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Gary

What is God doing?

Have you ever asked yourself, “What is God doing?”  What is he “up to” in our world today?  What, if anything, does he want with us?  Do we get any help from the Bible?

 In the first book called Genesis (means “beginnings”) we read:

 ”Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

 So God created man in his own image,

 in the image of God he created him;

 male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.  (Genesis 1:26-30 NIV)

 

In the last book of the Bible called Revelations we read John’s testimony of God’s revelation to him:

 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

(Revelations 21:1-4 NIV)

 

 

What are some of the implications?

 God wants a family.  He wants fellowship.  He wants a people with whom he shares an intimate friendship.  He doesn’t need this.  He wants this.  He was complete in and of himself.  He is the Triune God in perfect communion; Father, Son and Spirit.  He is the model and source of oneness and complete harmony.  He is the source of authentic community.

 We were made to be a part of God’s family.  We were made in God’s image, in his likeness.  We were made so we could join in the community of the Godhead.  We were invited to become a part of the family of God.

 When the first man and woman sinned and violated the purpose of God, God was not surprised.  God’s plan to create and then redeem a people to himself was not an after thought.  Jesus Christ was “as a lamb slain from the foundation of the world”.  Look at what Paul wrote to some of God’s family members in the city of Ephesus:

 “His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ.  And this gave him great pleasure.”  (Ephesians 1:5 NLT)

 The Bible is the account of God building a family to love him, acknowledge him, serve with him and eventually reign with him forever.  The passage from Revelations quoted above brings us to the end of time as we know it; THEN begins a never ending eternity in perfect community with our God.

 We’re in school.  For a few short years here on earth we get to know God and how to join him in his work.  We are introduced to God and invited to become a part of his family.  We join the family of God by the new birth.  “You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”  (Galatians 3:26 NLT)  We learn how to listen to him and are transformed by the renewing of our minds.  We are being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.  We are learning “community” from the author and creator of community.  We do this in concert with other family members as we understand and operate within the kingdom of God which is both here and now.  We discover God’s intent in these last days to work out his purposes and plans through assemblies or groups of believers we often describe as churches.  Jesus is the head of every authentic church and leads them in discipleship and the development of authentic community.

 We’re learning God.  We are learning to see with his eyes, love with his heart, think with his mind, value what he values and work with his strength.  We are becoming like Jesus.  We view life increasingly from a Kingdom of God perspective and live according to his purposes.  We are developing our gifts of service in our spiritual communities and in our world.

 We’re preparing to reign with Jesus Christ forever.  This life with all of its stuff, including these temporary bodies of ours, will one day be GONE.  We learn to focus on the unseen both here on earth and there in eternity.  We know him.  Walk with him.  Become like him.  Depend on him.  Follow him.

God is building a family to love and live with Him for all eternity.  His family will worship him, serve him and reign with him forever.  Are you preparing?  Are you “learning of Christ”?  Changed any lately?  Are you following Jesus?  Are you in community with other committed believers?

 Is your church helping you follow Jesus?  Helping you be more like him?  Preparing you to reign with him?

What About Church Planting?

The establishment of new groups of believers for the purpose of making disciples is exciting and biblical.  Many call this “church planting”.  I’m grateful for the increased interest planting churches is receiving in books, blogs, forums and existing churches.

 

I recently read a fascinating book on church planting.  I’ll tick off some of the key observations:

 

• Believers with a burden from God to share the message of Jesus Christ (special messengers) with those who have not heard, find new people groups and tell them about Jesus.
• Those who believe the message and are baptized are gathered in homes and taught to obey the teachings Christ.  They become Christ’s disciples.
• These disciples share the good news about Jesus with their families, friends, neighbors and co-workers.  Those who believe and are baptized become a regular part of a house gathering where they can grow in their discipleship.
• As the house groups share with others and grow in number, more house groups are established. 
• These groups meet and interact on a daily basis, in weekly meetings, and sometimes in combined meetings with other house groups.  Jesus is recognized as the head of each group and is worshiped, listened to and followed.  They worship together in their meetings.  They build each other up spiritually.  They use their unique gifts.  They “do life” together.  They become a spiritual community. 
• The leadership in these groups is decided by “consent” as groups recognize those spiritually mature and able to provide guidance in the group.  These become key leaders with whom the “special messengers” may share additional wisdom.   When issues arise in the groups, meetings may be called involving these key leaders.
• Groups multiply locally, anywhere members may move their residence or where “special messengers” are sent by God out of these groups.
• This method could effectively saturate a people group or reach new people groups with the message of Jesus Christ.

