws of Heaven he earned the right to pay for your release from the wilderness, obtained a declaration of pardon from God, acquired the certificate of passage, and then he himself became the guarantee that you will be purified, restored to heaven-made normalcy, completely acceptable to God. If that were not enough, his good works were so perfect that he also procured an eternal line of works-credit for you (Rom. 4:23-24; Rom. 5)!

He brought all of this to God the Father on your behalf. You were the long lost and rebellious son who declared emancipation from God. Yet, completely satisfied with Jesus’ accomplished mission and very happy to see you restored, God the Father receives you and legally adopts you. More than that, to see that you would be of the same bloodline, so to speak, he sends his Spirit to breath new life into your soul. Your new, reborn spiritual life connects you as his child (Jn. 1:12; Jn. 3:5-8).

God then pours his Spirit into you in order to empower you with a special faith that will take you on the journey through the wilderness-hell back to Eden’s heaven (Rom. 8). The Spirit brings God’s ancient writings to life for you so that your mind understands the thoughts of God (1 Cor. 3), your heart desires the things of God, and your will seeks to do the mission of God. Those mysterious writings become the very food that nourishes, strengthens and empowers you in the journey.

While Jesus made the journey through wilderness-hell without becoming contaminated with sin, darkness and evil, you go through the journey for a different reason. He cleared the way, but the moment you are justified, adopted, reborn, and exercise that special faith, the journey becomes for you a lengthy decontamination process. At the same time it is a rejuvenation process. In fact, your identity is now as a new man in Christ, being changed from the abnormal into the normal, real man.  Along the way you make new connections. Especially important are making connections with those who have also been transformed.

Like a child, you begin to comprehend reality and God-defined normalcy. You can think God’s thoughts about life and absorb truth. But to gain more insight and true knowledge you have to remove ignorance and foolish thinking. This is a purposeful and deliberate progression. It should be a daily progression. This is part of what it means to be a real man.

Since God has forgiven and pardoned you, you are no longer guilty. Yet because you have not yet passed into heaven’s purity, you still wrestle with the remaining vestiges of sin. On the one hand life in Jesus Christ means putting on more and more the quality of Christ’s character (Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24; 2 Pet. 1:3-11; 1 Tim. 3). Life for one who trusts in Jesus also means battling that old sin, confessing that sin, and putting off that sin. As Colossians 3:5-8 tells us about the residue of sin in our lives we are to kill it, cast it, and quit it! The challenge is a tough one that confronts you, the real man, every day. Like a soldier your order from God is to put off the sin and put on the pure life. Like an athlete you vigorously train yourself in holiness. Like a faithful servant whose allegiance is to the Emperor, his will is your command. What’s more, you are empowered to carry out his will!

With newfound empowerment you also have the executive ability to do what is right – to live righteously. With this power you can fulfill God’s mission for your life. He does not have some mere job for you – he has a calling. Your task is to discover this vocation and execute it in the service of God for the greater good of others. Your task also includes being a responsible steward for the glorification of God’s creation. Everything you do then ought to reflect God’s awesome beauty and radiate his wonderful light.

The sphere in which you live is like a decontamination chamber, cleansing you more and more of your sin. As you shed the old layers and clear out that old cancer, you also gain new health and life so as to become “normal” like Jesus Christ. This is what it means to be a real man. A real man in Christ is active, not passive; he is proactive, not unengaged; he is growing, not shriveling. The Christ-follower is intentional in his call, function, and roles. Jesus, the God-Man has made a difference in this new man’s life, and consequently he makes a difference in life.

As a believing follower of Jesus, like it or not this is your journey and manifest destiny. You are not westward bound, but upward bound. Your God-given motto is “excelsior” for you are on the challenging path that is forward and upward to the high calling in Christ. You stay the course as you trek across the wilderness with patient endurance because in the end you will be transfigured into a heavenly being like Jesus was (2 Cor. 3:18). You will be the perfectly complete and real man.

What’s a Real Man to Do?

Okay man, I’m not going to say to you “Don’t wear plaid,” or “Eat quiche.”  However, allow me to nudge you to go forward and upward into real man-ness.

First, if you have not come to faith in Jesus the perfectly real Man, do so now. If you are unsure about what that means or how to have that kind of transformational faith then feel free to contact me or Pastor Ryan or Pastor Dan or one of the elders or any other man who knows what this excelsior journey in Christ is all about.

Second, find a man who is intentional about the transformation from our society’s normal to God’s new normal. Develop a mutual mano a mano friendship to spot one another in the developmental exercise of real manliness.

Third, see about getting involved in one of the various men’s groups. Especially, the ones that meet for breakfast where they eat quiche, or at least omelets.  Maybe even eat wearing plaid?

Here’s to being a real man!

Don Owsley

Ten ways to encourage your pastor?  Say what?

In the book, Spurgeon on Leadership, Larry J. Michael writes,

Many Christian leaders become discouraged. The work doesn’t go as one imagines, the church doesn’t grow as one desires, lay leaders won’t cooperate with one’s leadership, people are excessively critical, or finances are down. The list goes on and on. Someone said that discouragement is the occupational hazard of the ministry, and Spurgeon was no exception to this rule. As successful as he was, he still experienced discouragement, and, in his case, it often deteriorated into depression. He became so depressed at times that he could barely function. In his lecture on “The Minister’s Fainting Fits,” Spurgeon opened with these words: “As it is recorded that David, in the heat of battle, waxed faint, so may it be written of all the servants of the Lord. Fits of depression come over the most of us….The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy.”

Did you know that pastors share something in common with others who work in other people-serving positions, such as nurses, doctors, counselors, social workers, etc.? They share a high rate of distress and discouragement, and oddly enough tend towards more frequent and serious bouts of depression and higher incidences of suicide. You wouldn’t think that would be the case, but it is.

This is nothing new. Even pastors in ages gone by struggled with discouragement and depression. Consider some of what these men went through:

John Calvin – Calvin received so much opposition in his first ministry at Geneva that the year before his expulsion from Geneva he went through great discouragement and depression. Writing about this year in his life he said “Were I to tell you only the littlest things of the misfortune – what am I saying – of the adversity which virtually crushed us during the course of one year, you would hardly believe me. I am convinced that not a day passed in which I did not long for death ten times…”

Andrew Bonar – Writing to his close friend McCheyne said, “I was very melancholy, I may say, on Saturday evening. The old scenes reminded me of my ministry, and this was accompanied with such regret for past failures.” Andrew Bonar also wrote, “My ministry has appeared to me to be wanting in so many ways that I can only say of it, indescribably inadequate.”

