Are you prepared?

First, both my voice and heart are a little rough this morning after my Cleveland Indians came up one run short in their 8-7 loss in extra innings to the Chicago Cubs last night in Game 7 of the World Series.  As we Cleveland fans are so often heard saying,  "There's always next year!"

I’m often asked how our organic simple church movement is doing and if I feel we are accomplishing all that I had hoped. I had that conversation yesterday at a Starbucks with a fellow brother in Christ.  The answer is no. We are not the movement that I hoped for… yet.  But that is partly because I have always felt that part of what we were doing was preparing the church for what is coming: persecution. I see our work as sowing seeds for a future harvest, and I believe that future is getting closer every day. Am I some fringe conspiracy theorist or “prepper”?  No.  But I’m not impartial on the question. In all of history, the freedom we have experienced in America in our lifetime is actually an anomaly. The Bible makes clear that those who follow Christ will be hated and will endure persecution. I suspect there is good reason for my thinking, but if I am wrong and persecution doesn’t come, I have not lost anything. But if it does and we are unprepared then we have lost much. We have this generation to make a difference in and will give account of what we did with the time given to us. I feel called to prepare God’s people for a future that is less open and free, but far more fruitful.

One of the heroes of my faith is Watchman Nee. God used him (and others like him) to prepare the church in China before the Communist revolution took over. He launched the “Little Flock” movement, which was a radical departure from the Western church model that had been planted in China prior. It was smaller, simpler in structure, in houses, inexpensive and reproducible. The churches met in smaller gatherings in homes led by ordinary people with real jobs. He brought the same sort of preparation that I have been devoted to enacting.

When the communists took power they arrested the church leaders (like Nee), seized all church property, kicked out all missionaries and burned all Christian literature. The organic expressions of simple churches meeting in homes not only survived…they thrived. The Cultural Revolution of Mao Zedong sought to eliminate all religion from society in China, but instead mobilized the church and it grew from about 2 million Christians in 1949 to over 60 million. It is estimated today that there may be upwards of 80 million Christians in China.

Contrast this with the church of Russia. The Russian Church was dependent upon three things: holy buildings, holy men in robes, and holy services performed by those men in those robes and in those buildings. When the communists took over Russia, they seized all the buildings and arrested and persecuted all the leaders of the church. The church was devastated. It did not thrive. Granted, there was a remnant that struggled to survive underground, but the Christ followers were not able to see the exponential growth the Chinese church did.

I carry deep inside a feeling that part of everything I am doing now is just preparing the bride of Christ for what is to come. Like Nee, I have been striving to bring health and simplicity back to the church, and with that an ability to ride out any storm that may come.

If tomorrow the church you attend and all those around you were seized and all the buildings, worship centers, and materials burned to the ground, pastors and priests arrested and/or killed, what would surface out of it?  What would reproduce? What would you do?  Are you being prepared to share the Gospel, your testimony, make disciples and lead a simple church?  Are you prepared to “Go and make disciples”? (Matt.28:19)

Read John 15:20-21; 1 Timothy 3:12; 1 Corinthians 4:8-13; Matthew 5:10-12; and Luke 2:10-12.  Then spend time in prayer reading again the last paragraph above and reflect on how persecution proof and reproducible is your faith.

 Please post your reflections, questions, and prayers below in the comment box. 

Jesus is Lord

At the core, the DNA of your identity and the identity of The Church has to be the belief in and surrendering to the statement, "Jesus is Lord."  Belief and conviction in the Lordship of Jesus is at the heart of discipleship and the heart of being a follower of Jesus.  I don't believe the church in the west is doing "Jesus is Lord" well.  We have a "Jesus is Lord" problem. 

 My morning comments are shorter this morning because my attached video is longer.  The video is a recording of an one hour webinar I participated in with  Alan Hirsch, Jessie Cruickshank, Neil Cole & Dave Rhodes.  The conversations and reflections in the video get to the heart of "Jesus is Lord,"  and real Christianity.

 I highly encourage you take the time to watch this video and I would love to hear your comments.   

Why Jesus wouldn't attend the "Harvest Party" at your church.