 

Consider the barriers to church planting this approach would remove:

 

1.  Groups learn to associate following Jesus with a lifestyle, not a day of the week.   2.  Group members help each other live a Christ honoring life and reach their friends with the good news about Jesus.  3.  Groups may grow as large as the number of houses in which they live.  4.  Groups are free of the financial burden of paying for land and buildings.  5.  Groups are free of the need for “professional clergy” to be trained or become a financial burden.  6.  Groups have more resources to help the poor, serve one another and support planters to new people groups.

 

This is the most exciting book I’ve ever read on church planting!   Of course, I’m talking about the book of Acts and the other books of the New Testament.  Books we must read with “fresh eyes”.   Books we must read without our “Western church” or “Western corporate leadership” bias.  Some of us will have to think in “new” ways.  Our God will have to “be larger” in our eyes.  We’ll have to think outside the box.  We’ll have to experience a paradigm shift.  Have no fear.  We’ll be returning to the way it all started with Jesus and the apostles.  We’ll do it according to the pattern of the New Testament.

 

I believe this pleases the heart of Jesus.

 

What do you think?

A Word About Worship

What is real worship?  What does it look like?  What does it “feel” like?  Does feeling really matter?  When will I know I’m worshiping?  How will I know I’m worshiping?

 

I recently returned from Mexico.   As on other occasions I worshiped with my Mexican brothers and sisters.  Their “worship” style is not what I generally see or experience.  Their styles, as here in the States, vary from one group to another.  The one thing our Mexican brethren and many others I visit have in common is “Who” we worship.

 

An all too common mistake Christians make in worship today is seeking an experience rather than seeking God.  We seek the gifts more than the Giver.  We want to live by “feeling” rather than faith.

 

The Bible describes many possible expressions of worship.  Here are some:

 

• Singing
• Standing in honor
• Kneeling
• Shouting
• Confessing
• Lifting hands
• Giving Testimony
• Making a joyful noise
• Playing musical instruments
• Praying in many and varied positions

 

All of these expressions may be expressions of worship.  Any of these expressions may be expressed for the wrong reason or to the wrong person.  When someone says, “Well, here’s how I see God….”  If their view of God is inconsistent with his revelation of himself, they are not worshiping God.  This, of course, would be idolatry.

 

Here’s another potential problem with our understanding of worship.  While worship may be emotional, I believe we must be aware that having an emotional experience does not mean we’ve worshiped.  This is one of the dangers of great music.  We attend meetings with “great music”, “moving music” and assume we’ve worshiped because we’ve been emotionally moved.  What happens if we attend a meeting where Jesus is recognized, honored, sought, praised and obeyed, but we do not have the same emotional experience?  Did we worship?  Was that worship?  Was that worship just as worthy as the time we had “great music”?  Was it perhaps even more pleasing to God?  I do not argue against great music.  I argue in favor of authentic worship.

 

Jesus once told a woman it didn’t matter where you worshiped but who and how you worshiped.  He told her God was looking for people who would worship him in spirit and in truth.  (John 4).  For centuries religious people have made specific buildings and places central to worship.  Some even worship their buildings!  Jesus tells us that’s not what he’s about. 

 

We are to worship the God who reveals himself in creation, in Jesus and in the written Word.  We are to love him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.  We are to honor him and worship him at all times every day.  Our lives and the activities that fill them are to be acts of worship.  Our gathering with other believers is a recounting and celebration of what God has done in and through our collective lives.  As we acknowledge him, listen to him, and respond to him we are built up together in him.  Expressions may vary but he alone is the object of our love, devotion and obedience.

