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Daren's Blog |
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Rather than think that God’s primacy means that nothing else matters, it is precisely because God is number one that everything else does matter. (Michael E. Wittmer in Heaven is a Place on Earth, Zondervan Publish, p. 97)
The quote above is from a book I have been reading by, Michael E. Wittmer, a professor at Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary. The focus of the book is his belief that many Christians have so focused on the world being broken and evil that the goal is to escape this place and go to heaven. Wittmer’s hope is to correct this view, which he concludes is not an accurate biblical understanding of this world. If you want the full argument, I encourage you to pick it up at your local Bible bookstore.
What I want to focus on is the implication of the above statement. In this section of the book Wittmer is countering the notion that being a true Christian means that one stops doing anything else that is not spiritual. The impression preachers often give is that the only meaningful pursuits a believer can and should have are prayer, Bible study and evangelizing one’s neighbor. Everything else is meaningless, or at the very least, not really that important.
Wittmer’s correction is reflected in Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” That is, worship for the believer is not limited to an hour on Sunday, not only to brief devotional moments in which one prays, reads her Bible or shares her faith with the person in the cubicle next to her at work. Rather, worship is a lifestyle, and because God created the universe and proclaimed it “very good,” every aspect of life falls under the category of giving God glory.
Of course, when sin entered the human story, the world got turned on its head. However, neither humanity, nor the world lost its mark as the handiwork of God. While broken, the earth is still the Lord’s and everything in it. So, what does this mean for you when you get up on Tuesday morning to go to work at the factory or on Wednesday when you are changing diapers or on Friday night when you’re watching your child play basketball?
It means that choosing Christ and putting God first in one’s life does not mean that nothing other than church-related functions matter. To the contrary, it means that EVERYTHING matters! Now, don’t get me wrong. Not everything should have equal priority in one’s life. Our families need to take precedence over Sunday afternoon football. Bible reading can and should begin to take precedence over other things in our lives that seem to fritter away our time. However, the same Jesus who told us “unless we take up our cross and follow” Him, also told us that “even a cup of cold water” given in His name is an act of service. So, both the big things as well as the simple, everyday things are part of what it means to live out worship of a God who is number one in our lives. Everything matters and has the potential of being offered up to God as an act of worship.
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The other day I picked up a copy of the Christian Standard* and read an article entitled, “Reaching Unbelievers: How Effective Is Your Church?” by Kent R. Hunter. In it he shared some eye opening statistics. Research indicates that 50-60 percent of Americans describe themselves as “unchurched.” An additional 10-20 percent responded that they have a church but could not even name the church or their pastor (probably tells you something!). Hughes concludes, “Collectively, the unchurched and the functionally unchurched represent between 60 and 80 percent of your friends, relatives, neighbors, and people with whom you work or go to school. They are the majority of the population.”
What does this have to say about how the church ought to rethink ministry and its effectiveness? I think one thing is clear. The church is losing ground in its attempts to reach a lost world. Whether this is due to the fact that most churches are only reaching those who are already Christians or churched and are growing primarily by births of those within the church, or due to the fact that so many churches seem embroiled in their own little bubbles, fighting over hymns vs. choruses, jockeying for control over who gets to make certain decisions, or due to the fact that many churches are satisfied that outreach is someone else’s responsibility. Whatever the reason, it is clear the church in America has lost its passion for reaching the lost.
How is this going to change? I think first and foremost we need, collectively, to begin praying that God would give us a heart for those outside of Christ. Secondly, we need to pray that God open our eyes to those all around us who need to know Jesus loves them. Thirdly, we need to make sure we are aware as a church family of those guests in our midst on Sundays and Wednesdays and intentionally reach out to them, welcome them, and help them find what they are looking for. Lastly, we simply need to do it! As God makes you aware of someone in your sphere of influence who needs love, love them. As God makes you aware of someone in your sphere of influence who does not have a church home, invite them. In short, invest in the lives of those unchurched around you.
While some are especially gifted by God to evangelize (i.e., share the good news about Jesus with the lost), I believe we are all called to be part of the mission of reaching this world. In fact, it is clearly part of the BCC mission statement: “to introduce others to Jesus.” However, it is not enough for us to quote a mission statement or to pawn off the responsibility on someone else. We must ALL take up this calling to be “light” to a world lost in darkness. And when we do that, this place, this community will begin to light up with the love of Jesus. This area will begin to be transformed. Unwed pregnancies will decrease. Broken marriages and families will be restored. Those who have been abused will find healing and hope. And those who are lost will be found by the God of all creation who loved them enough to send His very own Son so that they could know Him.
How about we change this community together in this coming year? How about we lift this up to God, take seriously our responsibility to share Jesus with others, and watch and see what God does in 2010?
*Christian Standard is a weekly publication of the Christian church/churches of Christ. They are available free to you. Feel free to pick up a copy located on the table just outside the gym door or upstairs on the table outside the church office.