Or 3 PRACTICAL WAYS TO BE MISSIONAL THIS HALLOWEEN 

Halloween is coming upon us.  It’s interesting to me that for many this becomes a “hot button” topic to discuss. I was sitting in the Waffle House yesterday morning with an ODC member I love and and grateful he is in our life.  Our talk over coffee came to Halloween.  He stated how he hate's Halloween and went on to explain why.   So today I want to address the question: Should we as Christians engage in Halloween or should we abstain? In actuality if you start reading about Halloween’s roots, it’s hard to find an answer of where it came from. But, regardless of where it comes from, the question at hand should be: Why is Halloween celebrated today?  For most of us, Halloween isn’t a time where we celebrate the dead and go and skin a goat and sacrifice it to Satan.  For most of us, it’s a time to dress up our kids as a super hero and send them to strangers’ houses to get free candy.

It has become just part of our culture in the West and has very little to do with the “darkness”…it’s not good, it’s not evil…it’s just something we celebrate, like the 4th of July.  I know we might have stories of darkness, but there are also many stories of overdrinking and evil happening on our other holidays as well.

The whole of the Bible talks of God bringing reconciliation and redemption to all things back to himself.  To bring peace to all things.  Not only that but Paul speaks (1 Cor 8) to us about pagan festivals and says that there is nothing in them that is powerful, because there is only one God and everything and everyone comes through him and are because of him.

Paul then talks about eating food sacrificed to idols…saying…it’s no big deal, unless you have a brother who would be deeply hurt by it because they struggle with the idol and eating of that meat because they actually used to do those things.

 

Here’s how to contextualize for Halloween:

If you have a brother who used to worship Satan and they used to sacrifice goats and drink its blood, then it might be a good idea to work through Halloween with them and whether or not it would make that brother stumble.  This does NOT mean, if you have a brother who thinks it’s merely wrong to celebrate Halloween then you should put it to the side. That’s never the intent with any of the passages of making a brother stumble…if that was the case, many of us would be in sin because of all the things we do that make other Christians merely uncomfortable.  Jesus was not about making people comfortable.

And Jesus would have made many people stumble with the life that he led around sinners as he ate and drank with them.  Again…making a brother stumble and making a brother uncomfortable are completely separate issues.

With all that said, what are we to do with Halloween?  If we are to look to redeem Halloween, what does that mean?  If we are to do all things to the glory of God, what does that look for Halloween?

 

First, a few things you should probably STOP doing:

1  Dressing Your Kid Up as St. Paul or Moses

2  Calling the Halloween Party at your church building a “Harvest Party” and taking all your people away from their neighborhoods

3  Wrapping a tract around an apple and handing it out to the kids who are trick or treating and calling it “evangelizing”

None of these things redeem anything, but just add to the notion that Christians want to be apart from the world and create their own subculture.  Instead, let’s be like Jesus and celebrate like he would have.

 

When we look at the life of Jesus and our God, we see that they always pursued the sinner and the world.  They loved us right where we were and engaged us in the ways that we’d understand who God is and what He has done.

Not only that, but Jesus used the everyday celebrations as a way to build relationships so he could speak into the lives of those around him.  He was continually at parties.  So much so, that when Matthew was called to follow Jesus, it seemed normal to Matthew to invite Jesus and all the apostles back to his house to party with all his “sinner” friends. (Matthew 9:9,10; Mark 2:14-17)

People knew that Jesus was about celebrating, he was about truth, he was about pursuing and he was about building relationships with people. With that in mind, how can we then show people THAT Jesus to our communities during Halloween?

1. Be THAT House

You know “that” house.  When you were a kid and you went to a house and said “trick or treat” and they handed you a full size candy bar, it was like winning the lottery.  It was such good news, you’d tell strangers dressed up like a clown zombie where to find the goods.  Everyone knew that house in the neighborhood and if you didn’t have one in your neighborhood, you’d travel what seemed to be miles to get to that house. Be THAT house.  We have been blessed to be a blessing.  Think about how this shows people the Father.  Everyone is expecting to get a small fun size bar.  It’s what they’ve earned by dressing up and having the courage to knock on your door and say “trick or treat.” What they know they haven’t earned is a full size candy bar…it speaks to this idea of grace and blessing.

You don’t need to tell the kids this, but it starts to tell the story of what your house is about to the neighbors.  It tells a different story than what they expect or are used to and this is exactly the story of the gospel. Spend the extra cash to make that happen.  If you can’t afford it, get your Missional Community to all pitch in.  Ask your church to put it in the budget for next year…whatever you gotta do…be that house! You’ll be amazed at what doors that opens with your neighbors.

