On Radical Wealth

Today’s sermon will challenge you to realize that you are in the top 1% of wealthy people on earth. Before you compare yourself to the CEO’s who take 20 million per year in bonuses and declare yourself “dirt poor” I invite you to do some reading. In the sermon my time is limited. I have been personally challenged by David Platt’s book “Radical” and would like, in turn, to share some of his resources with you.

Platt’s website provides additional articles, sermons an research, which you could read, listen or watch, as pastor Platt takes down the “prosperity gospel.”

http://www.radicalthebook.com/resources.html

In a special way I want you to spend time on Chapter 6 “How much is enough?” Greed is a “blind spot” of American Christianity, and the power of money is the most abusive influence in our lives.

In the late 1950's Billy Graham held an evangelistic crusade in New York City. The meeting drew record crowds and thousands made public decisions concerning their relationships with Jesus Christ. Billy Graham preached the gospel in its purest and simplest form. Reinhold Niebuhr, Professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York, was asked what he thought about the Graham Crusade, and he said "Graham's preaching has set back Christianity 200 years." Billy Graham was asked his response to Niebuhr's statement, and he replied "if we have set back Christianity 200 years, we have failed, for our intent was to take it back 1900 years and to the cross."

It’s time we take our Christianity “back” 2000 years. It is our intent to rediscover the Radical Roots, the Original DNA, the unadulterated pure Gospel of Jesus and fellowship of the first century Apostolic church. And the topic of wealth, possessions, money, giving cannot be omitted.

We have addressed in our Living Radical series your personal testimony, the public Voice we should have, the Discipleship, Friendship, even health. More is to be addressed, and before we proceed we must talk about how we handle God’s money. Are we living as dispensers of God’s Grace into lives of others? Do we understand that “stewardship” means “distribution” of God-given wealth, time, resources?

Do you count what comes in to give thanks, and what goes out to bless others? What changes do you need to make to “cap” your spending to be set free? Have you ever considered that while you are saved by trusting in God’s promises, it is your treatment of the poor that evidences genuine of your salvation, the transformation by the Spirit for the love of others? Examine your “roots.” Live Radical Christianity!

More on preparing for the Fall Harvest

This week our church was “overrun” by kids – the annual VBS program on “Jesus in Nazareth” attracted over 60 kids, and number of teens from outside of the church assisting. Comments were frequent “what if church would be like this for kids every Sabbath!” reflecting on all the fun in learning and dedicated effort of adults for children.

This Sabbath I am preaching at the oldest Toronto Church – Kingsview Village, the first church organized and built in Toronto by pastor J.T.Errington from London in 1910. The theme is “Focus on the Youth” and I am bringing to the church there prophecy of Malachi 4:5-6 about the Revival in the last days when parents will turn their hearts to their children which would become mutual. That is the main ingredient for revival needed today – parents getting involved fully with their children!

Our Children Ministries director Lucy Simoes will be inviting at VBS grad all the community children to the Adventurer’s programming, and to the weekly Sabbath School classes. Yet the invitation must also go out to the church adults – volunteer your time, help out with programming for kids and youth! Many kids have left in the past right after Adventurer’s as they were not welcomed to teen programming through Pathfinders and AY. Let me remind you that church clubs exist for a purpose of mentoring kids as they grow and develop their own faith. We cannot neglect the process of weekly training just because we do occasional annual events! As we sow seeds of kindness we must not neglect to harvest on relationships built.

Let me remind you again the Radical Friendship principles: first of all – be yourself, enjoy what you love to do, and let God use you as the tool for witness in your pass time. May the Fruit of the Spirit – the Love expressed as Joy be the “hook” for all who you meet to introduce them to Jesus as the Master of your life.

Get ready for the harvest this fall. Let this Saskatchewan stylized sheaf of wheat remind you our purpose – harvesting for God’s Kingdom. Plan to dedicate time and your gifts to serve new interests after your summer vacations.

In September as we welcome students back Christopher Bassaragh will do a two week revival series for youth and teens, students bringing in their friends. Throughout October we would invest extra energy into friendship building to invite people to two special weeks in November –

5-12 – Praying for our friends

18-27 – understanding prophecies for the last days.

As you enjoy the summer, pray for harvest, pray that the Lord would set you in his field for mighty harvest.

On Fall Harvest plans

I had been away for a couple of weekends, first with youth camping in the wild, then with the conference-wide convocation “camping” in the urban jungle, meanwhile thinking about summer vacation and the fall programming we must do. This year, especially after the long winter and cold rainy spring, it seems that people are taking whole summer off to themselves. I looked over our programming from the years before and we had events happening in June and July with full house in attendance. This year it is hard to get people in-doors.

We had done great “sowing” in the spring through setting the pace for worship, considering the radical roots of Christian mission in the book of Acts, calling for personal commitment to live those four basic practices of learning, caring, hospitality and praying. We have set the bar higher with the call to Radical Living, and you will hear more Biblical teachings on various aspects of Christ in us, the hope of Glory. And as we take this summer vacation, let’s not forget those we have been praying for, those we are leading to Christ.

This summer Community Services continues caring for people’s needs. Vacation Bible School starts next week and will be the greatest ever experience, presenting Jesus to scores of kids. As you go about your personal business remember the Radical Friendship principles of being yourself, enjoying what you love to do, and letting God use you as the tool for witness. May the Fruit of the Spirit – the Love expressed as Joy be the “hook” for all you meet to introduce them to Jesus as the Master of your life.

Every time I see green licence plate with the wheat sheaf I recall the days I worked on the farm in Saskatchewan. We toiled hard and fast in the spring to get crops in. For the summer we took off to the West coast for R&R, other work, and family. But before we would come back in the fall to harvest we had to visit the farm a couple of times to spray crops, to get maintenance work done. While it is God Almighty who make things grow, who sets the weather, who adds people to His Church, we are called to labour in the field.

I invite you to get ready for the harvest this fall. In September as we welcome students back Christopher Bassaragh will do a two week revival series for youth and teens, students bringing in their friends. Throughout October we would invest extra energy into friendship building to invite people to two special weeks in November –

5-12 – Praying for our friends

18-27 – understanding prophecies for the last days.

As you enjoy the summer, pray for harvest, pray that the Lord would set you in his field for mighty harvest.