Shooting Sacred Cows (David Mays)

I found this great website on "Help for Church and Mission Leaders" www.davidmays.com

I listened to his sermon (here) and found the summary article (here) in which he shoots down 3 "sacred cows". Here are David Mays' points, with my thoughts...

1) Make Disciples is NOT the Core of the Great Commission.

Please don’t hear me say that we should not make disciples. We must.

“Teach” and “disciple” are transitive verbs. The sentence isn’t complete until you have the object. And the object is “all nations.” Thus the core of the Great Commission is not “make disciples” but “disciple all nations.” There is a great deal of difference between “making disciples” and “discipling all nations.”

I've heard people make this mistake before, and I've even done so. But if the purpose is just "make disciples" we gut the Great Commission of its "world scope".

2) Poverty, pain, and injustice are NOT God’s primary concern.

Now please don’t jump to the conclusion that God is not concerned about poverty, pain and injustice. He is. What I am saying is that it is not his primary concern.

I think that perhaps the primary thing on God’s mind is the glory of his name in all the earth, the billions of people he created who have no fellowship with him, and perhaps the great dark areas of the earth where people do not know Jesus or even anything about him.

Books on church and missions are being written that seem to interpret God’s primary concern is improving our physical situation. For example, the book "When Helping Hurts" (which I highly recommend), says that God was displeased with Israel because of Israel's failure to care for the poor and oppressed (Isa. 58:1-3, 5-10). This is a very partial explanation. All the books about the kings and prophets repeatedly warn Israel that their primary sin is the worship of false gods, breaking the first and second commandments. Failing to care for the poor and oppressed was part of their lack of obedience.

Helping the poor, the sick, and the oppressed is part of what we are to do as Christians, but it is not the primary part of it. Humanitarian ministries are not to be ignored or neglected. Jesus had compassion on people. He healed the sick and cast out demons.

Luis Palau in a Conference years ago told us that in the area of the world where he grew up, many Christians came and did humanitarian work. It all gradually faded away. Only where Christians came and planted churches did the people in those churches continue to do humanitarian work.

Robert Wuthnow, author of "Boundless Faith -The Global Outreach of American Churches" states: “The social pressures to emphasize service rather than evangelism…are quite powerful. Given the prevailing ethos of tolerance in the North America, it seems quite wrong to confront a devout Muslim or Hindu about his or her need to believe in Jesus, whereas no questions would be raised about giving a starving Muslim or Hindu a meal. Not surprisingly, a popular solution to this dilemma is to redefine service as evangelism” (242)

I suggest that the avenue of helping hurting people can be excellent ministry and the best route to helping people find spiritual life. I’m all for it. But we must be sure that the people we send live a life that is spiritually empowered and that they can effectively introduce people to Jesus.

Very very good point!!

3) Every Christian is NOT a missionary and not all ministry is missions.

You have been in services where the pastor says something like,
• We are all missionaries.
• You are the missionary to your world.
• When you leave the sanctuary today, be sure to read the plaque over the back door that says,
“You are entering your mission field.”

These are all very noble sentiments. We certainly do want people to be obedient disciples, live the Christ life, serve others, and reach out for Jesus where they live and work. The only question is whether it is helpful to call these people “missionaries.” You might think that “Christian” or “disciple” would be a suitable term.

The problem is that the more people we call missionaries, the more things we call missions, and the broader the missions budget, the less progress we make toward the most strategic priorities of reaching the rest of the world with the gospel. Our churches actually become the bottleneck for finishing the task of discipling the nations.

I've made this mistake before too, at Campus for Christ meetings I even said "We're all missionaries". Mays' argues that the term "missionaries" should be narrowed to those who go to the nations whereas the rest of us who "stay home" should be missional Christians, but let's not call ourselves "missionaries".

It's a timely point too talking about "the more things we call missions, and the broader the missions budget" as we review the "Missionary Formula" at church. Mays is all for reaching out to your local city and country, but to that money shouldn't be "borrowed" from missions. It should be designated separately!

Sharpening the Focus of the Church (Gene Getz)

Our pastor referred to this book, and so I checked if it was on our bookshelf and we had it! It's a good all-round summary of the things I had been learning from other books like "Why We Love The Church".

For instance:

In some churches if you dare change the order of the morning worship service, you get the distinct feeling you are tampering with the Scriptures themselves. Who is to say how a service is to be ordered? There is very little in Scripture to suggest specific answers to this question. – pg 160

How can all members of the body use the grace God has given them to build up the rest of the body, when they are consistently “forced” to sit and listen to one man teach or preach? – pg 204

Our failure to provide balanced New Testament experiences for believers has resulted in an emphasis on correct doctrine and a knowledge of Scriptures, but has neglected other important needs that create mature Christian personalities. – pg 204

I also liked this quote. If ever Karen and I are a part of a church plant, I will make sure we're together with other families!