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OK, it's been a while since I last blogged! It's soon to be a new year, so I figure maybe it's time to turn over a new leaf and get back at my blogging. As I write this, I am sitting in my father-in-law's Lazy-Boy (couldn't have come up with a better name for how I feel right now!) and deeply pondering my own spiritual state of affairs. Alright, maybe I am not deeply pondering it, but I have been thinking about where I am at spiritually.
You know, there are times in my life in which I feel like I am firing on all cylinders, as if God and I are "hand-in-glove." I don't really feel that way at the moment. Truth be told, I feel a bit like the chair in which I sit, a Lazy-Boy. It's been easy to put off reading my Bible, and prayers often seem flung heavenward like undirected arrows without lots of forethought. I feel spiritually ho-hum.
Don't get me wrong. I love God, and I am confident of His presence and the Spirit's guidance in my life. But it's one of those periods in which my spiritual life is simply not on fire. How about you? Do you ever feel that way? Ever feel like you're just going through the motions, like the things you used to do that connected you to God don't seem to be doing much for you? Or maybe, you've lost your mojo and you have lapsed into old patterns and so the spiritual disciplines that once led you to growth have dropped out of your daily routine.
Whatever it is, sometimes we just go through seasons. We go through times that we don't feel particularly close to God...don't feel like coming to church or attending a Care Group...don't feel like being spiritual right now. Maybe there in lies part of the problem. If we're not careful, we can slip into an all too common, but wrong, way of thinking that views spiritual matters in very limited terms: prayer, Bible study, attending church, Bible study, etc. But for the Christian with a biblical perspective on life we must come to see all of life as spiritual. That is to say, being a Christian isn't about a feeling of closeness to God (that will come and go a lot like feelings between two married people) or how many times one reads his or her Bible per week or how many minutes (or hours if you're really spiritual!) you spend praying every day or whether you attend church services every Sunday or multiple Bible studies every week. As beneficial as these things are for a Christian, they are not the sum total of the Christian life. Nor are they the only contexts in which spiritual things take place.
I think we find the answer to this issue of spirituality in Jesus' reciting of the Deuteronomy passage: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength. To love God with everything clearly broadens our understanding beyond the Sunday morning worship setting and the Tuesday night Care Group and your morning devotions of prayer and Bible reading. While it includes these, it is also about evenings around the dinner table with your family and about sitting at 3 red lights in a row as you're already 5 minutes late for work, and being patient with the cashier at the grocery store who seems to have messed up the last four customer receipts.
So much of what we think of as spirituality has to do with things we can check off a to-do list. To-do lists are comforting, and as a perfectionist, I know from experience the joy I have in finishing a task. Knowing I have accomplished the spiritual things I set out to do today helps me feel like I am making headway. However, if I am not careful I can easily feel that my spiritual work is over once those few things are through and then go on to act as if I have never read the Bible as I sit yelling at the person in front of me who is going 40 in a 55 (or going 54 in a 55...that's even more irritating!) or when I finally get home to those I am called upon to care for and love most deeply and yet lose my patience. This separation of spiritual and unspiritual can lead me to talk to people as if I have never spoken to God at all today! Clearly, this is not what Jesus had in mind.
There is another statement by Jesus that helps clarify this matter of spirituality. Even a cup of cold water given in my name... Jesus is essentially saying that as simple an act as giving someone who is thirsty a cup of refreshing water is a spiritual act! In other words, there is no division between spiritual and unspiritual moments. All of life is potentially spiritual. Spiritual is not something limited to moments of ecstatic feelings or worship-filled songs or something that only happens in cathedrals or on mountain tops. If God is after a relationship with us that takes in every moment of our lives, than everything becomes spiritual. Jesus makes this clear when he answers a Samaritan woman's question about where the appropriate place to worship God is. He says it doesn't matter! The type of worshipers the Father seeks are those who worship in spirit and in truth.
So, back to my Lazy-Boy... I am still not feeling like a spiritual giant today, but at least I am reminded that my being spiritual is more than my feeling spiritual. And as I look around at a room full of kids (mine and two of my wife's friend's children), I see that it may not be long and a cup of cold water will be due!
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Seems this year I have a lot to be thankful for. Having gone through my recent ordeal with CT scans and MRI’s and coming out the order side of it healed is an amazingly humbling experience. I didn’t deserve it. It wasn’t because I had so much more faith than everyone else. It wasn’t because I am better than the next person. It is simply due to the good grace of God and the faithful prayers of His people. Yes, I have a lot to be thankful for!
Going through an experience like this has caused me to think long and hard about several things. First of all, I have become acutely aware of how short life is. We really do not know the day or the hour of our death. We must simply be prepared. No wonder the Psalmist asked God, “Teach us to number our days aright.” Or, as the NLT puts it, “Teach us to realize the brevity of life.” (Ps. 90:12) I found myself thinking, If I don’t have long, what will that mean? Will I be bolder for Jesus? Will I live with a sense of purpose, knowing that every day is precious?