Charles Spurgeon – At the zenith of his ministry, Spurgeon said, “I am the subject of depressions of spirit so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go to.”

Campbell Morgan – At the height of his ministry, Morgan astounded his congregation by telling them that he was a failure. As he thought over his ministry, he said, “During these ten years, I have known more of vision fading into mirages, or purposes failing of fulfillment, of things of strength crumbling away in weakness than ever in my life.”

(Original source for this could not be found. Sorry.)

These are only a handful of illustrations. There were others, many others, such as Martin Luther, John Knox, John Wesley, Arthur Pink, A. W. Tozer and Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones. Perhaps you would be surprised by how many present day pastors find themselves very discouraged and depressed (statistically, more that 70%); even popular and famous Christian ministers.

The point of this post is not to talk about discouragement or ways to discourage those whose main work is to serve as Christ’s undershepherds, faithfully ministering the Word and work of Jesus to you. If you really want to know how to discourage your pastor(s) check out an old article I wrote  101 Ways to Discourage Your Pastor. Instead, this post is to provide at least ten ways you can encourage our own pastors, and to provoke you to find other creative ways to do this.

Ten Ways to Encourage the Pastor:

1. Live with him in the love of Christ, loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and might and loving the pastor as you love yourself.

(Matthew 22:37-39)

2. Love him in the Lord.

(See the previous blog post, How to Love Our Pastor).

3. Pray for him all the time.

4. Let him rest.

Give him opportunities for personal and familial rest. Be proactive to make sure he is getting spiritual, emotional, mental and physical rejuvenation. Encourage him to take off for times of prayer, meditation and reflection. Leave him alone during his day or days off, unless of course, it is an emergency. Don’t rely on him to solve all your problems, so don’t keep on going to him relentlessly. Maybe even raise some funds and send him and his family on a cruise or a study leave.

Craig Brian Larson wrote,

“Someone has said, ‘Fatigue makes cowards of us all.’ Let me rephrase that in more general terms: Physical exhaustion alters my emotional state. What I could handle when fresh I no longer feel up to. Difficulties that I first faced like a problem-solver full of faith now cause me to buckle at the knees. The challenges that once energized me now terrify me. While the presenting symptom on such occasions is emotional – depression and weakness – the real problem is physical: low energy” (Staying Power; pp. 55-56).

Jane Rubietta in her How to Keep the Pastor You Love, states,

One day a week scarcely suffices for clergy or anyone to recharge emotionally, physically and spiritually; keep one’s home in order and in repair; and have quality and quantity family time. Ministers do not move from glory to glory but from crisis to crisis. Even if they took their one allotted day off, it is not enough to keep them from becoming one of those untimely funerals  (p. 54).

5. Honor, appreciate and esteem the pastor.

The Bible gives a rather rigorous list of requirements the pastor is to do and spells out specifically the roles the pastor is to play in the local church.  Yet, the Bible is equally clear about what your responsibility is in relationship to the pastor(s) and elders (Phil. 2:29; 1 Thess. 5:12, 13 cp. Acts 28:9-10, 2 Cor. 7:15).

One is to honor  the minister. That means to place a high value, price, or put in a place of great respect. It is giving glory to one deserving of respect, attention and obedience.  God directs Christians to honor the local church pastor(s) and elders (1 Tim. 5:17).

A second way is to show appreciation. To appreciate means to give deserved recognition for the position he has and the work that he does. To appreciate is to respect and have positive regard for.  The New King James uses the word, recognize in 1 Thessalonians 5:12, but it means the same.  One example can be found in the Apostle Paul’s words to the church in Corinth regarding Timothy, when he said, Now if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do. Therefore let no one despise him (1 Cor. 16:10-11).

The third way is to esteem the pastor (1 Thess. 5:13).   To esteem is “to think highly of him; to have great regard; to consider valuable, very precious, or distinguished.”

Why should you esteem the elders or pastor?

                        (1)       Because of their work, which is the effective ministry of God’s Word.

(2)       Because of their office, because they rule over you in the Lord (1 Cor. 16:16).

(3)       Because they admonish you (Heb. 13:7).

How should you/we Christians esteem their elders or pastor?

                        (1)      Very highly and in love (1 Thess. 5:13 cp. 1 Cor. 7:15)!

(2)       By showing respect for their needs (Acts 28:9-10).

       (3)       And, here’s a odd one to consider: by treating their position with fear and trembling                                                 (Acts 17; Matt. 16; Matt. 18; 2 Cor. 7:15).

6. Do everything you can to pump life into his soul.

Build him up, encourage him, and communicate to him in the many ways there are just how much his service means to you. Lift him up, inspire him, and bless him in Christ. You will reap the residual effects for it. Lift him and his family up to the Lord in frequent prayer. Show love and kindness. Be a conduit of grace, hope and love to build up your pastor.

Greenfield in The Wounded Minister, wrote, A minister’s peace of mind is very important to the quality of his productivity in ministry. It is very difficult to be loving, gentle, and kind toward people when a small group of nitpickers are constantly at him about trivial matters that have little to do with the overall purpose of the church. It is even more difficult to be the gentle pastor, meek and mild, when the accusations leveled at him are contrived and totally false (p. 104).

7. Be loyal to him in Christ

Trust him when he is trustworthy. Treat him for who he is and for the office he holds.

8. Give to him as he gives to you.

Give, not merely monetary support, but give service to him and his family. Be imaginative and think of ways you can serve your pastor: give him genuine and valuable feedback; give him moral support; give him time and prayer. Above all give him love and affection!

9. Speak the truth in love.

Do all you can to safeguard his name and reputation, but more than that, build up his name so that it becomes a name of honor. Certainly, the pastor must maintain his own reputation and integrity in Christ. This is not an admonition for you to pretend he is honorable if he has clearly sinned and defamed the name of the Lord. However, if he has a character beyond reproach, then uphold it, maintain it, and promote it.

10. Don’t covet to have your pastor be just like a pastor you admire or idolize.

He’s the pastor God has placed in the church and in your life at this time. God is the one who has given the pastor the personal talents, the spiritual gifts, and the call to the church; not the former pastor, the famous pastor, or any other admirable person. It is quite okay to enjoy and celebrate the qualities of those men while at the same time celebrating and enjoying your current minister.