2. Be a Welcoming Presence

If our God is about pursuit, blessing and welcoming then what would it look like to be about pursuit on Halloween?  How about instead of staying inside your house, be in the driveway or front porch.  I know this isn’t available for everyone because of weather, but what would it look like in your neighborhood for people to feel welcomed to come to your house and feel blessed by it?

For The Liederbach's, we are going to have fire pit in our front yard. We will be cooking hot dogs over the fire and making s’mores.  We put invitations in all our neighbors mailboxes  It’s a way  for us to come together and hang out and bless our neighborhood.  It shows that we are more than about handing out candy, but we are here to bless the entire family and in a sense, welcome you into our lives.

Again, it shows something quite different than every other house.  I’ve heard of people doing this for years and the neighborhood now expects it and people come and hang out and have a great time meeting neighbors.

If you can’t be outside, how can you bless the families that are walking around your neighborhood?  Maybe offer coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc. to the parents and trick or treaters that come to your door.  Again…think, “How can I be a blessing and show that we are a welcoming and pursuing people like our Dad?”

 

3. Celebrate

It is not secret that Jesus loved to party.  So much so, that people kept inviting him to parties.  Pretty amazing to think about.   If we have a Dad in heaven that loves us and accepts us, not for what we do or have done, but because of what his Son has done for us and now we are heirs to the throne of heaven…don’t we have the most to celebrate?

We should be defined as Jesus was defined: a glutton and drunkard.  He was celebrating so much that the religious saw him as a glutton and drunkard but the sinners and the world saw him as a dude that they’d like to hang with. Where have we gone wrong here?  Christians shouldn’t be the ones avoided for parties, but should be the ones that people are most excited to have come around because they bring the “better wine.”

 made it almost a rule in our house that if we are invited to a party…we are going and we are going to think through how we can bless that party as much as possible.   We are always invited to parties because of this. People know what Nancy and I are about, but they also know that when we enter a room we won’t make it weird, but we hopefully make it more enjoyable by being there.  We have literally had people say, “if Jesus is like this…he was a lot different than we’ve ever been told.”

If you aren’t quite there by being invited to parties…this Halloween is a great time to throw one.

Throw a costume party, a pumpkin carving party, a cookie decorating party, have a photo booth at the party, have a party with games for kids.  You can do all kinds of things for Halloween…it’s a party holiday.  By doing this, meaning throwing an awesome party, you start to show off something different about you as a follower of Jesus and showing off who Jesus was and what he was about.

He was about parties because that’s where people were and that’s where people connect and share stories and start and continue relationships.  Halloween is a really funny holiday when we think about it.  But, it’s a holiday that is so easy to build relationships and bless the community and start (or continue) to show off what our Dad is like.

If instead, we turn off our lights, go to our church buildings and we have a “harvest party” we show the world exactly what they’ve always seen about our God.  He is closed off, judgmental and waits for us to come to him.  This isn’t our Dad…he is quite different.  He is welcoming, he is gracious and merciful and he pursues us and can’t wait to celebrate with us. Don’t use this holiday to make a point.  Use this holiday to point to the true reason we all get to celebrate and bless…Jesus.

My guess is that if Jesus lived in our neighborhood, everyone couldn’t wait to go to his house to see what he was going to hand out this year.  Everyone would be excited to go to Jesus’ Halloween party and couldn’t wait to invite him over to their party.   My only question I wonder is “Who would Jesus dress up as for Halloween?” Who knows…but you know it’d be a killer costume.

 

Please add your thoughts or questions in the comments box below.

 

 

Ephesians 6

My wife and daughters are in their Bible group are in a study of putting on the "Full Armor of God."  Hearing her talk about it, prompted me this morning to just spend time again in Ephesians.  A few months ago I went through Ephesians 6:10-20 inserted supporting passages from other parts of the Bible into it to enforce Paul's call to each of us to daily seek to completely cover ourselves in the power and presence of God. So that is were I camped this morning.  

Everything below is taken from Scripture.  Read through it and may these inspired words from God strengthen and encourage you today.  Please share any reflections or revelations of the Holy Spirit from your time spent in God's Word in the comments box below.