 

Is Jesus the center of my worship no matter how I feel?  Do I love him with all my heart?  Do I love others the way I love myself?  That’s what he taught me and that’s what honors him.  So, I ask myself, “How’s my worship?”  And I ask you…

 

How’s your worship?

Do you love the church?

I love the local church.  My heroes are men and women who take Jesus seriously.  They meet regularly to hear from him.  They encourage one another to follow Jesus.  They do life together.  They invite others to join them in their journey.  They are my heroes.

 

These kinds of people are not new.  They’ve been meeting for over 2000 years.  I would suggest the first group met during the personal ministry of Jesus Christ in Galilee.  They were baptized believers who came together around the headship of Jesus Christ.  They were meeting, ministering and accomplishing Christ’s commission work before the events recorded in Acts chapter 2 (Look at Acts chapter 1).  In obedience to Jesus they waited for the empowering of the Holy Spirit recorded in Acts 2.  Three thousand were added to their number in one day.  Others were being added day by day.  Five thousand were added on another day.  They were growing large but meeting small.  They met in houses all across Jerusalem.  They were attentive to Jesus, his teachings and to one another.  They knew and were known.  They loved and were loved.

 

These kinds of people still meet today.  They still follow Jesus and love one another.  They continue to do the work of Jesus.  They may or may not meet in your community but they exist.  (I’m confident some of them would help you begin a meeting in your neighborhood.)

 

I love the local church.  But you know every group calling itself a church doesn’t act or function like the groups I’ve been describing.  Why?  What happened?  How could men and women “highjack” the church and make it something it was never meant to be?  Why do so many churches today NOT look like or function as those early churches? 

Why doesn’t everyone love going to church?

Why doesn’t everyone love going to church?

 

What’s not to love about:

• Being loved and accepted unconditionally by others
• Meeting with others to focus on Jesus
• Enjoying a fellowship meal where life is shared
• Knowing intimately and loving God together
• Listening and caring for one another
• Discovering and planning how to serve others
• Finding and fulfilling my purpose in the body of Christ and in the world
• Understanding and using my gifts to build the body of Christ and advance God’s Kingdom
• Sharing what Jesus is teaching me and watching this bless others
• Being affirmed by others and when necessary confronted
• Being discipled and discipling others to better follow Jesus
• Watching life produce life and experiencing life to its fullest

 

Now look at this list again.  What do you see?  Is this your normal experience when you go to church?  If so, congratulations, you’ve found an authentic church. 

 

What I’ve tried to describe above is the way church can be and I believe should be.  It is both life giving and life changing.  It is so fulfilling we could not think of another place we’d rather be on earth than with God’s people in the presence of Jesus.

 

I believe God continues to work in his churches today.  I don’t believe he is leading them to try the “next new thing”.  I believe he is calling them return to their first love Jesus.  I believe their return will impact both their form and function.

 

What do you think?   

My Early Religious Experience

I didn’t grow up religious.  I wasn’t raised going to church.  The closest I got to a “God discussion” was my dad asking God to damn a bunch of stuff.  We were not religious.

Having said that, I can’t remember when I didn’t believe in God.  I’m not sure if it’s what he (God) put in me or all the evidence around me, but I’ve always believed in God.  I didn’t know who he was, what he had done or what he was doing but I was sure he existed.

I was first introduced to him by a group of people meeting in a small missionary church in Denton, Texas.  I was drawn by their love for and acceptance of me.  These sweet people were very enthusiastic about someone named Jesus and shared with me incredible stories about his life and teachings.  During a series of meetings where the Bible was being taught nightly an old grey haired man clearly shared with the group how Jesus Christ had made a way for us to know God and have a relationship with him forever.  What he was saying “rang true” in my mind and heart and I became a believer.  I invited Jesus into my life… and did not even know at the time he claimed to be God!