Then it occurred to me that my days are already numbered! That is, you and I, from the moment we are born, begin to die. Obviously in the early years we don’t even consider this notion. Everything is focused on growing up and out. But truth be told, unless the Lord returns first, the odds of you and I dying are still 100%! So, maybe the question ought to be, Why am I not bolder for Jesus now? Why don’t I live with a sense of purpose today, knowing that even today is precious?
Second of all, another area that was greatly impacted by my experience has been my relationship with my wife, Lisa. That week of not knowing and fearing the worst, while praying for the best, drew Lisa and me closer than ever before. I feel that if that were all that came out of this experience, it was worth it! I see how deeply I love her and how much I would miss not being with her. The pain of knowing that she would have to go it alone with the kids was tough to deal with. Thank God, that was not to be! I now look forward to many more years together with her, Lord willing.
Third of all, I have become even more convinced that God has more work for me to do. I believe firmly that God’s hand was in this experience from beginning to end. I know there are lessons yet to be gleaned, but this one thing is clear: God is not done with me yet. My hope and prayer is that this experience and the lessons that come from it will not be wasted. As Scripture tells us again and again, it is so often in the times of trial and testing that God sharpens and refines us for further ministry. I look forward to seeing what God does in and through this experience.
Last of all, I saw the beauty of the Body of Christ at its best. Not only was I surrounded both literally and spiritually by the Bailey church family, but I was lifted up in prayer by churches all over this area. Moreover, there were believers praying for me all over the country and even in other parts of the world. That is a humbling experience! Thank you, to all who prayed for me and my family during this time. God heard your prayers, and I am blessed to have been the focus of them for a time. Thank you, for living out what it means to “weep with those who weep.” And, thank you, for knowing what it means to “rejoice with those who rejoice!” As, together, we experienced a miracle of God’s making. Praise God!
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As we continue through our year long series, Know the Story, Live the Story! I want to highlight reasons why it is so important for Christians to know the Bible. You see, I believe the Christian is in a “worldview” battle. That is, there are varying worldviews that exist all around us vying for supremacy. Whether you are aware of it or have ever even considered the notion, we all have a worldview. Whether consciously or not, our worldview is shaping and guiding us as well as filtering the information we are getting from the world around us. It is sort of like the operating system on your computer. You may not be thinking about it while you are using your computer, but all the while it is in the background guiding and forming how your computer interacts with the information you are putting into it.
A worldview at its most basic level is the filter or set of lenses through which one looks at the world, events, etc. For example, a Hindu in India has a very different set of lenses through which she views her experiences. Let’s say that you have an exchange student from India and while the two of you are driving through the Michigan countryside, you hit and kill a deer. Though you might be upset (it’s never fun to kill an animal, especially Bambi’s mother or father!), you have no problem seeing this as one of the realities of living in Michigan. The exchange student, however, may find herself much more distraught, concerned that something of a far greater nature has just taken place. What’s the difference? Worldview.
As a Christian you view the world through the lenses of Genesis. That is, God created everything and made it good. Humanity, though not divine (i.e. a god), is created in the image of God and given the responsibility by God to care for all of God’s creation. Thus, though animals are special in that they are part of creation, they are neither divine nor on the same plane as humanity. History then because God is creator is seen as having a beginning and moving toward an ultimate culmination in which all creation will give an account, and as humans we get only one go around at this life. In a nutshell, this is the Christian “operating system” in place as you stand staring over the poor, dead deer.
Now your Indian friend, on the other hand, has a drastically different operating system. As a Hindu she doesn’t believe that history is linear (i.e., in a line with a beginning and an end) but rather cyclical. She believes in something called reincarnation that holds that all creatures are attempting to progress from various levels of “rebirths” through the lower forms of life on up to human life and eventually to the liberation from human existence all together. One’s karma (bad things one does or the results of the past lives you lived or the culture/caste into which one is born) is thought to keep a person trapped in this cycle until you get it “right.” As a person does well in one life, she is reincarnated in the next life, but now up a level. If, however, she doesn’t live that life well, she may go backwards. Of course, since Hindus see all of creation as divine (or an emanation or part of God), when you ran that deer over, you might very well have been running over your dead aunt Maude! (who is now dead once again!)
You see, how you and I view the world makes all the difference as to how we interpret tragedy and celebration, trials and victories. If there is a Creator God who is both Judge and Savior before whom we will all one day stand, this perspective will effect everything we do and think.
This is where our year-long series comes in. How does one gain an informed Christian worldview? By studying the Bible. By knowing the story and how it flows. By living within that operating system (story or narrative). The better we know the story…the better we know the Author of the story…the more we will live that story out in a way consistent with the way God views the world.
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As Care Groups and Youth Groups are getting under way, I want to take this opportunity to put another plug in for getting plugged in. Over all it is looking like it may be one of our best starts to small groups. However, I know there are some who have yet to find a Care Group to call home. If you have not found one yet, I encourage you to try one out, or try a couple out, and see which one fits. Then, commit!