Family units are the building blocks for a healthy church. Only churches that are built out of basic social units have the true health and the potential of rapid growth and steady expansion. The decisive question in founding a church is not how many people are interested in the project, but rather how many families form the foundation of the church. Churches founded by families have the potential to flourish.

And finally I'll posted a few lists from different chapters.

Chapter 4 – Principles of New Testament Evangelism

1. every local body of believers must be responsible for its own community
2. corporate evangelism is basic to personal evangelism
3. presenting the gospel to the unsaved is to take place primarily “in the world” – not “in the church”
4. the primary target for evangelism should be adults and consequently whole households
5. The church is responsible to identify those who feel especially called by God to carry the good news in a special way out into the community and beyond the immediate community – even to “the remotest part of the earth”
6. New believers as soon as possible should be integrated into the life of the local church.
7. The 20th century church must develop its own contemporary structures and approaches to evangelism utilizing the principles and purposes just stated as biblical guidelines.

Chapter 19 – Cultural Implications for the 20th Century

1. The church of Jesus Christ must develop a correct perspective regarding the multiple causes of our present North American crisis.
2. The church must develop a correct view of history.
3. The church must understand clearly why God has left us on earth, and strive with His help to fulfill that purpose. Our primary task is to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ, to both “make disciples” and to “teach those disciples”. We are to be everlastingly busy at this task until Jesus Christ comes again. – pg 229
4. The church must recognize it has a divine mandate to show a vital concern for our government leaders in the life of our nation.
5. The church must provide an atmosphere where Christians can relate to one another in a non-institutionalized environment.
6. The church must provide stability and security for people – something which culture is increasingly failing to do.
7. The church must help Christians to “live in the world” without being a “part of the world”.
8. The church must recognize, and understand and adapt to the cultural effects of the communications revolution.
9. The church must understand the cultural effects on lifestyle and learn to differentiate between what is a violation of biblical principles and what is a violation of cultural norms we have come to accept as absolute.
10. The church must do all it can to strengthen the home, and to counteract the devastating cultural attacks upon this basic of all institutions. The greatest contribution the church can make to our decaying society, is to help build the home. Strong families build strong churches, and together strong homes and strong churches can do more than any one thing to stabilize and revitalize our culture.

Appendix A – Why the Church Exists?
Why the Church Exists in the World = Evangelism (going – make disciples)
Why the Church Exists as a Gathered Community = Edification (baptizing – teach them)

Sticky Church (Larry Osborne)

"Sticky Church" is one of Larry Osborne's follow up books after "The Unity Factor". We also read this with the group at church and since many already lead small groups or will be leading small groups discussion was very lively!

As the title suggests Osborne wants his church (and others) to be "sticky", implying that people will not "drift out the back door and off to another church". But when he started off by saying

Everything we do is aimed at helping the Christians we already have grow stronger in Christ. – pg 20

I think he goes too far. If "everything" is aimed at Christians then what about evangelism and "going into all the world"? After this I think he gets back on track though.

He addresses some of the same topics as "Why We Love The Church" and "Pagan Christianity":

Some go so far as to call a return to house churches as the only way to return to New Testament Christianity. Their rationale goes something like this: If it was good enough for the New Testament apostles, it ought to be good enough for us. If they changed the world with small, mostly house churches, we can too. But their argument carries a fatal flaw. It’s the assumption that New Testament churches remained small and met in homes as a ministry strategy... The truth is, they had no other choice. Without automobiles or mass transit, everything in their culture was small and neighbourhood based. It wasn’t a better option. It was the only option. – pg 45

Then he suggests that the topics discussed in our small groups should be the topic of the previous Sunday mornings sermon.

The simplest and best tool I’ve ever seen for connecting people to one another and engaging them with the Bible for the long haul is a sermon-based small group. – pg 46

We started doing this at Philpott in the spring and will be doing it in the fall as well and the response has been great! As a result the following situation is avoided.

I grew up in a church where we studied one passage or topic in the Sunday sermon, another in Sunday school, still another on Sunday night, and something entirely different on Wednesday night. Frankly, I never had much of a clue as to what we were studying – something related to the Bible, I suppose. The teaching was far to disjointed to create any sense of focus. – pg 62

Near the end of the book he makes a couple good suggestions on how to set up church small groups:

The ideal size for a group of married couples is usually 12 to 14 people. For singles, 8 to 12 can be ideal... Most married couples have a me-too partner, someone who almost always agrees with whatever their mate says (at least in public). – pg 77

We’ve found that the small groups that have the greatest life-on-life impact and stay together the longest are always those in which the friendships are deepest. That’s why we tell people to choose a group primarily according to who else is in it rather than where or when it meets.- pg 78

It was a practical book which I'd recommend to any small group leader.