These are ten, simple and practical suggestions for encouraging your pastor(s). Nice to know, eh? Now, let me encourage, in fact urge you to do two things:

First, find tangible ways to put these suggestions into practice.

Second, talk with two or more other people in the church and conspire to do at least one encouraging thing together for the pastor(s). Preferably, it would be good to spread out these blessings over the course of a year.

For the glory of our King;

Don

In keeping with Pastor Appreciation Month, here is a self-check to see how and in what ways you are showing appreciation and affection for the pastor(s) whom God has given you and the church. This is an application of 1 Corinthians 13, and is taken from Appendix S of the book, The Perfect Pastor?

It certainly challenges me in some areas and encourages in other ways. Enjoy, and then apply!

Don

________

All of these qualities of love find their source and perfect expression in God through Jesus Christ. If I am truly in Christ, I should express these loving qualities more and more, even toward my pastor. Fill in the blank spaces with your pastor’s name.

1. Does my communication with ____________________ come from a heart of love or am I just an irritating noise maker (1 Cor. 13:1)?

2. Do I use the gifts God has given me to lovingly serve ____________________ (1 Cor. 13:2)?

3. Do I love ____________________ sacrificially? In what specific ways do I do so (1 Cor. 13:3)?

4. Am I patient with ____________________? In other words, do I show an enduring restraint with him even when I have a right to act? Do I restrain my words and actions when wronged or provoked when I have a right to act, unless there is a particular sin I need to address through gentle rebuke (Matt. 18:15-22; Gal. 6:1).

5. Am I kind toward ____________________? Kindness proceeds from a tender heart that contributes to his good will and happiness (1 Cor. 13:4).

6. I am not envious of ____________________. I do not feel an uneasiness with the excellence, reputation, or happiness he enjoys. I have no desire to depreciate him (1 Cor. 13:4).

7. I do not brag about myself to ____________________. This means that I do not have an anxious display of myself for the purpose of elevating my own life, especially at the expense of putting him down. I do not campaign for the center of attention (1 Cor. 13:4).

8. I am not arrogant, puffed up or swollen with a proud vanity around him (1 Cor. 13:4).

9. I am considerate and not rude with ____________________. I do not act unbecomingly or unseemly toward him, nor unnecessarily embarrass him (1 Cor. 13:5).

10. I seek ____________________’s greatest good and benefit (1 Cor. 13:5).

11. I am not easily provoked or angered by ____________________. I do not have a trigger temper that stems from bitterness (1 Cor. 13:5).

12. I do not keep a record of the wrongs suffered by ____________________ from which to make a plan for retaliation. Especially since Jesus Christ took the registry of my sins and my pastor’s sins and paid for them with his own sacrificial life and death (1 Cor. 13:5).

13. I do not rejoice in unrighteousness or evil done by or done to ___________________. I do not find pleasure in his demise, or in rumors about his sin, but instead I seek out the truth (1 Cor. 13:6).

14. I am able to bear all things with ____________________. That means I protect his reputation, welfare or life (1 Cor. 13:7).

15. I put the best construction regarding ____________________ and see things about him from a good and positive light, unless there is sufficient evidence to believe otherwise (1 Cor. 13:7).

16. I have a positive and sure expectation that through Jesus Christ God will work all things together for ____________________’s good. I actively promote the hope of Christ with my pastor (1 Cor. 13:7).

17. My love endures and perseveres. Therefore, I find ways to encourage my pastor to persevere in his life, walk and service in Christ (1 Cor. 13:7).

Did you know that October is Pastor Appreciation Month?

Some time in the not so distant past, someone came up with the idea of a pastor’s appreciation month (P.A.M.). Seems to me it was something Focus on the Family ministry started? In any case, October became the designated month. It’s a good idea. Yet it’s sad that we would have to come up with such specific event and time in order for some churches to do so. However, I’d rather have P.A.M. than not.

Some churches don’t observe P.A.M. Other churches hate P.A.M. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to ask the leadership of a few of these churches why that is. Their reasons vary. Here’s a short list of what they’ve said:

• “The pastor knows he’s appreciated.”  (Oh? Does he now? Have you asked? Has it been obvious you are  showing appreciation for him?)
• “We show appreciation throughout the year.”  (Well, that’s fantastic!).
• “We made a big deal when he first arrived.”   (That reminds me of the husband who explained why he never tells his wife he loved her was because he had told her on their wedding day, and he would let her know if there was any change).
• “We don’t go for anniversaries like that.”   (Implying it’s too unspiritual or unbiblical. I’ll wager a dollar they celebrate birthdays).
• “It would only spoil the pastor. We don’t want to contribute to his pride.”   (That’s old-school thinking. You know – keep the pastor humble and poor. But that’s such a ginormous pile of fufu! Thank God the Lord doesn’t treat us that way).
• “The Bible doesn’t tell us we have to do that.”    (Uhhh…say what?)
• “Our pastor is not worth appreciating.”     (Maybe that is the case. If he is not worthy of honor, then what is he doing in your church? If it’s a matter of your personal dislike then someone needs a major attitude adjustment).

P.A.M. was created out of an apparent need. Contrary to some opinions, pastors are people too. They need “attaboys” and “thank-yous,” and “we love yous,” just like other people do. It’s an uplift. It contributes to a sense of satisfaction and joy. And, it’s biblical! Of course the Bible doesn’t have an explicit chapter or verse about appreciating your pastor. There isn’t the eleventh commandment, “Thou shalt appreciate your pastor.”  But there are commands to love others, and to respect, honor, and highly esteem your elder(s). In fact, Hebrews 13:17 tells us that we should bring joy to our pastor and elders, and tells us how we can make our pastor’s work a joy. It says the pastor(s) should be enjoying the ministry and not groaning because of it – – for our benefit!

The Apostle Paul of the New Testament is such a great example of how a church leader shows appreciation for the church he serves. Paul not only showed them by giving his all, and sacrificing his life for them, he came right out and told them. He sent them love letters. Romans, Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians are reservoirs of the love of Christ that cascades down through Paul and into the hearts of men, women, boys and girls. Paul thanked them for their demonstrations of love and appreciation for him. It’s a rather lengthy catalog when you read through those letters. He was so very thankful for how they provided for him, prayed for him, healed his wounds, gave him hospitality, listened to him, obeyed him, communicated their affection for him, supported others when he asked them to, treated him with respect, visited him when he was jailed, suffered with him when abused and persecuted, rescued him, and more.

