Light-work

Giving and Receiving for Disciples

I am not surprised!  Lots of folks come to church in America, but the church doesn't seem to be transforming society.  Where is the great movement of God's Spirit that takes our breath away?  But then, what do you expect? When we create churches for consumers, we embed into the DNA of disciples  a mutation that will kill the church.  Let me explain - no that will take too long.  Let me sum up!

I love my check marks!  I enjoy making a list of "things I need to do today" and being greeted at the end of the day by a proud phalanx of check marks.  When I complete a noble project, something that has required months or years of labor, now that is profound joy.

Jesus knew such joy.  It is amazing that in the hours before being betrayed, His prayer reflects the satisfaction of significant accomplishment.  He took pleasure in knowing that twelve men, minus one dropout, were ready to graduate because of His investment in them.  There is a particular statement in His prayer that has gotten my attention.  He recalls, "For the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them" (John 17:8).  Jesus describes the three year process of investing in the twelve as "giving" and "receiving."  What is He talking about?   

Let's first think about the three stage process of disciple-making.  It begins with a man who is hungry for something more.  He may not know God, let alone Jesus, but he is dissatisfied with status-quo living.  The hungry man becomes a disciple when he realizes Jesus is the answer to his hunger and embraces Him as His Savior and Lord.  As this disciple grows, he realizes that observing all that Jesus commands calls for obedience to Jesus' command to make disciples.  So the disciple commits himself to becoming a disciple-maker.  He starts learning about how to help others follow the path he has been following.   This process is irrelevant to the man who is moving away from God.  But for a man moving toward God, he can be identified with one of these three stages.

The "giving" and "receiving" Jesus describes is relevant to this process.  The role of the twelve was to receive.  The role of Jesus was to give.  When the twelve were hungry, Jesus gave them the truth that men need who long for something more to life.  When they heeded His call and became disciples, He game them the truth that disciples need.  And when it was time for a village to village apprenticeship, He game them the words that disciple-makers need to hear.  Jesus was the supply source of the specific information needed by the twelve in each stage of their development.  They were on the receiving end and this was precisely what Jesus desired of them.

But when we come to the great commission, this was their graduation ceremony.  This marked the point at which Jesus was asking the eleven graduates to make the great transition from "receivers" to "givers."  Up to this point, they had been recipients of the truth and training that hungry men, disciples, and disciple-makers need.  Now it was time for them to become the supply source for others.  Now it was time for them to provide the words that others need.  They must give to the hungry man what hungry men need.  They must give to disciples what disciples need.  They must give to disciple-makers what disciple-makers need.  Then they must challenge them to graduate from the school of "receivers," join the ranks of the "givers," and become makers of disciple-makers.

The lack-luster impact of the masses who attend church is easy to explain.  The church will NEVER become what she is intended, she will never become something that can only be explained by the hand of God, until "receivers" make the leap to "givers."

Oaks Without Acorns Pt. 2 of 2

Last week, we said, "If a very small number were committed to following Jesus' disciple-making strategy, they could quickly make a breath-taking, even world changing, difference."  100 laborers could see a harvest of over a billion within the span of a single generation.  (See the Nov. 30 post for details.)   But the absence of such a movement betrays the church's failure.  Despite the fact that millions attend church every Sunday, we can't seem to muster a mere 100 to do the job.

There are two kinds of oak trees surrounding my house.  The young oak trees do not have acorns.  All their energy is focused upon "personal growth."  But there comes a time of transition, a time when the viability of an individual tree is no longer so tenuous.  When the tree becomes "mature," it produces acorns, those amazing chemical and data packages by which a single oak tree can produce a forest.  The church is incapable of breath-taking progress when its energies are focused on growing oaks without acorns.

What does a "mature oak" Christian look like?  He understands the reflexive logic of this simple command from Jesus:  "Make disciples . . . teaching them to observe all that I have commended."  Being a disciple of Jesus means observing all that Jesus has commanded.  But "make disciples" is a command.  So observing all that Jesus has commanded means obeying the command to make disciples.

