G.K.Chesterton once commented: “The more I considered Christianity, the more I have found that while it had established a rule and order, the chief aim of that order was to give room for good things to run wild.”
Here we are, finally voting on the Nominating Committee’s Report. Some people can’t wait for the ceremony and sport of the Nominating time. Others can’t stand it, for all the anxiety it creates. Some feel that we design our efforts around making sure NOTHING happens in order to avoid the worst possible scenario.
When I consider the first Christian church – they were all about making disciples, not about making decisions. Counsels met not to nominate but to endorse spiritual initiatives by Spirit indwelled people. The first Christian church did not sit in conclaves puffing smoke to decide who will do what. They had people in leadership with the gift of Discernment watching for manifestations of Spiritual Gifts to recognize, affirm, endorse and support all ministries prompted by the Holy Spirit.
This year we had struggled to appoint leaders into offices. It is our hope that as the Body of Christ we will transition from Nominating to Giving Permission and Recognizing God given Ministries & Gifts.
Think of the perfect Biblical metaphor of the Church as the Body! Body parts do not decide what functions to assign or reassign annually. Let’s make a kidney a heart for this year, or let’s make an eye function as a tongue, or better yet……(you can fill in the blanks as you wish).
Just imagine if the lungs would have to wait ear’s appointment to take a breath. The involuntary system of the Body functions because parts are assigned by Design. The Spiritual Body members, the individual people-cells, do have Divine Purpose, Divine Design, fitting each into the Body for harmonious functioning.
Yet even in the Body cells have a freedom, just as in the Body of Faith individuals have freedom to do as they please. In the physical body there are cells that become disloyal, that live for themselves. These cancer cells are as healthy as others, they just live for themselves, becoming controllers, and making the Body dysfunctional for selfish reasons. In the Body of Christ we can live on behalf of the Common Good, or Self – Your Choice to make. If we chose to bless diversity of one another and cooperate with each other for the Purpose of the Body – the Body is healthy and grows. If we live for self – we will prosper for a time, until the Body dies and we with it.
Speaking of choices Paul warned the church on this topic: “All things are permissible, but not all beneficial. You say, "I am allowed to do anything.” True, but not everything is constructive, not all things build up.” (1st Corinthians 10:23)
If you find that your functionality was not recognized, and you have not been given permission to function according to God’s calling – speak to your elected leaders, join the network of cells working in that calling, connect with others who are doing what you would like to do, let your purpose and calling be known. Give life to the Body!
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Christianity is not what you think… from BELIEF to FAITH
Quite often we use words BELIEF and FAITH interchangeably. The ancient Biblical languages did it – both, Hebrew & Greek, have used the same root word for these. Yet, as you see in English – we have chosen to use different words, even different meaning.
TO BELIEVE is TO ADMIT, to adopt a belief system. Whereas FAITH is much more – it is to COMMIT. To become a Christian is not to adopt a new beliefs only, but is to be transformed into Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Faith is accepting Jesus’ invitation “Follow Me!” and goes beyond an intellectual adherence to certain ideas.
Jesus’ test of faith was not a multiple choice aptitude exam of knowing precepts and formulations, but simply “love for one another.” So, let me put it this way: Christianity is not what you think! As I visit families and people, especially those who have been disconnected from the church in years, I hear time after time their affirmation of being Adventists. And I want to plead with them: you don’t know what being Adventist means! Adventists are first of all Christians! Adventists are not just peculiar people with a different philosophy of theology, not just a system of weird rules, not a list of DON’Ts! Our identity is found in Christ, the Person, in our relationships with God and people, not in belonging to a system
We are people in love with Jesus, people in relationship with God, and in relationship with each other. That’s what the Hebrew concept of the “Covenant” was all about – entering into relationships! That is what Jesus’ concept of “Salvation” was all about – returning to a relationship with God and each other! It is all about being reconciled and entering renewed relationships with God and each other.
Every time we come to the Lord’s Supper we are reminded of the Family we are in Christ. We are challenged to be reconciled with each other. We are invited to renew our covenants and relationships.
This time of the year we look over of what we have accomplished, what we have done, and we also look over the significant relationships that were built, relationships that need to be mended.
And it is in this context I am reminded of Paul’s prayer for all believers “that Christ may live in your hearts through faith, planted in love and built on love.” (Ephesians 3:17) Faith & Love always come together in the New Testament. Faith Produces Love (Galatians 5:6) Together these are the breastplate of those who call themselves Christian. (1 Thessalonians 5:8)
TO BELIEVE is TO ADMIT, to adopt a belief system. Whereas FAITH is much more – it is to COMMIT. To become a Christian is not to adopt a new beliefs only, but is to be transformed into Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Faith is accepting Jesus’ invitation “Follow Me!” and goes beyond an intellectual adherence to certain ideas.