Notice something here: they didn’t do these loving things only during a special month. They practiced pastor appreciation moments. Or, you could say, they practiced a good kind of S.P.A.M (Spontaneous Pastor Appreciation Moments)! By the way and no offense intended, but I am not one who likes Spam, whether of the email type or the food type (if indeed it really is food?)

While serving as a pastor in a church back in California, the precious folks surprised me on the first October my family and I were with them with a special P.A.M. event. But that was more like the sweet topping on the proverbial pie.  Those dear men and women were SPAMmers (of the good kind). One elder would often tell me how much he appreciated what I was doing. A middle-aged lady sent me a thank you card for my service. A teenager sent me a birthday card. From time to time another elder prayed out loud and praised God for my family and me. The music leader often asked how things were going or how I was doing, and would give me a big hug now and then. Deacons told me they were grateful I was at the church. One man signed his short info emails with “Love, _____”!  In his north Jersey accent, an elderly man often told me that how glad he was that I was his pastor. Women expressed thanks for how I was with their children. People interacted with the sermons. Children of all ages would converse with me or hug my neck when I stooped down or my knees when I didn’t. Some would even give a kiss or two. Couples or families had us over for supper. And on it went. Bring tears to my eyes just thinking about them. With Paul I will forever say, “I thank God in my remembrance of you!” (Phil 1:3-4).

I commend them for being an example of biblical love. They knew how to appreciate their pastor. I wish I could package such loving appreciation and send it off to churches where pastors need the same. These dear people don’t show appreciation merely because it’s a P.A.M. thing or because they have this duty-bound compulsion to do so. They didn’t stop after their first display of appreciation when my family and I arrived, showering us with baskets of essentials, food, and treasures. The obvious displays of genuine affection continued until, sadly, we had to move. (More tears to my eyes).

You know what else? They were not spoiling me. In fact, if anything their S.P.A.M. was humbling! Over the years I’ve been around too many who thought it was their God-ordained mission to humble me. What they did wasn’t humbling. It was humiliating, unkind, unloving, unbiblical and un-anything-good. The beloved at Cornerstone Community practiced methods of appreciation that were so much like Jesus: abundant, encouraging, gracious, merciful, gentle, and kind. I did not deserve any of it, but like Christ they showed mercy and grace any way. And that, my friends, was humbling.

Having served as a pastor for eighteen years in various churches, you can take it from me that people demonstrating spontaneous moments of appreciation was enriching, encouraging, refreshing, and boosts needed to continue the work.

I am happy to share with you how much I appreciate Pastor Ryan and Pastor Dan, and as I come to know the elders at South my deep appreciation goes out to them as well. It does not stop there as there is so much to be thankful for having such men as Aaron who ministers through music and more, and Chris who ministers to our youth. South is truly blessed and I am truly blessed by the ministry services of Eva, Janet and Nate!

No doubt many of you are SPAMmers too! Please keep it up. All year long! Our ministers not only need and desire the encouragement, but giving thanks for them and showing appreciation also blesses you and the rest of the church.

If you’re involved in South or reading this and are in another local church, take a cue from Scripture (Phil. 2:29; 1 Thess. 5:13; 1 Tim. 5:17; Hebrews 13:7; Hebrews 13:17; 3 John 1:8) and from the example of the people at Cornerstone Community in Cerritos, California. Make a conscious effort at showing spontaneous moments of appreciation for your pastors. And if the church does not have a special anniversary to formally appreciate your pastors, then start one. It does not have to be October. It could be on the month of your pastor’s arrival or birthday. It will make a big difference in his life, and more than that, you and your church will reap the residual blessings!

Here’s to S.P.A.M (the good kind)!

Don

You might wish to get this book by Carol J. Ruvolo, if you want dig more deeply into God’s grace for the Christian life. Grace to Stand Firm, Grace to Grow  is an excellent guide that can enrich your knowledge and heart about the beauties of Christ’s grace.

Philadelphia’s Tenth Presbyterian Church’s former pastor, Dr. James M. Boice (who has since gone to be with the Lord), endorsed this book as, “Deeply God-centered, theologically profound, and very, very practical.”  Joni Eareckson Tada claims, “Carol Ruvolo’s studies on 1-2 Peter may read easy, but they run deep. If you desire to raise your level of trust and commitment in Christ, you will find these studies to be theologically sound, powerful and practical.”

This book is not a novel, though the lessons from Peter’s encounter with Jesus found in the Gospel novels are fleshed out here. This book is not a mystery, yet it opens up for us the mystery of Christ and his work in our lives. This book is not a romance, however, through it one comes to love more deeply the Savior who first loved us. This book is a study of 1 Peter and 2 Peter; a study that goes deep and wide. It was crafted to be used as a personal guide or by groups.  As one statement in the introduction reflects,

“Always remember that effective Bible study equips you to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. You glorify God when you live in such a way that those around you can look at you and see an accurate reflection of God’s character and nature. You enjoy God when you are fully satisfied in His providential ordering of the circumstances in your life. When your life glorifies God and your joy is rooted in His providence, your impact on our fallen world will be tremendous.”

 

Here is an overview of the contents:

Part 1 Grace to Stand Firm

Lesson 1  The Hope of Salvation

Lesson 2  The Joy of Divine Testing

Lesson 3  The Shift from Doctrine to Practice

Lesson 4  The Attractiveness of God’s People

Lesson 5  The Appeal of Free Submission

Lesson 6  The Appeal of Free Submission (2)

Lesson 7  The Power of a Humble Witness

Lesson 8  The Cure for Short-Timer Syndrome

Lesson 9  The Team Concept of Humble Servants

Part 2  Grace to Grow

Lesson 10 The Key Weapon in the War on God’s Word

Lesson 11 The Reminder of Scripture’s Authority

Lesson 12 The Danger of Twisted Teaching

Lesson 13 The Certainty of God’s Promises

Grace to Stand Firm, Grace to Grow (ISBN: 98-0-87552-634-8) was first published in 2003.  You can order this through most any good book retailers.  And no, I do not get any advertising royalties from this endorsement :-)

God’s Grace is the Nature of Your Christian Life – Part 2

In a previous post we saw that there is no problem with God’s grace as far as being rescued from the guilt, shame and condemnation of sin. Neither is there a problem with God’s grace when it comes to living holy and righteous lives as Christians. The Bible teaches us that approaching God is by grace, knowing God is by grace, and also living for God is by grace. In short, God’s grace is the nature of your Christian life. Let’s see how…

God’s grace comes to believers through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection

God extends to you his mercy and grace because of Jesus Christ’s perfect life, sacrificial death, and miraculous resurrection (Eph. 2:4-10). The Bible tells us that God “saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Tim. 1:9). Abundant and everlasting life with God is not earned, but freely given (Titus 3:5). All you need is to believe this is true.