This reflexive logic applies to the new disciples made by this "mature oak" Christian.  He is not to produce sterile trees whose only end is "personal growth."  He produces disciples who observe all that Jesus has commanded, including His command to make disciples.  "Mature oak" disciples are MAKERS OF DISCIPLE-MAKERS just as mature oaks are makers of forest makers.

The church will not spawn a movement until it does two things.  First it must help disciples see that "personal growth" is not the destination but an important leg of the journey.  An oak and a disciple must never stop growing, but there comes a time to start reproducing.  The church must help disciples become disciple-makers.  Second, the church must help these disciple-makers to produce nothing less than more disciple makers.  If 100 disciples produced 77 more disciple-makers in the span of a single generation, there would 1.7 billion more souls saved.  THAT'S A MOVEMENT!

Oaks Without Acorns Pt. 1 of 2

I am surrounded!  There are massive 50-100' tall giants encircling my home and they can get pretty rowdy when the wind kicks up.  They are oak trees and there is a distinct difference between the young and the mature.  Only mature oaks bear acorns.  I mention this because I am struck by a connection between these big fellas and what I consider a giant problem in the church.  First, a little background.

Let's think hypothetically about strategy for our earthly mission.  Jesus has left us on planet earth to make disciples.  Suppose you had 100 devoted followers of Jesus Christ.  They are the real thing.  They are trusting Jesus for their salvation, earnestly listening to Him, submitting to His agenda, and becoming like Him.  Using strategy one ("maximum outreach") they commit themselves to evangelism and each determine to win one person to Jesus EVERY WEEK for the next 20 years.  If successful, there would be over 100,000 people in heaven who would have reason to thank the original 100.

Now suppose we change to a multiplication strategy.  Instead of having each of our 100 bring someone to Christ every week, we ask them to only win one person per year.  But, in addition to helping someone respond to the Gospel, they work for one year with each new convert to duplicate themselves!  This original 100 would seek out the lost, call them to their Savior and Lord, help them grow into His likeness, and equip them to go make disciples using the one-a-year plan.  Here's the stunning product:  If 100 disciple-makers duplicated themselves once every year, in 20 years there would be over 43 MILLION people saved for eternity.  Our original 100 would only have to disciple 20 people apiece in the span of 20 years - doesn't seem too daunting, but the results are stunning.

Let's try the Jesus plan.  He invested in 12 men over a period of 3 years.  One of those 12 bailed before graduation, but the other 11 were ready at the end of three years to duplicate the investment Jesus had made in them by doing likewise for others.  So if our 100 disciple-makers used this plan and each duplicated themselves in 11 others every three years, in 21 years there would be almost 1.7 BILLION people who would be able to say to that original 100, "Thank you!  You are part of the reason why I am here in heaven."  Our original 100 would only have to disciple 77 people apiece in the span of 21 years - very challenging but not impossible.

Now, I realize that this hypothetical case is not reality.  Working in hard soil; crossing cultural barriers; the requirement of "pre-evangelism" for societies where God is unknown - these would be significant impediments.  But despite the limitations of my projection, it is still capable of making this profound point:  If a very small number were committed to following Jesus' disciple-making strategy, they could quickly make a breath-taking, even world changing, difference.

I read that last sentence, compare it to what I know about this real world, and I gasp, "Something is terribly wrong."  There are millions who name the name of Jesus.  If even 1% of those millions were working the Jesus plan, the WORLD WOULD BE CHANGED IN SHORT ORDER!  But I don't see anything like a movement in which over a billion become disciples of Jesus within the span of a generation.  What am I to conclude except that among the masses who name the name of Jesus, we cannot seem to muster a mere 100 people who will devote 21 years to making disciples like Jesus?  What am I to say except, "We have a shockingly serious problem?"

Can this problem be fixed?  Let's talk about it on Monday.  If you would like a down-loadable version of the chart, go to the "pretty good downloads" page for a PDF version you can mount on your wall.

Sub Sandwich and Supplication

A few months ago, I went to my favorite Quiznos and asked for the manager.  "Lea" met me with a face that suggested she was expecting another complaint.  Here's what I said, "I'm sure you are used to people complaining, but I want you to know that I appreciate what you do.  I really like your salads and appreciate the great service I receive whenever I come in."  We had a nice chat and I prayed for her.

