Need for Community

I'm currently reading The Relational Soul: Moving from False Self to Deep Connection. It is excellent and everyone should read it!

The chapter that focuses on "Community" explains the importance of living in community, connected with others, especially a faith/church community. Here's a few quotes from that chapter:

"The church of Christ is the actual expression of his presence in the world." ... "To live in a true-self way we must live in specific, particular, concrete relationships." ... "It is impossible to foster soulful relationships without a real commitment to a particular community of faith. We learn to love by loving real people. No one matures in the capacity to connect well if what we love is our idealized images of others or ourselves."

When I think of community I see a vision of people sitting around a big table, connecting deeply over a wonderful meal. Jesus invites us to the table. Not to sit alone, but to enjoy communion and community with him and others. Zach Williams has a song entitled "To The Table" that sort of paints this picture. Take a listen and ponder how you are doing relating to God and others within real community.

Springtime Under the Steeple

I snapped a few shots around the church the other morning.  Who doesn't love dogwoods in the Spring?!  The changing of seasons provides us with a glimpse into the power and glory of God's creation.  As wonderful as it is, the taint of sin is still present.  Consider what awaits us when all of this is redeemed.

Love Springtime.  Hate allergies.  "I will glory in my Redeemer!"

There's A New Blog In Town

For regular visitors to "The Steeple" you may notice there is a new item listed on my list of blogs on the left side-bar. My sister, Lisa Call, is now blogging over at "Truth Be Told." Hope she updates her site more frequently than her younger brother.

I am glad she has stepped out into this medium and is willing to share her thoughts with the world. Add her to your "reader" and I believe you will be inspired and encouraged by her honesty. The Lord has been working in her heart and life over the last several years and she is happy to tell all who will listen what a blessing He has been to her.

We would all be strengthened if we participate in genuine relationships with one another and make an effort to "speak the truth" and do so with a measure of compassion and grace. We want to do so in order to build up the Body of Christ and bring glory to God.

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SBC Annual Meeting

Dr. Danny Akin provides a nice summary of some key happenings at the recent gathering of the Southern Baptist Convention. You can read his entire article here.

I greatly appreciate Dr. Akin's balance and clarity. Here are his closing thoughts, having reflected on the events of the SBC annual meeting.

"Finally, what lies ahead for Southern Baptists? Of course only our sovereign and omniscient God knows. Will we be seduced by the non-biblical sirens of the emergent church? I do not think so. Will we be divided over the “bogey man” called Calvinism? No. Will we be distracted from our main assignments by differences in worship style, names on church marquees, and other methodological issues that are biblically neutral? Let’s hope not. These are interesting and challenging days to be sure. However, of these things we can be certain:

Jesus is Lord.

The Bible is True.

Salvation is by grace alone thru faith alone in Christ alone for the glory of God alone.

God is Building His Church.

All the Nations will gather to worship the Lamb.

Our Savior is coming again.

In the end our God wins.

This is more than enough to give me hope. This is more than enough to keep me going until I see my Master face to face and worship at His nail scared feet. What a God we have. What a Gospel we preach. What a family we enjoy. What a Savior we serve!"

I am thankful to our Heavenly Father for providing passionate and gracious leaders in the SBC.

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Fellowship

Most Christians would define "fellowship" as something having to do with food, or at least coffee and donuts. A sad commentary, given the biblical perspective of this aspect of our life as Christians. Fellowship actually has to do with a personal, abiding communion among those who share the commonality of Christ. While this may involve the 'breaking of bread' during a meal or the Lord's Table, fellowship may occur in a variety of settings.

During a recent visit with some friends I enjoyed a wonderful sense of fellowship. A smile, a big bear hug, I was among brothers and sisters in Christ. Throughout the day our hearts were focused on the Lord Jesus as we worshiped, sang, laughed, prayed and ate (yep, there was food). Although I can laugh, talk and eat with my friends who are not followers of Christ, it is simply not the same. The bond, present because of the Holy Spirit, is absent in the relationships of unbelievers.

God has fixed it so that we can enjoy this unique relationship among the Body of Christ. It is sweet when experienced and deeply desired when we are separated from this sort of setting. Thus we must foster a culture of fellowship in our churches and seek many opportunities with our friends in Christ. We are designed for fellowship.

Update, Etc.

I have time for a quick update. My wife is recovering from her surgery. We are being well attended to by our congregation. What a blessing to have a church family that walks with folks through life challenges. I thank the Lord for these dear folks.

Accountability in the Church

"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you." Hebrews 13:17

What does this verse mean for the average church member?

What does this verse mean for the Pastor?

In many churches there is an accountability crisis. I know this is the case because I have personally seen it and I hear of it often in other churches. Although I know the answer to the questions that I posed above, I am thinking through this issue. I welcome you to join me. (read: "please share comments while I'm wrestling with this topic")

Are We Making Disciples?

Thad has a great post that deals with the issue of the Great Commission. This is a must read for pastors, lay leaders and those who desire to be faithful to the gospel and the Body of Christ. While there are a few churches here and there that are getting it right, many churches have missed the mark on discipleship.

Reaching Your Unchurched Neighbor

Yesterday in Starbucks I had an interesting conversation with an aquaintance. He has visited our church once, maybe twice. I simply asked him when he was coming to visit again. His response was interesting in that he began to share his view on organized religion. Those are my words, but they reflect his ideas. He said that after a bad experience in a church several years back he decided he could meet with God on his own, outside of the church. He even said that as he spends time outside he often prays in the woods or in a field.