Read these verses to learn how grace comes to you:  Isa. 53:1-12; Matthew 1:21; 18:11; 20:28; 26:28; Luke 19:10; John 6:37-40; 6:63-65; 10:14-16; 27-29; 17:1-2; 6-9; 24; Acts 9:1-16; 10:39-42; Rom. 9:11; 19-24; 11:1-23; Eph. 2:10; I Pet. 2:9-10.

Grace continues for believers in Christ

God’s grace not only made a way for you to be reunited to him through Jesus Christ, his grace also keeps and leads you through this life into eternity. Look at what Ephesians 1:4-6 says: “Just as He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, in order that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the kind intention of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”

What’s even more awesome is that the Lord, whose grace began a good work in you, will, by grace, bring it to completion at the Day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6).

Grace is the essence of your Christian life!

1. Through humility you can receive more grace for life (1 Pet. 5:5).

2. The means for you to live Christian life is by grace (2 Thess. 1:12)

Notice in Acts 13:43 how Paul and Barnabas pressed upon Jews and Gentiles who had come to faith in Jesus to keep on living in the grace of God. It is no different today for the believer. God’s Word of grace is able to build you up in the faith (Acts 20:32). Baptism is a means of grace to put off your old sinful habits and put on Christ (Rom. 6:1-14). The Lord has also given you his Supper in order to commune with Jesus, even spiritually “feeding” on him for nourishment and sustenance (Matt. 26:26-28; Lk 22:17-20; Jn. 6:35-58; 1 Cor. 10:16-21; 1 Cor. 11:17-34). Prayer is yet another gracious means to live the Christian life.

3. God gives you power to live the Christian life, and that is by grace (Gal. 2:20-21).

As one who follows Jesus, you are urged to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). We are strengthened with all power by God’s might, not ours (Col. 1:11-12). Power for Christian living comes from the Father, through Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit, not by our works of Law or personal ability.

As a steward of God’s grace (Eph. 3:2), Paul was able to help lay the foundation for Christ’s Church by the power of God’s grace (1 Cor. 3:10). Who he was and what he was able to do was through the grace of God in him (1 Cor. 15:10). Timothy, and by inference, all ministers in Christ are to find strength in Christ’s grace (2 Tim. 2:1).

4. Your sufficiency in the Christian life is through grace (2 Cor. 9:8).

His grace is sufficient for all your needs (Phil 4:19), for all your strength (2 Cor. 12:9), and for the endurance required to live for Christ (Heb. 13:9; 1 Tim. 1:12-14).

5. Your suffering in the Christian life comes with grace (Heb. 4:16).

Look at these verses: Rom. 8:26-28; 1 Tim. 2:1-6; Heb. 13:9; 1 Pet. 1:13; 5:10.

6. The only way to persevere in the Christian life is through God’s grace (Phil. 4:13)

Want to see how God’s grace is what gives you endurance?  See: Matt. 1:21; 7:21-23; John 6:32-39; 8:30-32; 10:27-29; 15:1-9; 17:1-2; 11; Rom.8:35-39; 11:29; II Cor. 1:20-23; Eph. 1:13; 4:30; Phil. 1:3-6; II Tim. 1:12; 2:19; 4:18; Heb. 5:5-9; I Pet. 1:1-5; 18ff; I John 2:17, 25-27; Jude 1; and Jude 24.

This study only touches the surface of how it is we are made Christians and how we continue to live as Christians – it is all by the grace of God. The indescribable grace of God in Jesus Christ is the very sphere in which live and is the central resource by which follow Jesus. God’s grace is enough!

What about the Law and doing good works? Good question, but hold that thought until the next time.

By grace;

Don

The problem with grace?

(This is Part 1 of “God’s Grace is the Nature of Your Christian Life”)

Paul was a man who could proudly boast in his personal and religious credentials (Philippians 3:4-6). He was a Jewish Pharisee  who lived a very, very long time ago Who were the Pharisees?. Like his fellow Pharisees, he was convinced he had a special relationship with God. They knew that out of grace, God chose from among humanity a special group of people: Israel (Deut. 7:6-11). Yet, Pharisees were the most special among the special because of their rigorous compliance with God’s Law, as they interpreted it. They were Bible students and teachers who were the evangelists of Israel. They were convinced that though God was gracious, it was imperative that they be the most upright, pious and holy people by doing good works and being super moral. No one could ever fault them for their sincerity in doing everything they could to honor and please God.

Paul was one of them. The absolute best, he says. But then he had a radical, life-changing encounter with God through Jesus Christ (Acts 9:1-9). He came face-to-face with Jesus Christ. That experience changed everything. He would come to a deep understanding that approaching God was by grace, knowing God was by grace, and living for God was by grace. This understanding was what he would call meta-knowledge (epignosis in the original language). God changed him from a proud Pharisee to a humble servant of Christ. That was by grace.

This life change came from a mind and heart change. The same is true for us. The entirety of living in and for Jesus is by God’s grace. This was essential to the good news Paul preached, and was central to the doctrines he taught. However, his life, preaching, and teaching put him in conflict with his former Jewish friends and peers. It also put him in conflict with some other followers of Jesus. You see, they said there was a problem with Paul’s grace teaching. They opposed this mercy, grace and freedom talk because they were concerned about honoring and pleasing a holy God. They argued, “If you preach and teach grace then people will take advantage of that and live for themselves. If they live for themselves they will live immoral, lazy and lawless lives!”   Paul was not the only one to deal with that charge. Sound familiar? It’s been an on-going protest in Christianity ever since.

Paul addressed this serious concern in his letter to the Romans. In Romans, chapters 1-5, he explained the tension and challenge between law and sin versus grace and holiness. Yet, after all his explaining he knew people would still object. Paul asks what his opponents were thinking, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may about?” (Romans 6:1). The right way to understand this life of grace is found in chapters 6 and 7. The rest of Romans is dedicated to answering, “How, as believers in Jesus Christ, do we live by grace?”