Ephesians 6:10-20 (in italics) with corresponding Scriptures inserted.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

“No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” Romans 4:20-21

“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus” 2Tim 2:1

“I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” 1 John 2:14

Put on

“I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;

my justice was like a robe and a turban.” Job 29:14

“The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” Rom. 13:12

the whole armor of God,

“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” 2 Cor.10:4

that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  

“so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” Eph 4:14

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” Col. 1:13

but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 

“When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” Luke 22:53

in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” Eph 2:2

Therefore take up the whole armor of God,

“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin” 1 Pe 4:1

that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

“making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Eph. 5:16-19

Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth,

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” 1 Pet. 1:13

“Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,

and faithfulness the belt of his loins.” Isa. 11:5

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;

my soul shall exult in my God,

for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;

he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,” Isa 61:10

“He put on righteousness as a breastplate,

and a helmet of salvation on his head;

he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,

and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.” Isa 59:17

and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

“How beautiful upon the mountains

are the feet of him who brings good news,

who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,

who publishes salvation,” Isa 52:7

“And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Rom 10:15

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith,

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” 1Joh 5:4

with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;  and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.“ Heb 4:12

“He made my mouth like a sharp sword;

in the shadow of his hand he hid me;

he made me a polished arrow;

in his quiver he hid me away.” Isa 49:2

praying at all times

"And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart" Lk. 18:1

 in the Spirit,

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit" Jude 1:20.  "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."  Romans 8:26

 with all prayer and supplication.

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak" Col 4:2-4

To that end keep alert with all perseverance,

"But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake." Mark 13:32-34

 making supplication for all the saints,

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people," 1 Tim 2:1

 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth

"At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—" Col. 4:3.  "Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you," 2Th. 3:1

boldly to proclaim

"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness," Acts 4:29

 the mystery of the gospel, 

"how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly." Eph. 3:3

for which I am an ambassador

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" 2Cor. 5:20

 in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak."

"For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.” Acts 28:20

Ephesians 6:10-20

Good morning!  Yesterday we finished our 30 Day Challenge.  Please contact me or post a comment of your experience from going through the challenge and share any tangible impact on your walk with Christ.  I am praying over what subject, Scriptures to next seen time in.  Let me know if you have any requests.  This morning in my time in the Word I finished time spent in Ephesians 6:10-20 enforcing with Scripture Paul's exhortation to cover ourselves in Christ in our battle against Satan and his demons. Take seriously Paul's call to put on the full armor of God and arm yourself with the sword of the spirit. Press into Jesus who's battle it is and who's victory it is.  So when the evil spirits look at you, with terrified eyes they will see Jesus, and tremble with fear. Take time today to read these Scriptures over your self, your family, and your ministry.

Ephesians 6:10-20 (in bold italics) with corresponding Scriptures inserted.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

“No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” Romans 4:20-21

“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus” 2Tim 2:1

“I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” 1 John 2:14

Put on

“I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;

my justice was like a robe and a turban.” Job 29:14

“The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” Rom. 13:12

the whole armor of God,

“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” 2 Cor.10:4

that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  

“so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” Eph 4:14

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” Col. 1:13

but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 

“When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” Luke 22:53

in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” Eph 2:2

Therefore take up the whole armor of God,

“Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin” 1 Pe 4:1

that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

“making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Eph. 5:16-19

Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth,

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” 1 Pet. 1:13

“Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,

and faithfulness the belt of his loins.” Isa. 11:5

and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;

my soul shall exult in my God,

for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;

he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,” Isa 61:10

“He put on righteousness as a breastplate,

and a helmet of salvation on his head;

he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,

and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.” Isa 59:17

and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

“How beautiful upon the mountains

are the feet of him who brings good news,

who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,

who publishes salvation,” Isa 52:7

“And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Rom 10:15

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith,

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” 1Joh 5:4

with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;  and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.“ Heb 4:12

“He made my mouth like a sharp sword;

in the shadow of his hand he hid me;

he made me a polished arrow;

in his quiver he hid me away.” Isa 49:2

praying at all times

"And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart" Lk. 18:1

 in the Spirit,

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit" Jude 1:20.  "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."  Romans 8:26

 with all prayer and supplication.