The Unity Factor (Larry Osborne)

This was one of the books that I read over the past few months which was discussed with our pastor and group of young adults at church. Titled "The Unity Factor" the book has a picture of a 4 man bobsled team on the cover. The book talks about the importance of a united leadership team. I praise God for the 4 years I had the privilege of serving on the Servant Team at Mac. As I read this book I reflected and a lot on these years.

"The outlook that meetings exist for business and business only is one of the main reasons why prayer and devotions are often viewed as preliminaries to the "real meeting", and why few agendas include time for cultivating relationships." - pg 26

Thanks to Ian and Allan who set the bar high, the purpose of our Mac Servant Team meetings was never just business alone. The first hour (of our two hour meeting) was devoted to catching up with one another, prayer and Bible Study.

"Some boards eat together before each meeting. Others regularly schedule social events." - pg 26

Do you guys remember our Servant Team socials? (i.e. TCBY ice cream in Westdale, Kelly and MCs for breakfasts, Webster's Falls hikes)

"Allowing board members to serve indefinitely hasn't resulted in an ingrown board. It's resulted in a stable board." - pg 30

We kind of had this at Mac... The Servant Team had very little change over year after year.

"The nominating committee may be the most important committee in our church, because it serves like the headwaters of a river." - pg 43

Good point. The nominating committee is key!

"When an entire board tries to design, create, or generate new programs, it's headed for failure or frustration." - pg 53

And that's why for the big outreach events like I Agree With Dave or Does God Exist we put a single person in charge (Anton and Rony, respectively) and they took it and ran with it. We as a Servant Team didn't get bogged down.

"We hold Q&A sessions a few weeks before the annual general meeting, so everyone can make suggestions, register complaints, or clarify issues... The result? Boring congregational meetings." - pg 57

Sounds very very familiar to "Town Hall Meetings" we have a Philpott before our AGM.

"I keep no secrets from the board... The elders and I jointly shepherd the flock, and we can't do our job if we keep secrets from one another." - pg 70

Good advice.

Then Osborne states the difference between a typically Board Business Meeting and a less regular Shepherding Meeting. Shepherding Meetings sound like fun to me. It's like a mini Men's Breakfast!

"Usually on a Saturday morning... we begin with breakfast, usually in a home. While we eat, we swap stories, catch up on news, and renew our friendship. Then we move into our training time. For about an hour, we'll discuss some aspect of ministry or church leadership... Lastly, in our role as shepherds of the flock, we pray for the sheep." - pg 91

Finally, he makes a great point to invest time and money in volunteers, cause it's worth it!

"Board members need to understand that it costs money to run an effective volunteer organization. Volunteers aren't cheap... Purchase, as soon as possible, the equipment volunteers need... Cover the personal costs that volunteers incur" - pg 115

Why We Love The Church (Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck)

I was very happy when at I found this book at the Christian bookstore. Having just finished Pagan Christianity and having many unanswered questions I flipped through this and knew I had to buy it. This was one of the most "readable" books I've read in a long time and it is very Scripturally sound.

Praise God for Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck!

We hope you will read this book with an open mind, considering what the Bible says about the importance of the church as organism AND organization, as a community AND an institution, as a living entity with relationships AND rules. (pg 16)

According to some disgruntled Christians, the church as we know it is an unbiblical, historical accident at best and a capitulation to paganism at worst. All that we think of as “church” – sermons, buildings, pastors, liturgy, offerings, choirs, and just about anything else you want to mention – are the result of the church falling from its pristine state in the first century into the syncretistic, over-institutionalized religion that now passes for Christianity.

I think he's referring to guys like Frank Viola and George Barna... don't you?

I don’t mean the “church” that consists of three guys drinking pumpkin spiced lattes at Starbucks talking about spirituality of the Violent Femmes and why Sex and the City is really profound. I mean the local church that meets – where you want it to meet – but exults in the cross of Christ; sings songs to a holy and loving God; has church officers, good preaching, celebrates the sacraments, exercises discipline; and takes an offering. This is the church that combines freedom and form in corporate worship, has old people and young, artsy types and NASCAR junkies, seekers and stalwarts, and probably has bulletins and by-laws. (pg 19)

When I read this last part I smiled. I was only 19 pages in but I was loving it! Then DeYoung and Kluck come out swinging with the book clearly in sight.