Here’s why small groups are so important here at BCC. It is hard to get to know 3-400 people well. However, 6-15 people are pretty easy to get to know. And when I say “know,” I mean more than just a name. I mean know one another’s joys and victories, as well as sorrows and struggles so you can pray intelligently for each other. Likewise, in a small group you can challenge and encourage one another in your spiritual lives, in grasping the understanding of a Bible text, or in stepping out to serve in new ways. This is why small groups are vital at BCC.
Moreover, small groups are biblical! No, there is no verse that tells us, Thou shalt join a small group. However, throughout Scripture relationships and community are part of the very fabric of what it means to be a Christian. God is a God of community, and He calls us into community with Himself and with one another. In fact, I dare say, that when a person is not in some sort of deeper Christian fellowship on a regular basis, their walk with Christ becomes stale, and they are far more prone to a weakening faith.
The bottom line is we need each other! As God said of Adam before He created Eve, It is not good for man to be alone. We were created for community. Be sure to get plugged in !
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Here is a brief look at the results of our recent Bible knowledge/spiritual practices test:
The average of wrong answers per test: 4.5
The average of people who know the books of the Bible: 46%
The average of people who read the Bible less than 1 time per week: 49%
The average of people who read the Bible 4-7 times per week: 20%
The average of people who pray 5 minutes per week or less: 36%
The average of people who pray 30-60 minutes per day: 10%
The average of people who commit to a Bible reading plan: 77%!
Now, there are some things that show we have our work cut out for us. The lack of current Bible reading and knowledge underscores why we are doing our Know the Story, Live the Story! sermon series. I am very excited, then, that nearly 80% of you are willing to commit to a Bible reading plan! That’s awesome! Let me encourage you as you get going in your reading not to get discouraged if you miss a day or if you run across a boring section of Scripture. I give you permission to skip over those parts that have lots of numbers and (what initially feels like) boring details. It is OK. The key goal is to keep reading! As you develop the habit of reading, listen to the Sunday messages, and discuss in your Care Groups (coming up later this fall) the implications of the Sunday messages, you will begin to “get it.” It will start to sink in, and I believe you will grow hungrier and hungrier for God’s word!
Another area of needed growth is our prayer lives. I want to encourage you to begin to develop your own prayer life this year. I believe that Bible reading and prayer go hand in hand. In fact, our Bible reading times should be prefaced by asking God to speak to us and give us understanding. Our Bible reading will help guide and inform our prayer lives. As we speak to God in prayer, we get to listen to Him in His word.
Clearly this exam shows us where we need some growth. But I believe it also shows that we have many new believers and seekers who are hungry to grow! At the end of our series, we will once again take this exam and gauge how far we’ve come. I can’t wait to see where we will be a year from now as we look back on how we’ve grown in Bible knowledge and the habits of Bible reading and prayer.
The Year of the Bible: Know the Story, Live the Story!
A year long journey that will take you from Genesis to Revelation
I am so excited about this year’s theme and sermon series! The Year of the Bible: Know the Story, Live the Story! This series excites me for two key reasons. Number one, most people in our churches, not to mention our culture, do not have a strong grasp of what the story of the Bible is all about. Many don’t realize that Moses and Jesus weren’t neighbors. Worse yet, many don’t even know who Moses or Jesus is! For this reason, I feel strongly that we need to become well-grounded in the Bible, God’s word… God’s story.
My hope in this series is to help the beginner, as well as the veteran, come to a deeper knowledge of God’s word and how the story flows from Genesis to Revelation. Along the way we will also come to a deeper love of our God. More important than knowing facts and details about the Bible is knowing the author! We don’t go to the Bible to know facts, or to win in a debate. We go to the Bible to meet God.
The second reason I am thrilled about where this series will take us is that it will help us to read the Bible as story. Now when I say story, I do not mean made up, like, Once upon a time… What I mean is that the Bible is the story of a loving, eternal God who created the universe and humanity so that we could enjoy deep fellowship with Him. When that fellowship was disrupted and broken by Adam’s sin and death entered into the plot, the story took a turn.
Now God in His grace and mercy turns His attention to redeeming and restoring humanity to a right fellowship with Him. This, of course, would take many years, and many new characters would be added to the story (Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, etc.). But eventually the story would come to a new and far more critical turning point in which God not only allows His Son to come in the form of a little child, but would eventually offer that child up as His sacrifice for us all, so that through His dying we might have life!
The Bible is story, and when you come to learn the story, it becomes far more powerful. The more you study the major characters in this salvation story, the more you will see yourself. You will come to realize that the “heroes” of faith from the past were broken and sinful as well, yet God loved and used them. More importantly, though, my hope is that you will come to see that God’s great desire is that your story begins to meld into THE story, HIS story. When you finally begin to see yourself as part of God’s grand story of redeeming the world, your life will begin to take on new and richer meaning. That is why this series is not simply titled, Know the Story because until you and I learn to Live the Story, it does us no good. And this story is too good to miss!