In the subsequent months, we have developed a casual friendship.  Because of the demands of her job, including having to work on Sundays, she could rarely get to church.  I brought her some sermon CD's and kept updated on how to pray for her.  On one visit, she shared about her concern for a nephew.  Recent tests showed a suspicious mass in his back.  So we prayed.

Last week, Tom and I went to Quiznos for lunch.  Lea was working behind the counter.  I gave her a hello, but this was the lunch rush, so I didn't think a conversation would be in order.  I was surprised that Lea came to our table.  She told me an amazing story.  The doctors had scheduled an additional test for her nephew prior to scheduling surgery.  Their tests showed nothing.  They did it again with the same result.  Whatever got their attention was totally gone.  So Lea came to tell me that prayer works and that God is good.  I couldn't agree more!  We enjoyed a moment to thank God together for way more than just the food.

Women Whose Hands are Chains

A woman's heart and handiwork can be agents of bondage and death.  King Solomon understood this:  "And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains" (Eccl. 7:26).  There is a kind of woman who is not just a liability, she's dangerous!

In stark contrast, Titus 2:3-5 describes godly womanhood in terms of strength of character and noble purpose - women whose hands do good.  Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored (Tit 2:3-5 - NASB95).  The older women in this passage are remarkable.  Their handiwork is defined by four distinctive qualities and they have embraced a profound life mission.  The younger women stand out from their peers for the fact that seven facets of their lives converge to make the Word of God look irresistible - other women see what they have and say, "I want to live like that!"

To associate with these women is to behold truth in action, to feel the pulse of pure devotion to God, to hold hands that do good.  In an age where all the attention seems to go to women who run on emotion, whose lives have no bigger purpose than "living for me," whose effectiveness is measured by career, dollars, and possessions, Titus 2 is a breath of fresh air.  Instead of the toxicity of womanhood as defined by self-actualization and "I want it all," Titus offers a better way - a path to true significance.  It is a path that allows women to partner in a grace community and learn what it means to impart life and health to one another and to future generations.  This Titus path is one of LIFE and LEGACY.

For the woman who wants to replace hands that are chains with a heart that imparts life, see the study notes.  You can download the first set on "reverent behavior" by clicking here.  Over the next year, I will attach a new article describing a Titus 2 quality or insight each month.  You can access all of the Titus 2 materials (as they become available) by clicking on "Pretty Good Downloads" under "resources" (in the far right column).

Guest post by Rochelle Fleming - click on "Light-Work Partners" under "resources" (far right) for bio.

Stop Trying to Please Me! - Postscript

Yesterday, in "Stop Trying to Please Me," I failed to acknowledge an important distinction between "person A" and "person B."  Your comments helped me see something that could round out the previous post.  So let's identify who's who.  In the scenario that I described, "person A" is the one who is reluctant to come to me.  I would be "person B" whose disapproval is feared.  What do we know about each party?  Person A is facing a decision, wants to choose a wise course, seeks to understand what God/the Bible would say to his situation, and is seeking counsel from others (like me) to help him make a wise decision.  Person B is the one who is sought out (by Mr. A) for counsel, who wants to understand what God/the Bible would say to Mr. A's situation, who seeks to communicate what Mr. A needs to consider, and who must not cross the "invisible line."

Mr. B   Now let me first make a comment about person B (that's me).  Please remember that we are not talking about issues of sin, but matters of individual guidance.  When someone is asking about whether to defy the moral law of God, a completely different set of parameters and procedures comes into play.  But when someone is seeking to discern the path of individual wisdom and comes to me asking for counsel, I respect the invisible line when I do two things.  (1) I remind Mr. A that he needs to respond to whatever God says he should do.  He should NOT ACT until he KNOWS what God wants.  But when he knows, it is time to act accordingly.  (2) I express my willingness to support him even though he might choose a path other than what I recommend, AS LONG AS he is responding to what he understands to be God's direction.

In the scenario I described yesterday, this meant taking the initiative to contact Mr. A by phone and assuring him of my belief he is choosing what he is convinced is best and affirming my continued and undiminished support of him.  Sometimes, "not crossing the line" has meant saying something like this:  "I have given you Scriptures and principles that I believe pertain to your situation.  But you need to know that I am extending to you the freedom (and the responsibility) to do what God is asking of you, even if it might be different from the exact course I would prescribe.  I will stand with you in your choice."