Pagan Christianity, like most restorationist literature, is full of historical hubris... Isn’t it a bit sweeping to declare that “everything that is done in our contemporary churches has no basis in the Bible”? (pg 117)

The arguments in Pagan Christianity are grossly overstated. On several occasions as I read Viola’s claims I thought, “You would be fine if you stopped right now and made the point that these things [pulpits, stained glass, robes, etc.] don’t have to be in the church, but then you go and try to prove that they can’t.” There may be Christians who think church can’t exist without pews. For them, Viola’s book may be a needed antidote. But just because pews come later in the church’s history, or even if pagans used them first, doesn’t make them unchristian. If you don’t like pews, fine. But they’re just benches. Can we not have hinges on our church doors if a nonChristian invented them? (pg 118)

It's a good point. Can we not have hinges on our church doors if a nonChristian invented them. :)

Viola makes some valid points. Christians can be obsessed with buildings, wasting lots of time and money on overexpanding facilities. We do sometimes equate a building with the church, when the people are what matter... I don’t think the ground is any holier inside the church than out. So I’m happy for Viola and others to correct mistaken notions some people may have about the importance of church buildings. BUT Viola overstates his case. He makes too much of the fact that early Christians met in homes... The Christians met in homes for 300 years because their faith was illegal. They didn’t have anywhere else to meet, which is why buildings starting popping up after Constantine decriminalized Christianity. A Roman house, especially with the courtyard, could be quite spacious, allowing for up to 100 people in attendance. So “house church” doesn’t necessarily mean small group Bible study. Moreover, the early Christians did not gather exclusively in homes. In Acts we see that they also met in Solomon’s Portico (Acts 5:12), still went to synagogues (Acts 3:1) and occasionally rented lecture halls, like the hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus (Acts 19:9).... Here’s the bottom line: The whole conversation about church buildings is much ado about nothing. You have to meet somewhere. (pg 121)

Viola is right to quote John Newton when he said “Let not him who worships under steeple condemn him who worships under a chimney”. But should not the reverse also be true? Let not him who worships on couches in the living room condemn him who worships with pews, pulpits, stained glass and a fellowship hall. (pg 122)

Next they tackle the topic of church membership and "churchless Christianity".

Without church membership there’s not place for the important role of church discipline. – pg 162

Churchless Christianity makes about as much sense as a Christless church, and has just as much biblical warrant. John Stott’s assessment of evangelism in the book of Acts is right: The Lord “didn’t add them to the church without saving them, and he didn’t save them without adding them to the church. Salvation and church membership went together; they still do.” – pg 164

And before closing the topic of leaders and sermons is addressed:

The Bible simply does not teach a leaderless church. Instead we see the apostles exercising great authority over the churches (e.g., 2 Cor. 13:1-4). We have pastors commanded to “exhort and rebuke with all authority” (Titus 2:15; see also 2 Tim. 4:2). We see elder rule (Acts 14:23; 15:2; 20:17; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; 5:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14; 1 Peter 1:1; 5:1), accompanied by the office of deacon to care for the physical needs of the congregation (1 Tim. 3:8-13; Phil. 1:1; see also Acts 6:1-7). To be sure, elders are not to domineer over those in their charge, but they still must exercise oversight (1 Peter 5:2-3), and those in the congregation should “obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account” (Heb. 13:17). - pg 168

Today’s sermon, according to Frank Viola, has “no root in Scripture,” was “borrowed from pagan culture”, and “detracts from the very purpose for which God designed the church gathering.”... [But] the sermon was not stolen from the pagans. It came from Judaism, which developed and refined the practice of exegesis and expositional preaching in the centuries leading up to Christ... The Levites were to teach Israel the law (Deut. 33:10). The true priest was not just a butcher but a teaching priest (2 Chron. 15:3). Ezra read the law to the returning exiles, “giving them the sense of it” (Neh 8:6-8). And we see the same development in the New Testament. We know John the Baptist preached and Jesus preached. We know Paul preached and instructed his apprentice Timothy, with the most solemn warning, to also preach (2 Tim. 4:1-2). Even Jesus Himself, we should remember was a trainer of preachers, sending His disciples out not just to facilitate group discussions but to preach (Mark 3:14). – pg 174

On the last page of the book they write something that was very encouraging to me and I hope it is to you.

Don’t give up on the church. The New Testament knows nothing of churchless Christianity. The invisible church is for invisible Christians. The visible church is for you and me... So I guess this is my final advice: Find a good local church, get involved, become a member, stay there for the long haul. Put away thoughts of revolution for a while and join the plodding visionaries. Go to church this Sunday and worship there in spirit and truth, be patient with your leaders, rejoice when the gospel is faithfully proclaimed, bear with those who hurt you, and give people the benefit of the doubt. While you are there, sing like you mean it, say hi to the teenager no one notices, welcome the blue hairs and the nose-ringed, volunteer for the nursery once in a while. And yes, bring your fried chicken to the potluck like everyone else, invite a friend to church, take the new couple out for coffee, give to the Christmas offering, be thankful someone vacuumed the carpet, enjoy the Sundays that click for you and pray extra hard on the Sundays that don’t. – pg 237

Pagan Christianity? (Frank Viola and George Barna)

Over the past 6 months I've finished many books on the topic of "The Church". Some of them have been good (see my summary on "Why We Love The Church" and "Sharpening The Focus of The Church") and some of them have been "different". This book by Frank Viola and George Barna is in the "different" category. I must preface this by saying, I was very intrigued when I read the back cover of Pagan Christianity?