What you will learn-
· The books of the Bible
· How the books are organized and what their different purposes are
· The difference between the Old Testament and New Testament and why it matters
· How the story and characters connect from Genesis to Revelation, from Creation to Fall, to Redemption, and to Final Restoration
What you will be able to do-
· To tell someone the story of the WHOLE Bible in a few minutes!
· To know your way around your own Bible
· To develop a reading/prayer habit that will carry on beyond this series
· To have a deeper walk with Jesus Christ
· To have a passion for telling others His story of salvation!
How we will accomplish this-
· We hope to incorporate some creative elements in our service that will help to cement the story in your mind.
· We will use periodic “backtracks” that we will all do together in the service to bring us through the story up to the point we are at. This repetition will help with memory.
· We will provide reading plan options that will help you choose a method that works best for you to begin a Bible reading habit.
1. New Believer Method- Start by reading Mark (the story of Jesus), one chapter per day. After Mark is finished, go to Acts and then on through the rest of the New Testament all the way to Revelation, reading one chapter at a time (about ¾ of the year to finish)
2. Sermon Series Method- Read the passages during the week before sermon (possibly reading it several times per week)
3. Whole Bible Method (slower pace)- Begin reading in Genesis and read 1 chapter at a time per day (a little over 3 years to read whole Bible)
4. Whole Bible Method (1 year)- Begin reading in Genesis and read 3.5 chapters per day (1 year, reading every day)
5. Whole Bible Method (1 year)- Begin reading in Genesis and read 4.5 chapters per day (1 year, reading only 5 days a week)
6. Whole Bible Method (hyper fast!)- Begin reading in Genesis and read 13 chapters per day (about 90 days!)
Begin your time with prayer, asking God’s Spirit to teach you and give you understading. Ttake time to just talk with God and share your heart with him.
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New direction for the Called to Grow building plans!
Yesterday during the congregational meeting the leadership unveiled what has been an ongoing dialogue for the past few months among the elders and staff. We are excited about this change and what it means for further ministry here at BCC. Our original vision for the building was to renovate the gym so that, rather than looking like a gym we used for worship, it would have the look of a worship center we use as a gym. A new stage, a ramp for handicap access (as well as casket access for funerals) and a large entrance space for a welcome center were part of this plan. However, we would still be setting up and tearing down the chairs and having to use this one space for many multiple purposes.
This summer we began rethinking this plan and looked once again at the concept of a new worship center vs. renovating the gym. As some of you are aware this was part of our earlier discussions concerning the building plans. However, our earliest drawings of this concept were in the $3 million dollar range (this also included other renovations to the existing building) and seemed way out of range. As we reconsidered this option this summer in discussions with another church in Stanton that was in a similar situation to ours (i.e., setting up/tearing down in their gym for 7+ years) and had just built a sanctuary, we realized that maybe a new worship center was possible and need not be as expensive as we first thought.
We considered the added benefits of a new multi-use worship space:
· No more weekly set up and tear down of the gym (thus, freeing people up to minister in other areas)
· The gym gets to be used as a gym (sports, youth ministry, receptions, etc.)
· Less wear and tear on equipment
· A new nursery would be part of this first phase (it was not part of the first phase in the other plan)
· No need to move the kitchen
· Weddings/funerals and a reception/fellowship meal could be done much more conveniently in this new model.
Needless to say, we are thrilled about this new possibility! In the coming days we will be presenting a detailed look at this new worship space so you can comment on it and help us sharpen the focus.
As I mentioned one of the key factors initially holding us back from this concept was cost. But after reconsidering this, we feel we can actually keep our cost to the same initial bottom line. One way we will be able to keep costs down significantly is that we will be doing our own general contracting. Jim Tibbe, who did the general contracting for our gym, will be helping to oversee the project and feels confident we can do much of what needs to be done in-house.
So, let me reiterate where we have come in the past year and a half:
1. We have paid off the $100,000+ debt.
2. We have $100,000+ on hand.
3. Commitments have been keeping a pretty good pace, and thus we have shown through our giving that we are ready to move forward!
4. Plans are still on to break ground this spring.
5. As God grows us, we will look beyond these “four walls” to other communities to start new churches. This new church building will, thus, be a sort of spiritual “birthing room” from which new life can spring!
Thank you for your prayers, your giving and your encouragement to the leadership through this process. Keep it up! We are in this together, and we believe God has been in this process guiding and providing. And we trust that where He guides, He will also provide!
P.S.- Some asked Sunday about the renovations to the children’s area that are planned. Those are still part of the overall vision but are part of the second phase of building.
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This article is from Church Volunteer Central. As we come to the fall and think ministry, here's a great encouragement as to why serving others is such a good idea! Be sure to find a place to get plugged in this fall!
Happy Teenagers
Brian Proffit
We talk a lot about the importance of being true disciples fulfilling our calling to spend time in service to others. But did you know studies indicate that living externally focused lives actually increases our happiness? Many studies back this up, but I'll just mention a couple that relate to two groups of people that can be especially susceptible to times of unhappiness or despair: seniors and teens.