Jesus’ test of faith was not a multiple choice aptitude exam of knowing precepts and formulations, but simply “love for one another.” So, let me put it this way: Christianity is not what you think! As I visit families and people, especially those who have been disconnected from the church in years, I hear time after time their affirmation of being Adventists. And I want to plead with them: you don’t know what being Adventist means! Adventists are first of all Christians! Adventists are not just peculiar people with a different philosophy of theology, not just a system of weird rules, not a list of DON’Ts! Our identity is found in Christ, the Person, in our relationships with God and people, not in belonging to a system
We are people in love with Jesus, people in relationship with God, and in relationship with each other. That’s what the Hebrew concept of the “Covenant” was all about – entering into relationships! That is what Jesus’ concept of “Salvation” was all about – returning to a relationship with God and each other! It is all about being reconciled and entering renewed relationships with God and each other.
Every time we come to the Lord’s Supper we are reminded of the Family we are in Christ. We are challenged to be reconciled with each other. We are invited to renew our covenants and relationships.
This time of the year we look over of what we have accomplished, what we have done, and we also look over the significant relationships that were built, relationships that need to be mended.
And it is in this context I am reminded of Paul’s prayer for all believers “that Christ may live in your hearts through faith, planted in love and built on love.” (Ephesians 3:17) Faith & Love always come together in the New Testament. Faith Produces Love (Galatians 5:6) Together these are the breastplate of those who call themselves Christian. (1 Thessalonians 5:8)
Saturday, December 3, 2005
THINGS WE DON'T TALK ABOUT... WHAT ABOUT CHRISTMAS?
It's that time of the year when some parents are troubled about what to do - Christmas tree: to be or not to be? What is the right thing to do? Isn't Christmas of pagan origins, and is more commercialized than spiritually sound? Recently a young mother said to me "but the Bible says that we can't have the Christmas tree." You know my answer - "Really?" So, the husband fixed it - "It's in the Spirit of Prophecy." This time my "Really?" was even stronger!
I understand that there are certain cultural preferences and traditions that determine right and wrong for many. And we don’t want to impose on your cultural beliefs. However, as Adventists we live free from cultural inhibitions and walk in the liberty of the Spirit.
I encourage you to read Chapter 77 in the book Adventist Home by Ellen G. White. Here I would simply quote a few short excerpts from it.
This Day Not to Be Ignored. As the 25th of December is observed to commemorate the birth of Christ, as the children have been instructed by precept and example that this was indeed a day of gladness and rejoicing, you will find it a difficult matter to pass over this period without giving it some attention. It can be made to serve a very good purpose. (478)
The Interchange of Gifts as Tokens of Affection.-- old and young are intently studying what they can bestow upon their friends as a token of affectionate remembrance. It is pleasant to receive a gift, however small, from those we love. It is an assurance that we are not forgotten, and seems to bind us to them a little closer. (478-479) talking about Loving Relationships!!! (my comment)
By the world the holidays are spent in frivolity and extravagance, gluttony and display…. But it is our privilege to depart from the customs and practices of this degenerate age; and instead of expending means merely for the gratification of the appetite or for needless ornaments or articles of clothing, we may make the coming holidays an occasion in which to honor and glorify God. (480)
God would be well pleased if on Christmas each church would have a Christmas tree on which shall be hung offerings, great and small, for these houses of worship... There is no particular sin in selecting a fragrant evergreen and placing it in our churches, but the sin lies in the motive which prompts to action and the use which is made of the gifts placed upon the tree. (482)
Christmas and New Year celebrations can and should be held in behalf of those who are helpless. God is glorified when we give to help those who have large families to support. (482)
So, let me put it this way - pastor's kids (yeah, the PKs) have set their tree with Jesus manger beside it, reminding them that Jesus is coming back again, and we are one year closer to it.
I understand that there are certain cultural preferences and traditions that determine right and wrong for many. And we don’t want to impose on your cultural beliefs. However, as Adventists we live free from cultural inhibitions and walk in the liberty of the Spirit.
I encourage you to read Chapter 77 in the book Adventist Home by Ellen G. White. Here I would simply quote a few short excerpts from it.
This Day Not to Be Ignored. As the 25th of December is observed to commemorate the birth of Christ, as the children have been instructed by precept and example that this was indeed a day of gladness and rejoicing, you will find it a difficult matter to pass over this period without giving it some attention. It can be made to serve a very good purpose. (478)
The Interchange of Gifts as Tokens of Affection.-- old and young are intently studying what they can bestow upon their friends as a token of affectionate remembrance. It is pleasant to receive a gift, however small, from those we love. It is an assurance that we are not forgotten, and seems to bind us to them a little closer. (478-479) talking about Loving Relationships!!! (my comment)
By the world the holidays are spent in frivolity and extravagance, gluttony and display…. But it is our privilege to depart from the customs and practices of this degenerate age; and instead of expending means merely for the gratification of the appetite or for needless ornaments or articles of clothing, we may make the coming holidays an occasion in which to honor and glorify God. (480)
God would be well pleased if on Christmas each church would have a Christmas tree on which shall be hung offerings, great and small, for these houses of worship... There is no particular sin in selecting a fragrant evergreen and placing it in our churches, but the sin lies in the motive which prompts to action and the use which is made of the gifts placed upon the tree. (482)
Christmas and New Year celebrations can and should be held in behalf of those who are helpless. God is glorified when we give to help those who have large families to support. (482)
So, let me put it this way - pastor's kids (yeah, the PKs) have set their tree with Jesus manger beside it, reminding them that Jesus is coming back again, and we are one year closer to it.
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