My understanding and our relationship continues to grow some 40 plus years later.  I hope I’ve gotten less “religious” and more relational.  I want to be more like the Jesus.   I wish I had known what I know now about God a long time ago.  Slow learner…?  I guess so, but I’m still learning.

I’m on a journey into a relationship that will last for ever.  I invite your questions and/or comments.

Where have all the disciples gone?

In Matthew’s account of the life and times of Jesus Christ he records these words spoken by Jesus:

 

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  (NIV)

 

The followers of Jesus Christ are told to make disciples of all nations.  Disciples are to reproduce disciples.  Followers are to reproduce followers.  People in love and committed to Jesus are to help others learn how to love and follow Jesus.

 

Disciples are people who knowingly decide to follow Jesus Christ and his teachings.  They are to learn how to obey (observe in practice) everything Jesus commanded.  Things like…

 

• Loving God supremely
• Loving others they way we love ourselves
• Forgiving those who wrong us
• Giving to those in need
• Putting others before ourselves
• Gathering with other followers

 

Since we generally think of Jesus’ followers today gathering in local assemblies called churches, we often describe the work of a church as making disciples.  Authentic churches make disciples.  They help one another fall in love with Jesus, honor him as their Lord and leader and follow (practice) all of his teachings.  They recognize Jesus as their head and themselves as his body accomplishing his purposes.

 

Now here’s my question, if a church’s work is to make disciples, where are all the disciples?  Where are those who love, obey and represent Jesus Christ in their families, neighborhoods, the work place and their cities?  If there are thousands of churches made up of multiple thousands of people shouldn’t there be demonstrable thousands of disciples?  My observation of many American churches (These are the churches with which I am most familiar.) is that while they are very busy in religious activities, they aren’t making many disciples.  Why?

 

·        Is this an accurate observation of churches in America?

·        If it’s true, why are churches not producing disciples?

·        What about churches in other nations?  Are disciples being made?

·        What about the church you attend?

 

Who is Jesus Christ and what are authentic churches?  I’m blogging on these topics and welcome your comments.  Let’s dialog.

What am I blogging about?

I always wanted community.  I longed for it.  I wanted to know and be known.  I wanted to love and be loved.  I wanted to understand and be understood.  I wanted to encourage and be encouraged.  I wanted community.

I would get small glimpses and ”tastes” of community through my marriage, spiritual mentors, guys I tried to help disciple and staff who served with me in churches.  I drank up those moments and longed for more.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered the church I pastored was always meant to be the community I craved.  Jesus designed and empowered his church to be a community of faith accomplishing God’s purposes on earth.  A church should be the perfect place to be authentic and accepted.   

What went wrong?  Why do so many churches fail to become dynamic, life changing communities?  Why are there so few followers of Jesus?   Why so much talk and so little action?  Why do so many professing christians lead such segmented lives?  Why is the reputation of the church so sullied and what, if anything, can be done about it?

What are authentic churches?  What do they look like?  What do they do?  How do churches become authentic communities where lives are changed in both time and eternity?  How do they become what they were meant to be?  What is our part?

My heroes are the guys and gals who recognize the ills of the church, but still love it and are willing to do what is necessary to see it revolutionized, returned to its intended purpose.  Some are pastors, missionaries, church planters and staff.  Most are just people, perhaps like you, who long for community and want to be a part of something bigger than themselves.  They long to impact their world for the greatest good and still believe the church is the way to do it.

You may have been burned by a church.  You’re hurt, disappointed and disillusioned.  You quit!  You’re not going back.  Welcome to a growing crowd.  I’m glad you’re reading this.  Come dialog with us.  Share your story.  Discuss and discover with us the difference between what men have made and what God is doing today in authentic churches.

You may have never had anything to do with a church.  You don’t even know what it is or what it does.  You may not understand what we’re talking about.  But, you know you long for community.  You want to love and be loved.  You want a sense of belonging and acceptance.  You want to make a difference in your world.  You may be looking for authentic church.  What does it look like?  Where can you find it?  How could you start one?  Boy, are we glad to have you on the journey!  Let’s talk. 

Gary Roberts