A study published by Aging and Mental Health in 2003 showed that seniors who volunteered were significantly more likely than those who didn't to report having high energy, concentration, and engagement. Altruism and Later Life reports that a significant increase in happiness was attributable to volunteering. As reported in Gross National Happiness, "The researchers found that volunteering for just six months significantly increased the seniors' morale, self-esteem, and sense of social integration. In general, the researchers found that volunteering for nonprofit organizations was even better for senior citizens' happiness than helping out their families or their neighbors." Sounds like important news for churches to me!
As a parent, I've had intimate experience with "surly teenager" syndrome. The good news is this also gives us a way to improve their attitudes about themselves and their lives. A study published in The Science of Altruism and Health followed 1,000 teenagers over a five year period, tracking their attitudes and behaviors. Those who spent the most time in various community service efforts were least likely to be involved in violence and pregnancy. They also were least likely to express negative feelings(!) or describe themselves as feeling stressed. As described in Gross National Happiness , "Provocatively, the investigators found that charity and faith tended to interact for extra benefit. Religious, giving teens had higher self-esteem, confidence, and optimism than nonreligious, giving teens."
We have always emphasized that you should not be recruiting volunteers for what they can do for you. The goal is to help every believer find his or her true fulfillment and joy in life by spending their time in the areas of loving ministry that God created them for. But research indicates there are some significant extra benefits. We've all heard someone describe their experience by saying, "I get much more out of it than I give." Science backs them up.
Perhaps you don't have any people in your church whose lives could use an injection of happiness, optimism, and energy. If so, please drop the rest of us an e-mail...we'd like to come visit your church! For the rest of us, we now have yet another reason to continue our call for all believers to live externally focused lives.
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This is a just a short blog to let everyone know that my wife, Lisa, will be taking on the role of part-time children’s minister. We are very excited to have her in place for the fall, as all of our children’s programming really kicks into gear at that time. Since Lisa has been overseeing the Wednesday night youth PK thru 4th grade for about 11 years, has lead the VBS for as many years and worked in numerous other children’s areas, this was will be a natural transition. Having a strong children’s/youth ministry is so important to us here at BCC, and we feel that Lisa will bring a love for children and year’s of experience into this position that will only help this area grow stronger!
Be sure to welcome Lisa on board, and if you are interested in serving in the children’s ministry (Children’s Church, Wednesday nights, Sunday School), please see Lisa. She’d love to get you plugged in! (As her office hours become set, we will let you know what they are.)
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As we approach September, Corbin and I are prepping for the fall ministry season to kick-off. I love this time of year (sorry, kids!) because it means everyone starts coming back from vacations, youth groups start up and Care Groups get going. There is a sense of homecoming that occurs in the fall. I can’t wait to see everyone back home!
With the fall ministry season in mind, I wanted to give you a heads up on what is coming. Since we are committed to doing life more deeply together in our small groups, we believe youth groups and adult Care Groups are vital to how we care for one another here at BCC. We want to invite all of our newer folks to plan to plug into a Care Group and for our young people to get involved in youth group. What happens in a service on Sunday morning isn’t sufficient to create the sort of community we believe Jesus had in mind for his followers. This sort of community takes time talking, sharing, laughing, crying, studying and praying together. Be looking for a list of Care Group leaders coming in the next couple of weeks. Youth groups start the week of September 13 (high schoolers meet on Sunday’s at 6:00pm; preschool thru middle school meets Wednesday at 6:45pm), and Care Groups will start up the week of September 20th.
In order to help get everyone on the same page, we will be having a Promo Sunday during Sunday school on September 13. This will be for the middle schoolers thru adults. During this time we will share the exciting things coming in the new year as well as info about youth events, Care Groups, Sunday school options, service opportunities, as well as a Called to Grow building update. I believe it’s going to be a great year of ministry together and that God is up to something great! Plan to be part of it!
Lastly, I wanted to share with you some special plans I have for us as a church family. One of the things I have noticed--and many church leaders have commented on--in recent years has been the lack of biblical knowledge the average person has. This goes even for people who may have grown up in the church. My belief is that unless you and I know the story of man’s fall and God’s saving act of redemption as found in Genesis to Revelation, there will be so much missing in our Christian walk. While we do not all have to be Bible scholars and experts, I believe we do need to have a working knowledge of God’s word that translates into real life application as we go about our week. This too will take some time…as well as some commitment.
So…I am calling this year, The Year of the Bible: Know the Story, Live the Story! And over the course of this coming year, I will be preaching through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Of course, I won’t be able to preach every verse, but what I will do is cover the major figures and themes as found in God’s story of redemption. I will also call each of us to make commitments to reading and reflecting on God’s word through the year.
Likewise, and more importantly, our focus will be on more than simply knowing the story. It will be on living the story. You see, to know and not to do, is not really to know at all! Jesus puts it this way in John 14:23, 24:"If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”
I want our church to be known not only for our knowledge of God’s word, but also for applying what we know to real life. Plan to be part of living out God’s story this year!