This could have been an opportunity to really set this guy straight. He's not the first person I've encounted with this mindset. Here was my big chance. But, instead of hammering him I made a brief comment about the church being part of God's design for us and letting it go.

This exchange has troubled me. I realize that there are so many folks who hold similar views. How do we reach our unchurched neighbors? If I would have just had my Bible with me, the really big one, I could have smacked him up side his head with it. Surely that would have gotten through to him. [note tone of sarcasm and a wicked smile]

Here's the opening paragraph from a BP article about unchurched Americans:

"A majority of unchurched Americans are turned off by the institutional church and don't have a biblical understanding about God and Jesus, yet they believe Jesus makes a positive difference in a person's life and would enjoy an honest discussion with a friend about spiritual matters."

The last phrase is the most telling and instructive. Believers need to engage in "honest discussion" with their friends and neighbors, not condemning them for being absent at the 11am Sunday service or for specific behavior. Sinners sin you know. Unfortunately many folks outside of the church have a distored understanding of Christianity. They see it mainly as a bunch of do's and don't that really are not appealing to them. We need to talk with them about the big issues of life. Eventually sharing with them the good news of reconciliation and redemption in Christ.

Many unchurched folks will admit that there is a void in their life. There is a very telling interview with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady where he talks about his own emptiness. (I first saw the video here.) Brady admits that even with Superbowl victories, loads of cash and worldwide fame, there is something missing. I pray that Tom has a Christian teammate who will share Christ with him.

It is clear that the church has much work to do. It is also clear that since many of our friends and neighbors will not be joining us on Sundays that we better be going to where they are on Monday - Saturday. Why not have a good cup of coffee at the same time.

Forgiveness

Recently while doing some sermon prep I was rereading portions of Discipled Warriors by Dr. Chuck Lawless. In the chapter on fellowship, "Discipled Warriors Encouraging One Another," I discovered some helpful information on forgiveness (pg. 181). Since nearly all of us will experience hurt and disappointment at the hands of others during our lifetime, this information is worth sharing. It is really a series of self-questions that you may use to determine if you need to forgive someone who has hurt you.

1. Do I dwell on the pain? If so, focus on God's forgiveness of your sins (Luke 7:40-50).

2. Do I avoid dealing with the issues? If you do, in an appropriate setting, admit anger. Bringing it into the light weakens the Enemy's hold (John 8:32).

3. Do I want the offender to hurt before I forgive? If the answer is yes, determine to forgive, even if you do not feel like it. Ask God for the heart of Jesus (Luke 23:34) and Stephen (Acts 7:60).

4. Do I have physical 'symptoms' when I think about the pain? If so, ask God to give you His incomprehensible peace (Phil. 4:7).

Finally, and maybe the most telling for many of us:

5. Can I rejoice if God blesses the one who hurt me? If you can't, pray for the person (Mt. 5:44).

The premise of the book is that our churches have become weak in many areas and therefore vulnerable to the attacks of the Enemy. We are in a spiritual battle and must be equipped and ready for battle. In the issue of forgiveness, there are many church members who harbor grudges and ill feelings about others in the Body of Christ. There is simply no way those individuals will grow and be spiritually successful if they can not forgive. Furthermore, the church as a whole will suffer as a result of these internal battles.

One of the first verses I memorized in Sunday school as a child was Eph. 4:32 which challenges us: "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."

Outside the Box

Tonight our church will launch "Sharing & Caring," a new outreach and in reach strategy. To the right you see a picture of our church building. It is time for us to get out of the box, out of the safe confines of our building, in order to share Christ with our community.

In addition, we will also be seeking to do "in reach" to folks who are part of our church family, ones who are delinquent or have specific needs. The Church desperately needs to care for those in the Body of Christ. We hope to be more intentional about doing that.

I suspect that many of our folks are anxious about this endeavor. I am. I am excited because I know for certain that God will honor our faithful obedience, and that is exciting! Yet, we may encounter adversity as well. How will we respond?

Please pray for our church and our community. I will keep "the world" posted as to our progress in the coming weeks.

Take 2 Asprin and Call Me in the Morning, I'll Pray for You

Brian LeStourgeon has a very good post related to depression and our culture. How do believers engage the culture at this point? Is the church doing what we must do to reduce the "pill popping?" Is there a genuine need for anti-depressants, even among those who are truly converted? Before you answer these questions I urge you to read Brian's post.

[Brian also beat me to the punch on the latest from the Pope, good blogging B.]

Sexual Abuse in the Church

LeStourgeon has a very good post addressing the issue of sexual abuse in the church. I commend it to you. At the most recent Southern Baptist Convention there was a resolution passed on this topic. This tragedy, that tore through the Catholic Church, is obviously not limited to one denomination.

Happy Plastic People

The lyrics to a song by Casting Crowns are so poignant and I think so applicable to my post last week on building community. If you do not know this song take a few minutes to digest the message behind these lyrics. They are striking.

In a genuine community of disciples we would not feel bound to wear masks. But often we do. There is much work in building an authentic community of disciples.

"Stained Glass Masquerade"
Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small
Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover
That I don't belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who's been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who's traded
In the altar for a stage
The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be
Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

Building Community

Are we really building community in our churches? Maybe we are preaching truth. Maybe we are enjoying enthusiastic music and worship. Maybe we are doing evangelism. But, without a sense of community these things are merely actions. Maybe actions done in obedience but possible in a very weak context. People in our culture long for authentic relationships and community.

These thoughts came to mind as I read a recent post by Dr. Michael Haykin. Insightful words from this historian. Words that should challenge each of us to examine the context in which we are worshiping and ministering.

Are we simply going through the motions, "playing church," or are we part of an effort to build a community of disciples?