It says:
Are we really doing church "by the book?" Not cure? This books amakes an unsettling proposal: Most of what present-day Christians do in church each Sunday is rooted, not in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles.

It peaked my interest! Here are a few other quotes from the book. Let me implore you, if you're going to read my summary on this book, please read my summary on "Why We Love The Church"!!

What follows is Luther’s order of worship:
Singing
Prayer
Sermon
Admonition to the People
Lord’s Supper
Singing
Post Communion prayer
Benediction (pg 56)

We grow by functioning, not by passively watching and listening. Let’s face it. The Protestant order of worship is largely unscriptural, impractical, and unspiritual. It has no analog in the New Testament. (pg 77)

This is a good point and I agree that the order of service is never prescribed in the New Testament.

The word “pastors” does appear in the New Testament. “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers” (Eph 4:11). This is the only verse in the entire New Testament where the word “pastor” is used. [footnote: a derivative form of the Greek word “poimen” is used in Acts 20:28 and 1 Peter 5:2-3] (pg 106)

Okay, this is a good point too. But then Viola goes off the chart and states:

We believe the pastoral office has stolen your right to function as a full member of Christ’s body. It has distorted the reality of the body making the pastor a giant mouth and transforming you into a tiny ear. It has rendered you a mute spectator who is proficient at taking sermon notes and passing an offering plate. (pg 136)

Wow! He's pretty passionate about that one eh? Listen to these stats too about the pastoral office:

- 90% work more that 46 hrs a week
- 81% say they have insufficient time with their spouses
- 40% of pastoral resignations are due to burnout
Most pastors are expected to juggle 15 major tasks at once (1. casting vision 2. identifying and training leaders 3. preaching and teaching 4. raising money 5. serving the needy 6. providing strategy and planning 7. organizing church activities and programs 8. overseeing all administration 9. managing staff and volunteers 10. resolving conflict 11. representing the congregation in the community 12. providing congregation care and counselling 13. evangelizing the unsaved 14. administering the sacraments 15. discipling individuals)

Simply put: Jesus Christ never intended any person to sport all the hats a present-day pastor is expected to wear. (pg 139)

And I agree that God never intended any person to sport all of these hats. That's why the church needs a plurality of leaders.

Then Viola has a whole chapter on "dressing up for church", which I won't discuss here because I hope we're all past that.

I must say though that I did smile and agree with these quotes (if you'd like to refer to my previous 2009 summary of Master Plan of Evangelism please do).

Most evangelical Christians believe in and practice believer’s baptism as opposed to infant baptism. Likewise, most Protestants believe and practice baptism by immersion rather than by sprinkling. The New Testament as well as early church history stand with both of these positions. (pg 188)

A complete examination of the methods by which Christian workers were trained in the first century is beyond the scope of this book. However, a small chorus of books have been dedicated to the subject. [footnote: Robert E. Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism (1993); A.B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve (1979); Second Timothy 2:2 refers to the concept of training Christian workers that is exemplified in the Gospels and Acts.] (pg 201)

He also gives an interesting fact about the history of Bible chapter and verse divisions:

In the year 1227, a professor at the University of Paris named Stephen Langton added chapter to all the books of the Bible. Then in 1551, a printer named Robert Stephanus (sometimes called Robert Estienne) numbered the sentences in all the books of the New Testament (pg 229)

We need to abandon [the clipboard approach to pick and choosing verses to quote], step back, and take a fresh look at the Scriptures. We must become familiar with the whole sweeping drama from beginning to end. (pg 239)

Finally, he discusses church leadership and it in he makes some errors:

Decision making in the New Testament church fell upon the shoulders of the whole assembly. Traveling church planters would sometimes give input and direction. But ultimately, the whole church made local decisions under the lordship of Jesus Christ. It was the church’s responsibility to find the Lord’s mind together and act accordingly (pg 248).

I'm not sure if Viola missed reading Acts 15, but the elders played a much more important role than he seems to suggest.

Overall, the ideas in this book I hope will push the church to not be as "pastor" and "sermon" centric. However, "leaders" and "preaching/teaching" must remain!

Serving As Senders (Neal Pirolo)

Karen just smiled as I read this book on the beach in Cuba as we relaxed celebrating our one year anniversary. I was excited to join the Missions Committee at our church when we returned and this book provided some great practical advice and questions for we who stay in Canada "Serving as Senders"!