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I want to apologize for not wrapping up the details on my Mexico trip here on my blog! If you were waiting for the “exciting conclusion,” you may have felt a bit disappointed. Needless to say, I did return! Doug, Kaylee, Madison and I had a great time. We hope to share some pictures with you all soon during a Sunday morning service.
Today’s blog will not be long. I just want to get back into the habit again. What I want to do today, however, is pose a question that I hope will encourage you to respond and add your two cents. As we come to August and near the beginning of school, opportunities to serve and build community abound! VBS, the Backpack Outreach, youth groups and Care Groups all provide chances for each of us to get plugged into the Bailey church family and to make an eternal difference in the lives of those around us. What I’d like to hear from you is an answer to this question: What is your favorite part of being in the Bailey church family?
Simply use the comment section on this page and share your thoughts with the rest of the church family. I look forward to hearing from you!
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Well, it’s Friday. The weather has been great (not like Michigan, I hear) and has given us plenty of opportunity to play with the children outdoors as well as help with a few outdoor projects. Doug and I just finished planting 90 little bush/trees along the wall of the boy’s dorms. As they grow, a nice hedge will develop. You’ve got to know I loved checking out the plants at the nursery! They have some very unique plants and plants that we can only buy for indoors in the States that will grow year-round down here.
Some of you may be aware that Doug and I have had to help the mission through a difficult transition while we are down here. Working through the process of letting someone go and providing encouragement to Juan and Selene during this time has been our focus. We believe wholeheartedly in the work of the home and its necessity in this area of Mexico. Sometimes ministries must make tough decisions that are painful at first but in the end lead to stronger, healthier and greater growth. We believe this will be the case for Mexican Mountain Mission.
I realize I am a bit vague on the details, but this is probably not the best setting to cover all the details. Suffice it to say, that God has been guiding the process. However, we are not through. Please, be in prayer for Doug and me. More importantly, please, be in prayer for Juan and Selene as this has been stressful for them.
I look forward to seeing you all in a week. Doug and Kaylee will be returning Monday. However, Madison and I won’t be returning until next Thursday. As you pray for me, I will be praying for you. I love my Bailey church family! Thank you, for all you do for me and my family. Your prayers, love, and encouragement have certainly helped me to become a better pastor than I would ever have been without you. Thanks for being the wonderful family that is Bailey Christian Church!
In Him,
Daren
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Today (Tuesday) is our third full day in Mexico. The weather is beautiful: sunny and dry. We plan on heading to the local park to watch Juan’s son Jesse practice soccer. He is quite good, and Juan tells us that pro teams are looking at him.
Earlier today three new girls (sisters) came to live at the home, bringing the total number of children up to 27. The amazing thing at Mexican Mountain Mission is how well behaved the children are and how well organized things are. This morning Doug overheard the ladies making a grocery list that took about 40 minutes to compile. Can you imagine grocery shopping for that many people? On market days, Juan has to bring the pick up and go to the farmer’s market that has loads of fresh fruits and vegetables. It takes some time and effort to get all that is needed to feed 27+ hungry mouths.
Thinking of the three new sisters that have come, I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to adjust to living in a new place with new rules. Moreover, it has to be tough on a child to not have her parents here to love and guide her. Of course, this is why Mexican Mountain Mission is so important for the children of San Luis Potosi. Here they will be loved, well fed, cared for and pointed to God. In the end, for the 27 children living at the home, Mexican Mountain Mission is just the right thing at the right time. Meeting real needs with God’s love is the heart and soul of this mission.
Please, continue to pray for Doug and me as we have some important mission issues to deal with that will help the home grow stronger in the years ahead.
In Him,
Daren
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Just in case you didn’t know, I am in San Luis Potosi, Mexico for the next couple of weeks. My daughter, Madison, and Doug and Kaylee Wayner are here as well. Madison and Kaylee had been wanting to take their own mission trip for better than a year, and so they saved their own money in hopes of coming down to the children’s home at Mexican Mountain Mission. Of course, they had visions of doing this totally alone, but the parents had other ideas. So, Doug and I tagged along. It just so happened, however, that there was some mission business we needed to take care of, so we decided to kill two birds with one stone.
Everything went well on the trip down. Though it was amazing to get to Mexico and find it cooler than Michigan! Nice to have the lower humid, however. We went to church yesterday. Didn’t understand much, but it is always cool singing songs of praise in another language with brothers and sisters in Christ who love the same God.
Sunday evening the children returned home from their monthly weekend visit to family. Juan feels it is important for the children to keep a connection with their families, many of whom live elsewhere in the city. He believes that if they are allowed to have ongoing contact like this, they will grow to appreciate the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian home life. This way hopefully they will not long to go back to the unhealthiness that is often their own families.
Currently there are 24 children at the home, ranging from 4 to 15. They are at school at the moment. Since the schools in Mexico were closed for 3 weeks due to the swine flu outbreak, the children have to make up some of those days. They will be going into early July.