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak" Col 4:2-4 

To that end keep alert with all perseverance,

"But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake." Mark 13:32-34

 making supplication for all the saints,

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people," 1 Tim 2:1

 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth

"At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—" Col. 4:3.  "Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you," 2Th. 3:1

boldly to proclaim

"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness," Acts 4:29

 the mystery of the gospel, 

"how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly." Eph. 3:3

for which I am an ambassador

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God" 2Cor. 5:20

 in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak."

"For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.” Acts 28:20

30 Day Challenge: Day 3

How do you make a disciple?

First and for most in my desire to make disciples is to personally answer this question, “Am I a disciple worth multiplying?” God does not desire to multiply mediocrity.  He desires to multiply those who exhibit immediate, radical, costly, obedience.  Discipleship is the act and process of modeling and conforming yourself to Christ.  I have come to understand that there is no “easy button” to achieve this; to become or make a disciple.  It requires reading Scripture more than I ever have before, praying more than I ever have before, and being openly accountable to others in the body more than I ever have been before.  How I become or “make” a disciple is simple, but it is not easy.  If I am not willing to consistently embrace and model this, then I cannot effectively lead others to become disciples.  I cannot lead them to a place I myself am not willing to go.  And no program, training, technique or tool, including this 30 day Challenge, I try to use alone can replace lack of obedience.  Am I a disciple worth multiplying?

Day 3 Challenge:  Day 3: Real Disciples

Posts any questions or comments to my thoughts above or in today's challenge as a comment below.  If you want to contact me privately, my email is garyl@odcmadison.com

30 Day Challenge: Day 2

In day two of our challenge we are asked to invite someone to join in taking this challenge with us.   Making Disciples is about making relationships.  For most people who attend a traditionally structured church, wether it is in fact a traditional or contemporary service, they are used to and conditioned to invite people "to" something: They invite people TO their church, TO meet their pastor, TO a worship service, TO an event.  Discipleship however is about about inviting people "INTO" something, a relationship with you.  The goal is not to get them walking into a service or pastor's office, but walking in a relationship with you where you can disciple and hold each other accountable.  Big difference.  However that is not what we have been conditioned or called by the church to do. But a study of the life of Jesus reveals it is what he calls us to do.

Here is the link to day 2:  Day 2: Recruit Another

post your comments below

30 day Challenge: Day 1

One Direction Community is spending the month of August taking a 30 day challenge. We would love for you to spend the time together with us!  Invite your circle of friends to join you!  You can sign up at:  http://moredisciples.com/sign-up-odc/  This will give you a direct access to daily links.

For the challenge: Daily:  Go to link for that day of challenge, read daily Bible passage and commentary, watch the 3-4 minute video, and spend time in prayer.

Weekly: spend one day a week fasting in prayer overcoming a deeper disciple of Christ.

30 Day Challenge: Day 1

Today is the first day of the challenge.  You are asked to reach out and ask another person with the gift of prayer to prayer you daily to keep you on track daily in the challenge.  The video explains the basis of discipleship, the resistance of Satan to you completing this challenge of becoming a disciple, and House Churches.  The video calls House Churches, Disciple Bible Studies. 

Here is the link to today's challenge: http://moredisciples.com/partner/  

Please post any reflections you have during this process as a comment on this conversations blog page for all to discuss.

Morning Encounter with Christ

Good morning everyone,

Yesterday morning I had to go give blood for tests as part of my annual health check-up.  I went to Quest Diagnostics off of Governors Drive.  I went in, signed my name at the window and went and sat down in the waiting room.  It had a large glass window facing the street , and there where about 15 people in the waiting room.   I was there about 5 minutes when outside the window, a woman he was apparently homeless pushing a shopping cart of stuff walked up to the window.  She was dressed sweat pants, a jacket, and winter hat, far more clothes than was needed on a 100 degree day.  She parked her cart in front and came in the door.  Everyone’s eyes in the lobby was looking at her.  She signed in and handed the nurse some kind of if Medicaid form, then turned around looking for a seat to sit in.  Every ones eyes in the waiting room dropped or turned away from her, hoping that she would not sit next to them.  As fate would have it she walked and sat down next to me.