The chapters were broken down into the different ways we can "support" our friends who serve God by telling others about Jesus around the world. Most people think of supporting missionaries as only "financial support" but it's so much more!

MORAL SUPPORT

Being there for them as they prepare to go, are gone and when they come back. Being in their corner and cheering them on!

LOGISTICS SUPPORT

Church leadership must encourage spiritual growth 1) before missionaries go, 2) while they’re on the field and 3) when they return home (pg 57)

Attending to Personal Details (1) Material Goods, (2) Family Matters (3) Ministry needs (pg 65)

How to do it right (1) Sit down with several sessions with the couple you are sending (2) Get a power of attorney for husband and wife separately (3) Set up record-keeping system (4) Make wills complete and save them in a safety deposit box giving you access (5) Pray

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

How to be wise about our giving:
1) Is the money you give going for what they say it is?
2) Is the project really hitting a decision point of battle for souls?
3) What is the administrative/field use ratio of missions funds?

PRAYER SUPPORT

Here is a prayer list for your cross-cultural worker:
- Adjusting to the new language, foods, new customs, hard climate
- Protection in travel, health, accidents, dangerous situations
- Parents’ concern for their children’s health, schooling, friendships. Housing accommodations, lack of privacy, different living standards
- Loneliness, homesickness, lack of accustomed fellowship with others
- Effectiveness in ministry / assignment
- Functioning of the tools of ministry
- Lake of visible results
- The people being ministered to, the national Christians, the leaders of the country
- Need for stability, wisdom, compassion, self-discipline, boldness, love, to be filled with Spirit

RE-ENTRY SUPPORT

Let them share what they have been learning - in your small group or at the church. (pg 177)

SUMMARY

Several key points to [develop a strong missions program] can be derived:
1) The pastor must be on board
2) Short-term teams are vital in the development of church-mission relationships
3) Deep personal relationships must be cultivated with long-term field missionaries
4) Agencies and churches need to work together (pg 166)

Zero in on a few places in the world where the church has long-term missionaries, put resources to bear and get personal. (pg 167)

Prominently display literature and posters that encourage reaching the unreached. On your church’s map of the world, trace the 10/40 window. Highlight any missionaries you have working in that area or training nationals to go to that area. (pg 175)

Desiring God (John Piper)

I finished this "classic" John Piper book back in March but haven't gotten around to posting this until today. Piper's thesis is stated in the opening pages:

The old tradition says: “The chief end of man is to glorify God AND enjoy Him forever.”... notice they said “chief end” not “chief ends”... This book aims to persuade you that “The chief end of man is to glorify God BY enjoying Him forever”. (pg 18)

There is so much in this book but I'll pull out the parts that I especially enjoyed or found convicting:

In a well-known booklet the slogan appears as a train: The locomotive as “fact”. The coal car is “faith”. The caboose is “feeling”... Therefore, let us affirm the slogan when it means that physical sensations are not essential. But let us also make clear that the locomotive of fact is not headed for heaven if it is not followed by a faith that treasures Christ and if it is not pulling a caboose-load of new, though imperfect, affections. (pg 90)

Well I know which "booklet" that is: Campus Crusade's 4 Spiritual Laws :) This is a very interesting point of clarification that he makes. Piper argues that feelings/affections are a very important part of the Christian life.

Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, sustained himself through incredible hardships by a disciplined meditation on the Bible every day.... “It was not easy for Mr. Taylor in his changeful life, to make time for prayer and Bible study, but he knew that it was vital... Often with only one large room for coolies and travelers alike, they would screen off a corner for their father and another for themselves, with curtains of some sort; and then, after sleep at last had brought a measure of quiet, they would hear a match struck and see the flicker candlelight which told that Mr. Taylor, however weary, was poring over the little Bible in two volumes always at hand. From 2 to 4 a.m. was the time he usually gave to prayer; the time he could be most sure of being undisturbed to wait upon God.”

Wow... God grant me discipline to be a man of Your Word and prayer like Hudson Taylor.

Piper continues on with the topic of prayer...

Where a man belongs is at the bedside of his children, leading in devotion and prayer. Where a man belongs is leading his family to the house of God. Where a man belongs is up early and alone with God seeking vision and direction for his family. (pg 218)

May it be said of me that I was this kind of man.

So what does a pastor say to his people concerning the purchase and ownership of two homes in a world where 35,000 children starve to death every day and mission agencies cannot evangelize more unreached people for lack of funds? First he may quote Amos 3:15: “I will strike the winter house along with the summer house, and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall come to an end.” Then he may read Luke 3:11, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none.” (pg 202)

In our hyper-commercialized North American society, Piper boldly affirms that many of purchases are unnecessary and will one day perish. Oh, that we would be people who hold loosely the things of this world.