Mr. A   For anyone who is wearing the hat of Mr. A, the gravity of his responsibility ought to jet-propel his search for a quality Mr. B.  He NEEDS the best biblical counsel he can get.  Mr. A can be tempted to "play the slots," to gamble against wisdom by going from person to person until he hits the jackpot of someone who will endorse what he already thinks.  The worst thing Mr. A can do is misconstrue Mr. B's unwillingness to cross the invisible line as a license to do "whatever I want."  Mr. A should be humbled by the weight of his personal responsibility to do "whatever God wants," tenacious in his search for godly wisdom, and profoundly grateful for good counsel that helps him honor God.

Stop Trying to Please Me!

Someone recently faced a tough decision.  We are not talking about a clear issue of sin, but a nuanced question of wisdom, of finding the best possible course among several viable and seemingly biblical alternatives.  He landed on what he honestly believed was God's best, but then wrestled with guilt because he suspected I would disapprove of his actions.

As a pastor, there is a fine balance between what my role IS and what it is NOT.  When someone seeks my counsel, it is my job to bring to the table as much relevant biblical teaching as I can find, then to communicate with passion and clarity what I am convinced is authoritative and pertinent.  At the end of such speech is an invisible line I dare not cross.  I cannot make someone else's decision.  I am not the ultimate judge of those decisions.  And, I am definitely not his God.  (This comes as no surprise to anyone, myself included, but in this case it doesn't hurt to repeat the obvious!)

In matters of individual guidance, I become a hindrance to God's work in others when I insist that they do what I say in order to respond to God.  I must give people permission to act on what they are convinced God is saying, even when their response favors a course that I would not choose for them.  The strength of doing this is that it grows people's ability to listen to God and to respond to Him.  When I cross the invisible line, I nurture a mindset in which "what I think" can easily become static that makes it harder for people to tune in to God.

I am not alone in my respect for the invisible line.  Even someone with the clout of an apostle warns against crossing it.  Paul instructs us, "One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike.  Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind" (Rom. 14:5 - NASB95).  The expression "each person must be fully convinced" asks us to "give another permission" to act on what he believes is right.  Have you ever tried to listen to one person speak when another is competing for the floor and refuses to be quiet.  I want to make receiving God's individual guidance more simple for the fact I give them only One Voice to listen to.  There is a time to speak and then there is a time to be quiet.

A Fleeting Moment at the Cross Recalled

Early Sunday morning, while praying with friends around the cross, we received word that "John" had been killed in a car accident on I-240.  I had only met him seven days earlier.  Some of John's coworkers attend Collierville Bible Church and had been supporting him as he sought to restore his marriage.  They invited John to a church picnic a week ago and that's when he and I first met.

As we chatted, it was clear that God was at work in his heart.  I invited John to come with me to the worship center.  There we talked under the cross about his marriage and how to do the right thing.  I asked John about his salvation.  I asked him, "If you were to die tonight and stand before God, for what reason would God invite you to enter His heaven?"  He recalled when he had accepted Christ in his younger days but acknowledged that he hadn't been living for Him.  I talked with him about returning to God and about giving his life and marriage back to God.  Through tears, he confessed his desire to do that.  We prayed together beneath the cross.  After our meeting, here's what John texted to his wife:  "I have turned my life over to the lord because he can do a lot better than i can."  He was looking forward to coming to church on Sunday.

During the following week, John showed signs of being a different man.  His boss at work recalled, "his speech, posture, gait, and expression all reflected purpose and direction. He wasn't floundering in self pity and hopelessness [anymore]".  On Saturday night, John spent some time with his wife.  Perhaps he saw glimmers of hope they could get back together and build a healthy marriage.  They parted and he texted her just after midnight, "I love you."  Hours later, the policemen at the door told her John was gone.

I met John at the cross for a fleeting moment.  We will not meet there again.  But because of what was accomplished at the cross both two millenia ago and seven days ago, we will meet again.