It was apparent to me and others, by the strong smell of body odor that was filling the air around us she had not bathed in awhile.  After she sat down, she bent over and started digging through a large beach-bag type bag she brought in with her filled with items.  She pulled something out and when I looked over I noticed it was a Bible.  I looked over and saw she had turned to 1 John chapter 4.  Her eyes caught mine looking at the Bible and she asked me if I read the Bible.  I said yes mam and I love 1 John.  She said God has been convicting me that I am not loving others like I should.  That I am becoming judgmental and I need to love others more freely.  I said mam, thank you so much for that.  It is a sermon myself and everyone in the waiting room needs to hear. My name was called by the receptionist and I got up and went into the office.

I encountered Christ this yesterday morning, and he smelled and looked like nothing I expected or preferred him to look like.  But then again, I have found he never does.

“Dear friends, if God so loved us, then we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God resides in us, and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we reside in God and he in us: in that he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world…If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God resides in him and he in If anyone says “I love God” and yet hates his fellow Christian, he is a liar, because the one who does not love his fellow Christian whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And the commandment we have from him is this: that the one who loves God should love his fellow Christian too.” 1 John 4:15-16, 21-22.

Isaiah 55

Isaiah 55

“..they will be a monument to the Lord,

a permanent reminder that will remain.” V.13

This chapter is one full of encouragement and hope!  Something has happened that has completely changed the picture.  If they will, God’s people can see the face of God, one that is welcoming!  What has happened to account for this change?  One thing only: Isaiah’s announcement of the work of the Servant.  Because of what he has done, God’s face towards his people is no longer stormy L but sunny J! The only thing they must do, is only thing we must do as well: accept the sin offering that the Servant has made and receive the mercy of God and all that that offering contains.

And as verse 13 states, if they do this, they, and we as well, will be able to be the servants of God in the world, a position the book has been hoping for and looking to at least since chapter 2.  Fulfilling God’s plan for us as his disciples to be his servants of hope in the world.  It is the same plan God had for designing and creating you.

Isaiah chapter 53

"Who would have believed what we just heard?

When was the Lord’s power revealed through him?" V.1

The nations will be shocked because they have never heard of a deliver who would be willing to fall so low in order to deliver them.  Who could have believed that when the “arm of the Lord” was made known and came to deliver his people it would look like this? The shocking essence of the Servant is expanded to include the entire unexpected nature of his ministry.

This man does not fit our picture of God’s deliverer at all.  We are not drawn to him or his plans, “He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth.  Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block.” V.7,  rather we are repulsed by him and them.

Jesus’ birth did not shake the Roman Empire, he was born in some back stable of a village in.  The revelation of him to the world was simply that of a man quietly coming to the great preacher of the day and asking to be baptized.  We were expecting s costumed drum major to lead a triumphal parade.  Our eyes get caught up in and love superficial spendor.  This man, says Isaiah, will have none of that.

“He was despised and rejected by people….v3” He was considered someone worthless, unworthy of attention.  In the eyes of the world, He is not one of the winners, he is one of the losers. And losers can not deliver other losers.  Thus the revelation of the Servant of the Lord who will deliver the Lord’s people is net with shock, astonishment, distaste, avoidance, and dismissed.

Yet in this Servant, God has found a way to both gratify his love and satisfy his justice.

Isaiah 53 is an amazing revelation of the both the extreme love and the extreme justice that is at the heart of God’s desire to save his people, and the instrument through which he will save his people, the Servant,  Jesus Christ. 

I have spent time in “church” today.  This chapter has drawn me to read it over and over.  And I could write pages of thoughts on it that are filling my heart and head.  I shared just a little of them.  I would love to hear your thoughts and revelations from this chapter.

Isaiah 48

Isaiah 48

“I did this because I know how stubborn you are.

Your neck muscles are like iron

and your forehead like bronze. “ v.4

Isaiah points out the central crisis of the Israelites faith not only in the exile in Babylon, but as far back as the Exodus was, Who is God?  Because of nations like Assyria and Babylon, powers in 750-550bc that seemed to dominate the events of the world they questioned, Who controls History?  The transparent, transcendent Lord that can not be seen, or the gods represented by nations, leaders, and materials with physical attributes that could be seen and touched and where on display all around them?  We wrestle with those same questions today, Who is God?  Who controls history? People get confused and mislead by theconstant and “in-your-face” presence of gods of finance, nationalism, governments, materialism, that appear to control everything in life.

The cry of Isaiah is, Will you trust God? Israel cried out they could not trust God to protect them from Assyria.  They cried out could not trust god to deliver them from Babylon.  Yet he did do both. 