Then near the end of the book there is a very well-written chapter on missions.

First, evangelism can never be finished, but missions can be finished. The reason is this: Missions has the unique task of crossing language and culture barriers to penetrate a people group and establish a church movement; but evangelism is the ongoing task of sharing the gospel among people within the same culture. (pg 230)

David Bryant defines World Christians as those who say: “We want to accept personal responsibility for reaching some of earth’s unreached, especially from among the billions at the widest end of the Gap who can only be reached through major new efforts by God’s people. Among every people-group where there is no vital, evangelizing Christian community there should be, there must be one, there shall be one. Together we want to help make this happen.” (pg 233)

John 10:16 “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.” Notice 3 powerful encouragements in this text for frontier missionaries:

1. Christ does indeed have other sheep outside the present fold! (“I have other sheep”)

2. Christ is under a divine necessity to gather His own sheep (“I must bring them also”)

3. The sheep He calls will surely come! (“They will listen to my voice”)

Beyond Worship Lite (Laurence Barber)

While this isn't a "book summary" it's my thoughts on an article my uncle posted on his blog (http://missionalchurch360.blogspot.com).

He titled the article "Beyond Worship Lite" and in it he reflects on the current Sunday morning worship service styles in Canada. Having pastored for many years and now serving as Director of Missional Initiatives with the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec he's a man I deeply respect.

Here's some quotes from his article and my comments:

"Some of the churches that I serve have over 40 nations represented... Many of them, have worshiped in quite different ways, in their country of origin, in ways quite different... Some expect a day-long gathering... others want a one-hour, clearly-defined service that ends promptly (so they can get to the restaurant with their friends before the other denomination is let out and takes all the parking lot and eating spaces)."

I chuckled when I read this quote, all you have to do is insert "Swiss Chalet" as the restaurant. Praise the Lord for the diversity of His people. Now the task for us who have these diverse cultures as part of our communities is to celebrate that diversity in our weekly services. Some things we've done here in Hamilton at Philpott have been to sing the chorus' of How Great Thou Art or Angels We Have Heard On High in Spanish, Finnish, Swahili, French, etc.

He goes on to write some great points about the importance of involving children and the entire family in the service, not just shuffling people off to their own "sector of church".

"Or should we say "grab your coffee; find a seat" (I have seen this too, but it didn't seem to me to be as effective; since that's all we did before the band kicked in and we sang together a kind of 'Jesus is my boyfriend' almost spiritually erotic 'worship song'".

I have seen this too! Drives me nuts! For more on my thoughts on these types of songs see my review of "Why Men Hate Going To Church" (http://heskad.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-men-hate-going-to-church-david.html)

"The English Book of Common Prayer though not set to music, yet has rhythm of thought and word, almost musical in its speech. We could do worse, often are doing worse, than to rediscover it and other worship prompts and conduits like it."

I'm going to take this point to heart since I think I have a copy of it on my bookshelf.

"Media includes such things as the following: overhead projector, pipe-organ, electric-organ, piano, drums, synthesizer, choir, soloist, quartet, trio, cello, violin, guitar, pulpit, lectern, Bible (version, translation, paraphrase), sound system, computer, LCD projector, hymnal, motet, anthem, Communion Table, open Bible, icon, bulletin, stained glass window, candle, sanctuary architecture, art (Jesus pictures, banners, colour, symbols (anchor, shell, cross), flower display (bouquet, lily, poinsettia), overall look of the church building (upkeep, repair, architecture, plainness, austerity, height, steeple, bell), property (cut lawns, snow-shoveled walk, trees, bushes, flowers, ecologically green-friendly, weedy) – well, you get the point... Some we use, and over-use or never use."

For example, at Philpott in the 1st service I'd say we overuse the piano, guitar, NASB translation, and under/never use a paraphrase translation, choir, hymnal, banners, symbols (like an anchor)....

"The goal of worship is not that everyone is happy but that God is pleased."

Great point!!!

"‘My wife and I aren’t happy. The needs of our family are not being met here. We are going to find a church that meets our needs.’ Where does one find that kind of thinking in Scripture other than where it is condemned for the selfish, God-robbing attitude that it is."

AGREED! Church is not all about 'you' its about God. I've known people who'll drive 30 minutes to church, past 15 solid evangelical churches, just to go where there needs are met (that's a pet peeve of mine)

"The best ancient hymns were about 'we' not about 'I'".

AGREED!

One of the last comments I wanted to make was regarding placing our tithes and offering in the offering plate that's passed around. I would LOVE to see offering taken up, even just once, at my church in Hamilton the same way I saw it happen in Tanzania! Why can't each person walk to the front and place coins, bills, or cheques into a basket?! 1) It's more interactive. 2) It involves everyone! Child who gives $1, student who gives $10 or worker who gives $300. It's not a show, but it involves the entire community!