This ambassador of grace even had to confront the matter head on with the Apostles Peter and James (Acts 15). He came down pretty hard on “saved by grace, but life by law” in Galatians. As you may know, in that letter Paul stands against those people who claimed to believe in Jesus but claimed though we come to God by grace we remain with God by works of the Law.

As the Church moved through history, this tension between Law and Grace continued. Every now and then God would raise up men who set the story straight: all of the Christian life, from start to finish, is by God’s grace through Jesus Christ. This was the key debate that sparked the Reformation of the church (and European society) starting in the 1400s and lasting into the early 1700s.

Here’s the crux of what Paul and the New Testament clearly teaches about the Law: the Law of God is the model for holy living, but it is not the mode for holy living. The Law of God is the measure, but not the means for the Christian life.  How do we live as holy people? God’s Law shows us. How do we know we are holy and righteous enough for God? The Law tells us. Failing to keep every single, itsy bitsy speck of the Law means we have failed. This is what it means to be a sinner. Sin is the lack of conformity to and stepping over the bounds of the perfect, high moral standards of God. The Bible is clear that there is nothing you or I can do to earn God’s favor because we are sinners. There is nothing we can do to purify ourselves.  All that we are without Christ is poisoned by sin. This pollution corrupts our

• Hearts (Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Isa. 64:6-8; Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21-23; John 12:40)
• Minds (Eccl. 9:5; Rom. 3:11; 8:7; II Cor. 4:3-4; Eph. 4:18)
• Wills (Prov. 8:36; John 3:19; 5:40; 8:44; Eph. 4:19)
• Abilities (Prov. 20:9; Jer. 13:23; John 6:44; Rom. 3:11; 8:8; I Cor. 2:14; II Tim. 2:24-25)
• Souls (Eccl. 7:20; Psa. 51:5; 53:1-3; 58:3; Isa. 64:6-8; John 3:19-20; Acts 26:18; Rom. 3:9-18)

This pollution is a spiritual and physical “DNA” problem that goes back to Adam and Eve (Psalm 51:5; Job 14:4). We can never be pure enough for God’s perfect holiness. This pollution is worse than the Ebola virus in the sense that it contaminates everything we are, all that we do, all that we have, and every relationship we have with God, others and the planet. Actually, the picture the Bible presents is more like the fictional virus that turns people into zombies – the living dead (Eph. 2:1-3). It eventually kills us.

When Adam and Eve failed to live perfectly (they only had one law to fulfill), the result was the infection of sin that resulted in judicial death (Rom. 5:16), spiritual death (Eph. 2:1-5) and psycho-social death (Gen. 3:19). The effects of this sin-virus are seen everywhere: in our own lives, in history, in the world around us, and in the Bible’s descriptions (Rom. 3:10-18; 8:6-7; 1 Cor. 2:14).

Since then, men and women have attempted to cure this sin disease on their own terms. How? By creating new standards and ways. If we only redefine the virus then it will not affect us. Yeah, right. If only we fulfill God’s Law we’ll get better. Nope; ain’t gonna happen. Some even took God’s Law and added to it believing that by our efforts we can remove sin and make ourselves uncontaminated and acceptable before God. This is like taking medicine that doesn’t work and adding snake venom to make it better! Take two bottles a day. Forever! The fact is, we have a total inability to remove sin and become perfectly holy and righteous before pure God (John 1:13; 3:5; 6:44; Rom. 7; 8:7-8; 2 Cor. 3:5; Heb. 11:6). Any use of the Law or any new law is absolutely ineffective as a cure.

This is where God’s grace comes in. Before the history of mankind, God took the initiative to be gracious to you and me. By grace he chose to save us from sin’s viral effects and to make us whole again. He did that in order to bring us home as his long-lost and once-diseased sons and daughters (Eph. 1:4).

For more, check out: Exodus 33:19; Psalm 65:4; Isa. 43:1-2; 45:5; 64:6-8; Jer. 1:4-8; Ez. 18:4; Matt. 1:21; 11:27; Luke 4:25-27; 18:7; John 5:21, 40; 6:29-40; 63-65; 10:14-16; 27-29; 15:16; 17:1-2, 6-9; 24; Acts 9:1-16; 10:39-42; 13:48; Rom. 9:11; 19-24; 11:1-6; 11:18-23; 8:28-30; Eph. 1:1ff; 2:10; Col. 3:12; I Thess. 1:4; II Tim. 1:9; I Pet. 2:9f.

Grace comes from God (Rom. 1:1-2; 5:8). And it come freely! God demonstrates his grace by sending Christ to the live a perfect holy life for us, and then sent Jesus to the cross to die in our place (Matt. 1:21; 1 Pet. 2:9-10).

For further study: Isa. 53:1-12; Psalm 11:9; Matthew 1:21; 18:11; 20:28; 26:28; Luke 19:10; John 6:37-40; 6:63-65; 10:14-16; 27-29; 17:1-2; 6-9; 24; Acts 9:1-16; 10:39-42; Rom. 9:11; 19-24; 11:1-23; Eph. 2:10; I Thess. 1:4; II Tim. 1:9; I Pet. 2:9-10.

It is by God’s grace that Jesus saves us from God’s purifying fire and from our guilt and disease (Eph. 1:1-2:7). By grace Jesus paid the price to purify us of our sin disease (Psalm 41:4; 103:3; Isa. 53:5; 1 Pet. 2:24; 1 John 1:9). By grace Jesus paved the way for us to come to his loving Father-God. Trusting in what Jesus has done and is doing for us makes us whole and holy.

So, you see, there is no problem with God’s amazing grace. Like the Pharisees of old and many others throughout history we should be convinced that God is gracious. He is gracious to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). God’s grace through Christ makes us holy and pronounces us righteous. At the same time, we should be equally convinced that God’s grace keeps us cured and gives us the desire and strength to live unpolluted lives of purity (Rom. 5:15; Rom. 5:21; Eph. 1:4-6; Phil. 1:6). Like Paul, we should come to a metaknowledge (truth driven deeply into the core of our being) that approaching God is by grace, knowing God is by grace, and also living for God is by grace (more on this in Part 2).