Isaiah’s cry is to us today as well, Will humanity today respond and trust God?  Will you in whatever crisis you find yourself trust in God to deliver you?  God’s trustworthiness has been demonstrated over and over, his grace has been offered over and over, but it is for nothing unless we choose to trust in him and receive it. 

We are today of the same mold as the Israelites.  We have “iron necks and bronze foreheads” and we fight with pride to surrender to the trust of God because it does not come naturally to us who are also children of Adam and Eve. Our flesh is tainted with their sin of pride.  Thank God for Christ Jesus and his Holy Spirit in which all things are possible and only in daily reliance in him can we overcome our flesh, trust in God, and receive his grace and delivereance.

Trust and obey

For there’s no other way,

To be happy in Jesus,

Than to trust and obey. 

Go to "Church" today

“and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.”” (Acts 1:8)

One of the reasons ODC left Sunday mornings open was so we could spend time out in our community with those who do not attend church. This morning left my house and prayed God would lead me to people needing to hear the Gospel. Went by the Publix grocery store where I pick up the unsold baked goods, loaded them in my truck and headed out. I drove down to the Waffle House by Jordan Lane and spent 30 minutes there. I sat at the counter and started a conversation with a waitress. In our conversation she told me 2 weeks ago she lost her 2 month old daughter to S.I.D.S. She found he'd dead in her crib.She was broken. I got to spend time ministering and praying with her.

I went then to the WH on University by the boardwalk for 30 minutes. In another conversation with a waitress she told me she had a 3 month old daughter she wanted to be baptized. We talked and prayed over it and are going to do it next month.

I then went to the WH by Hughes for 30 minutes. I sat at counter between 2 men that did not know each other. After introducing myself to them. We discovered that all three of us who randomly sat there were from Cleveland and Browns fans, God is good! We had a great conversation about life and I invited them to our Thursday night mens group, Boithers, Bibles, and Beer. At all three Waffle Houses, I handed out bread and baked goods to the waitresses and cooks who worked at them.

This morning I attended amazing 1 1/2 hour of "church" services, at 3 different campuses. It did not look anything like what you picture “church”, but it felt more like than ever.

Missionaries Urgently Needed!

Nancy and I were both saddened by the death of two friends with whom we went to high school.  Their names have been changed in this post.    I got the news today that a friend of mine David, died last night when his heart stopped from drug use.  David and I both used to deal drugs in high school.  We ran in two different gangs and were always at war with each other.  One night we got in a fight in a bar and bloodily beat each other. The police came and several of us were taken to jail.  That night in the cell David and I became friends, and we formed an “unholy” alliance of dealing, and selfishly using people.  By the grace of God, I was delivered from that life into a holy union with Christ.  David never chose that union with Christ. He stayed in the selfish lifestyle and self-pleasure of drugging and thugging, and it took him out. 

Nancy lost her friend Linda.  Her and Nancy went to high school together and used drugs together as well.  Linda continued in her lifestyle.  When I came to Guntersville, I spent  3 months doing a large renovation and addition project to Linda and her husbands home.  Linda, again because of a selfish lifestyle and for self-pleasure, abandoned her husband and two children, ran off with a “man” half her age who used drugs, was about self pleasure as well, and they formed an “unholy union.” Nancy found out this morning that yesterday Linda took a gun and committed suicide. 

Selfishness and the pursuit of self-pleasure leads to destruction.  Whether you seek it in drugs, alcohol, materialism and possessions, employment, relationships, power, it is an unholy union that is a “seductive trap”, a deceptive lie, a false hope, that has no power to deliver you, but immense power to destroy you.

I hate this and it makes me angry that they died!  There are “Davids and Lindas” all around us: they are our neighbors, co-workers, persons in front of us in line at a store...ect.  Yesterday at our House Church we discussed the need for us to share the gospel. To not be lights under a basket; lights gathered and hid only in prayer closets, house churches, and church buildings (Matt. 5:13-16).  There are Davids and Lindas that are trapped in darkness desperate for light.  We need to have a sense of urgency and desperately abandoned our comfort and complacency to be missionaries of the gospel.  Missionaries defined as: Someone who is willing to forsake everything except the Gospel, for the sake of the Gospel.  I want you to please motivate me to become more of a missionary, as I motivate you.