Those are my thoughts...

The Drama of Scripture (Craig Bartholomew and Michael Goheen)

Karen and I have been meeting once a month with our pastor and a group of young adults at church discussing servant leadership. One of the books we read was "The Drama of Scripture" by Bartholomew and Goheen. I definitely recommend reading this book. It gives a great overview of the story of the Bible.

Many of us have read the Bible as if it were merely a mosaic of little bits – theological bits, moral bits, historical-critical bits, sermon bits, devotional bits. But when we read the Bible in such a fragmented way, we ignore its divine author’s intention to shape our lives through its story. (pg 12)

This quote about "little bits" captures our society today very well. We'll read a quick "one-minute devotional" or get upset if the preacher goes over 25 minutes... this book helped me to see that similar to a great Shakespeare play, the Bible too has an introduction, climax, and conclusion with different acts and scenes.

The climax, or the point of highest tension, after which that conflict must be resolved, one way or another. (pg 26)

Therefore the climax of the Bible is obviously the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The authors divided the book up into various "Acts":

Act 1 God Establishes His Kingdom: Creation

Act 2 Rebellion in the Kingdom: Fall

Act 3 The King Chooses Israel: Redemption Initiated

Act 4 The Coming of the King: Redemption Accomplished

Act 5 Spreading the News of the King: The Mission of the Church

Act 6 The Return of the King: Redemption Completed

Below I've copied and pasted a quick summary of Acts 1, 2 and 3 (a.k.a. the Old Testament) from sermon notes from my friend Adam:

God created the universe

God created humanity

Humanity fell into sin

God launched a restoration project by giving unconditional promises to Abraham

Abraham had a son in his old age

Isaac had a son named Jacob.

God renamed Jacob, Israel

Jacob’s sons became the 12 tribes of Israel

The 12 tribes of Israel were slaves in Egypt 400 years.

God chose Moses to be Israel’s deliverer.

Moses led Israel out of Egypt and miraculously crossed the Red Sea to safety in the wilderness

Moses and the Israelites went to Mount Sinai, where God gave Moses the law and instructions for building the Tabernacle.

Israel wandered in the wilderness 40 years.

Joshua succeeded Moses and led Israel into the Promise Land.

God gave Israel the land through conquest.

Once settle Israel had no earthly leadership

When in trouble, God would raise up judges deliver them from their enemies

Things went from bad to worse.

Eventually Israel asked for a king.

Irael’s first king, Saul, reigned a very short time before he was removed.

David succeeded him.

God gave David an unconditional promise that his descendents would rule forever.

David wanted to build God a temple but God said no

David’s son, King Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem.

After King Solomon’s reign the kingdom was divided in two.

Both Israel and Judah fell away from the Lord

God rose up prophets to warn both kingdoms of the consequences of their turning away from God, but the kings did not listen

Eventually the northern kingdom was taken into exile by the Assyrians and destroyed.

Not long after, the southern kingdom was defeated and taken into exile by the Babylonians; but a remnant remained.

The Persian Empire defeated the Babylonian Empire and a small remnant from Judah was permitted to return to Jerusalem

This remnant rebuilt the city walls and the Temple.

They were also re-taught the Law of Moses.

This tiny remnant persisted through the rise and fall of the Greek Empire under Alexander the Great, and the rise of the mighty Roman Empire.

From this tiny remnant came a descendant of David according to the flesh, and Son of God according to His divinity: Jesus the Christ and Saviour of the world

Act 4 then describes Jesus' life, ministry, death and resurrection and then some great quotes from Act 5 are below:

Here (Acts 13:2) for the first time we see a planned effort to take the gospel to places where it has not yet been heard. This church still carries out its own mission in the place where it has been set – here, in Antioch. But now it also lifts its gaze to “the ends of the earth” in obedience to God’s calling. (pg 182)

Thus the church was then (and should be now) characterized by its zeal for witness nearby and missions faraway. (pg 201)

May God renew that zeal within our generation to be witnesses in our Jerusalem's, Samaria's and to the ends of the earth.

We currently live within Act 5b of the story (following the Bartholomew and Goheen's breakdown) and we look forward to the Coming of the King!!

Revelation does not give us a picture of Christians suddenly transported out of this world to live a spiritual existence in heaven forever... Instead John is shown (and shows us in turn) that salvation is the restoration of God’s creation on a new earth. In this restored world, the redeemed of God will live in resurrected bodies within a renewed creation, from which sin and its effects have been expunged. (pg 211)

I hope that as you've read this summary of Drama of Scripture you'll be encouraged that:
1) God is in complete control;
2) There is still a mission to be accomplished; and
3) One day soon the King will come!