By grace alone;

Don

Pastor Ryan’s first message for the short series, The Beautiful Journey, was dynamic, enriching, and so Gospel-centered. It was very refreshing to hear about God’s grace filling our lives as we journey in Christ through life. One of the points that struck me was to be reminded that our identity is not merely that we have righteousness of Christ, but that when we trust in Christ we are made righteous in Christ. Our identity is not in the old life of the sin nature, but is in the new life of Christ’s righteous nature. We are not only declared righteous, but we are being made righteous. That is the identity we have now, and that identity is what is so essential in life’s journey; the journey God makes beautiful.

So, tagging along with such good news, here are a few more things you have in Christ. Be encouraged. Take hold of this new identity you have in Christ alone so you can relish in the Lord and delight in his beautiful journey.

_________

When you trust and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ he changes your position before God and also changes your very person, your identity in life.  Here is what Jesus Christ has done:

* You have been transplanted out of kingdom of darkness and placed into kingdom of Light.

(1 Peter 2:9-10; Col. 1:12-13; Eph. 2:1-2; 1 John 5:19; Eph. 6:10-12; 1 Thess. 2:12; 2 Pet.1:11)

 

* You have access to God and are recipients of His grace, mercy, love, peace

(1 Cor. 2:10; 2 Cor. 3:18; 13:13-14; Eph. 2:8; Rom. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:18; Heb. 4:16; 10:19-20)

 

* You are now adopted as children of God. You are in God’s family and share God’s family name!

Meditate on these statements:

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will (Ephesians 1:4-5)

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household (Ephesians 2:19)

(John 1:12; Eph. 1:4-5; 2:19; Rom. 8:23; 9:4; 1 Cor. 3:1; Gal. 6:10; Eph. 1:4-5; 2 Tim. 2:19-21)

 

* He has brought you near to him. In other words, you are now able to have fellowship with the almighty, eternal, and living God!

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)

(Eph. 2:13; Jas. 4:8; Heb. 10:22; Jn. 1:3)

 

* You are kept secure in Christ all the way into eternity

(1 Peter 1:3-5)

 

* You have been, are being and forever will be saved or redeemed by Christ

Redeemed out of the slave market of world, flesh, devil (Luke 1:57-79; Gal. 4:4-6; Rev. 5:9-10) and reconciled to God with forever peace (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:17-21)

* You are given God’s Holy Spirit who places you in Christ

What the Holy Spirit does in your life is to give you R.I.B.S. This means, he Regenerate you (brings you back from spiritual death and gives you life), Indwells you, Baptizes you, and Seals you. The Holy Spirit also fills you with himself and gives you special gifts to love and serve God and others.

(Jn 3:6ff; 7:39; Rom. 5:5; 6; 8:9, 23; 1 Cor. 12:13; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; Gal. 4:6; Eph. 1:14; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Jn 2:27; 3:24)

 

* You inherit all things in Christ!

This is incredible to think about. First, you have Christ’s inheritance. What the Father God has given to him is now also yours (Eph. 1:18; Jn. 17:22; Rom. 8:30; Col. 3:4; Eph. 1:6).

Ephesians 1:18 says, “…may the eyes of your understanding be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.”

You have that inheritance now, but you will also receive the full amount  in the future. What’s in this inheritance is not completely revealed to us, but it is certainly something we will claim in heaven. What we do know is that this inheritance cannot be corrupted, defiled, will never fade away, and will always be reserved for you (1 Pet. 1:4; Eph. 1:14; Co. 3:24; Heb. 9:15).

But even more mind-blowing is that you are Christ’s inheritance. You are what God gives to His Son (Psa. 2:6-9; John 3:16; 17:11)!

When Jesus had a special time in prayer with the Father and was praying for his present and future people he said, “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to you. Holy Father, keep them through your name those you have given to me, that they may be one as we are one (John 17:11)

* You are also vitally united to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Our triune God has you and you have God (1 Thess. 1:1; Eph. 4:6; Rom. 8:1; Jn. 14:20; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 2:12).

* You are in fellowship with saints as a new and holy nation, a special people, with heavenly citizenship

(Lk. 10:20; Jn 17:11-23; 2 Cor. 5:8, 20; Eph. 2:19; 4:1-3; Phil. 3:20; Heb. 12:22; 1 Pet. 2:9-11; Ti.2:14)

You have new life in Christ! You share with Jesus, his

• life (Col. 1:27; 3:4; 1 John 5:11-12)

• position (Col. 3:1; Eph. 2:6)

• service (1 Cor. 1:9; 2 Cor. 3:6; 6:1-4, 14; 15:57f)

• suffering (2 Tim. 2:12; Phil 1:29; 1 Pet. 4:12-13; Col. 1;24; Rom. 5:5; 8:18; 9:1-3; 1 Thess. 3:3; Gal. 5:22)

* Finally, you are being glorified in Christ.

To be glorified is to share in the radiant beauty of our holy God. It is to own and reflect some and certain qualities of his divine nature. God is not waiting until he brings you to heaven to glorify you. He is making you glorious now. You are glorious in Christ!

(Rom. 4:17; 8:16-18, 30; 1 Cor. 15:22; Col. 3:4; 2 Peter 1:1-11)

 

Your bags are packed. You’re ready to go.

Yes, if you truly trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior you are given Christ’s righteousness and are made righteous in him. That’s your position before a holy God and your condition in our perfect Lord. Packed in with this righteousness are so many of the additional things we have seen above. The journey you have in life is beautiful because of all that God has for you. The realization of just how beautiful that journey is comes by personally owning the reality of it. Christ has packed your bags full. He has prepped your vehicle. All you need to do is take hold of this new identity, accept what he’s given to you in Christ  and relish in his beautiful journey.

So, what is the benefit of being a part of a Life Group at South Fellowship? That’s a good question. Because our society is so disjointed and spread out, it is not easy to live as God wants us as his people. He tells us that people who truly follow Jesus by faith are connected by God’s Spirit. We are, as he says, God’s temple and Christ’s body. We are called upon to live out that spiritual reality.

What’s more, we are called to fulfill all those precious “one another” commands, such as to love one another, serve one another, and exhort, teach, encourage, counsel, edify, pray for one another and then some. The best way many churches have found to do this is through Life Groups (also called by other names).

If you have not yet found a reason or have not yet connected with a Life Group, then I urge you to make a commitment to at least consider how a Life Group can enrich your life while blessing others.

A Life Group is a place to:

Love and be loved

A major reason to unite with a Life Group (LG) is so that you may expand your love to others and be loved by others (1 Peter 4:8).  As so many have already experienced, Life Groups are small communities of grace, appreciation, comfort, refuge, healing and unity; in other words, a place for caring relationships.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)

Nutritional support:  John 13:35; 15:9-12; Romans 12:10ff; 1 Corinthians 1:9-10; 12:26; 13; 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13; 4:9; 2 Cor. 1:2-7; 13:11-14; Ephesians 3:14-21; 1 Peter 4:7-11

Integrate into a Jesus-community

We live in a day in which people are more connected with others than ever before, but perhaps just as many are not living in healthy, social communities or developing good relationships. God made us for relationships and has designed us to be intertwined with other followers of Jesus. For many reasons he wants us to be living cells in the one body of Christ.

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. (1 Corinthians 12:12)

Nutritional support: Matthew 12:50; Romans 12:3-5; 1 Corinthians 12:1-27; Ephesians 2:19; 4:13; Titus 1:4

Foster fellowship and friendships

LGs are arenas for you to know and be known, to value and be valued. Believers in Jesus Christ learn how to turn strangers and even enemies into friends. After all, Jesus loved his enemies and made them his friends! Friends know how to have fellowship and fun. Friends practice authenticity, acceptance, kindness, patience, and sacrifice. Good friends support and enrich each other.

No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15)

Nutritional support: 1 Samuel 20:17; Proverbs 27:6, 17; Matthew 5:43-48; 11:19; 22:37-39; John 15:13-15; Romans 13:8-10

Encourage and be encouraged*

It is not hard to find yourself and others in places of distress or discouragement. That’s because of the nature of life this side of heaven. What’s even more challenging is living out the healthy Christian life in the ways God has designed for you, for us. He has made you to come alongside of others and made others to come alongside of you in order to build you up, grow you out, and enrich you well. LGs are wonderful places to do just that.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Nutritional support: Hebrews 3:13; 10:24-25; 1 Thess. 4:18; 5:11-14; 1 Cor. 13:6; Eph. 4:13; Phil. 3:15-16; Col. 2:19

*Note: In the New Testament, exhorting and encouraging one another means to urge and bolster others in their Christian walk by giving aid and comfort; by strengthening; by counseling; by being a true friend in doing whatever is necessary to promote the welfare of the ones you love.

Give and be given

God created us as relational creatures who are designed to give and to receive. This is how God is: he gives and we receive. God made us like him in this way. While sin has corrupted this original design Jesus came as the God-Man to give to us new life and to restore in us that original purpose. As believers in Jesus Christ we not only have natural talents but are also given spiritual gifts to benefit others.

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace… (1 Peter 4:10)

Nutritional support: Matthew 10:43-44; Romans 12; 1 Cor. 12; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 4:7-16

Raise up new leaders

LGs are fantastic laboratories for finding and developing future leaders in Christ’s church. There is a principle in the Bible that says if God is calling a particular person to serve as a leader that one will be growing in Christ-like character, exercising spiritual gifts necessary for the work, and exhibiting essential leadership qualities. These things will become apparent to both the leadership in the local church, but also to many within the congregation. God’s people will recognize this person’s call as a qualified and legitimate, and this happens within contexts such as Life Groups.

And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:2-4)

Nutritional support: Exodus 18:13-27; Matthew 28:28; Heb. 5:4; 1 Tim. 3; 4:14-15; 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:1-2; 3:16f

Observe God’s Word

Jesus’ departing command to his followers was that as they go out into the world they would make disciples by teaching them to observe his commandments (Matthew 28:28). To observe means to know, understand, obey, and practice (Luke 11:28). LGs are more than classrooms to gain Bible information. They are classrooms to garner spiritual formation (Rom. 12:1-2). LGs are a means to be involved in promoting the spiritual growth of others in Christ-likeness. They are living contexts to observe God’s Word. How? One way is by teaching one another (Colossians 3:16).

Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it! (Luke 11:28)

Nutritional support: Acts 20:32; Rom. 14:19; 15:2,14; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Ephesians 4:11-13; Colossians 1:28; 3:16; Hebrews 5:11-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Uphold others who are suffering.

God wants us to care for the needs of others, especially those who are fellow believers in Jesus Christ. It’s a strange thing that suffering flows through God’s grace (Romans 8:28-29). All suffering for the believer is ultimately designed for blessing (1 Peter 1:9-11; 4:14). What’s more, God made it so that fellow Christians come alongside to aid one another in life’s pain and suffering (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

Nutritional support: Isaiah 35:3; 40:1; 1 Corinthians 14:31;2 Corinthians 1:5-7; Ephesians 4:32; 1 Thessalonians 5:11, 14;  James 1:27

Praise and pray together

1 Peter 2:5 tells us that as God’s people we are the new temple of God as well as priests who offer spiritual sacrifices to God. The early church, along with the Jewish people of the time, understood that true worship and sacrifice was mostly about praying to God and praising God. LGs give us wonderful occasions to be God’s priests by praying for one another, and then worshipfully praising God together for who God is and what he does.

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. (James 5:13)

Nutritional support: 1 Chronicles 16:11; Matthew 7:7; Luke 18:1; Ephesians 6:18-19; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; James 5:13-18; Revelation 1:6

Serve together

The last, but certainly not the least characteristic of LGs is that we find ways to serve and be served in tangible and personal ways. As a congregation we can certainly serve, but the closeness of LGs opens up for us real opportunities to minister. The Bible tells us we do this:

1. By serving God (Exodus 7:16, John 4:21-23; Acts 20:19)

2. By serving one another, which is the highest position we hold in Christ’s Kingdom (Mark 9:34ff; Luke 22:24ff)

3. By serving others in tangible acts of kindness, mercy, and hope (Luke 10; Acts 6)

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10)

Nutritional support: Mark 10:43-44; John 13:14; 1 Corinthians 9:19; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Galatians 5:13; Philippians 2:3-8

These are some of the main reasons for getting connected with a Life Group. Here is what I encourage you to do:

1. If you are already involved in a Life Group, then tell others about it.

2. If you are not united with a Life Group yet, then please take ten to twenty minutes to think and pray about doing so. Mark it down in your calendar to do this, and then agree to commit to seriously weighing how your involvement in a Life Group can and will impact your life positively (let alone how it will bless others).

3. If you are already convinced you want to join with a Life Group, then go on South’s website to find out more or check out the various tables that will be set up at South Fellowship on Sundays September 21st, and Sunday September 28th.

Thank you!

Here’s to Life!

Don