Well, that’s all for today from San Luis Potosi! I intend to keep in touch with you all through my blog on the church web site periodically throughout the next couple of weeks. I encourage you to keep checking back to see what new is happening. Feel free to contact me by email, or by leaving a comment on the web site. Please, pray for us while we are here. Pray that Madison and Kaylee get a lot out of their experience sharing with the children of the home. Also, please pray for Doug and me as we have some important issues to attend to here at the home.
In Him,
Daren
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In hopes of stimulating further discussion and dialogue on the issues raised in our series, “Real Hope for Real Change: A Study of Romans,” I will be using my blog to provide a format for interaction. Obviously, for this to be a dialogue, your reflections are not only welcomed but encouraged. I will do my best to get at the questions or comments that arise that require further reflection. With that in mind, let’s commence!
Yesterday we briefly addressed the issue of God’s foreknowledge and predestination in Romans 8:28, 29. As you will see, these issues are further developed in the next few chapters as Paul addresses the issue of Israel’s continuing role in God’s salvation plan (since so many of the Jews had rejected their Messiah, Jesus). If you were in one of the services yesterday, you heard me lay out the two primary camps within Christianity when it comes to predestination and salvation. Namely, Calvinism (named for its foremost proponent, John Calvin, mid-1500’s) believes that since humanity is “totally depraved” as a result of the Fall (i.e., Adam’s sin/original sin; see Romans 5), we are incapable of even choosing Jesus for salvation. Thus, God must do that for us. Of course, if God chooses—predestines—a person for salvation, then he/she cannot resist God’s call. He is sovereign. He is in control.
Likewise, if one is unable to even choose God, he or she cannot then “un-choose” God once one is saved. That is, once a person is saved, he or she is always saved. Salvation is then both irresistible (i.e., I can’t say, no.) and permanent (i.e., I can’t lose my salvation).
The other perspective is known as Arminianism (named for Jacob Arminius, mid-late 1500’s), and its distinguishing marks are that it holds that God’s call to salvation is not limited to a select group of individuals whom God has predestined before creation to be saved, but is universal. However, though God’s call is universal and all are welcome, not all will choose, by faith, to turn to His Son, Jesus, and be saved. This perspective also holds that God is sovereign, but that in His sovereign will He chose for humanity, though fallen, to be a real part of responding in love to His call. Thus, despite humanities sin and inability to save itself, we are still capable of saying, yes, to His call.
Thus, contrary to Calvin’s thinking, since humanity has a real choice to say, yes, to Jesus, we also have the option to walk away from that faith even after we have stepped into relationship with Jesus. Sadly, far too many churches who hold to this understanding have served to create far too much uncertainty in their people, as if our salvation were up to us. That is not that case, however. Far from it! Salvation in this view is not something one falls in and out of based on the prevailing winds, but rather it takes seriously the call of God to be in genuine relationship with Him.
Granted there are variations on these two major camps, and not all within them would agree in all regards. Suffice it to say that these are the general parameters within which the debate has been framed over the centuries. Let me just say that I have great respect for Calvin and those within the Calvinist heritage (e.g., Reformed, Presbyterian, segments of the Baptists), even though I disagree with them in their conclusions on this matter. In my mind, this is an “in-house” debate. That is, well-meaning Christians will at times disagree over these matters and how to interpret certain difficult passages. That will always be the case, and we must be gracious and humble even when at times we may strongly disagree.
As I mentioned yesterday, I hold much more closely to Arminian interpretations of salvation, and here is why. I believe God’s call to humanity is just that, a true call to turn to Him. Now salvation is by grace and is thus a gift from God. I don’t earn it, but I do receive it. For this reason, I believe passages like John 3:16-18, 6:29; Romans 10:9, 10, 17 that call us to faith in God’s Son, are genuine calls that we can respond to. Likewise, passages like Hebrews 6:4-6; 2 Peter 2:20-22; Rev. 2:10, 14:12 indicate the salvation is a process and that we are not only called to faith but faithfulness as well. Eternal security comes in clinging to God’s grace through faith. Again, salvation is not something we accomplish by our being good enough. It is God’s gracious gift in Jesus. However, we are called to remain faithful in our walk with Him for our salvation to be sure.
This is enough for now. Feel free to interact and wrestle with this topic through struggling together with God’s word. I believe His richest blessings await!
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All right. It’s June, and I have a new chance to get myself into the habit of a weekly blog. My first couple of tries (weeks and months apart!) belied the obvious fact that this has been a hard habit for me to get myself into. So, here we go!
This morning I woke up to the news that Dr. Tiller, a Wichita late-term abortion doctor, had been gunned down while he was ushering at his church on Sunday. I was saddened to hear the news. Saddened for two reasons.
The first reason is because Dr. Tiller, though he did horrific things in the name of “helping” women who were depressed or who did not want to care for a handicapped child, was a person made in the image of God, precious in His sight. The person who believes the answer to the murder of babies is the murder of men has a messed up world view. I am sad for Dr. Tiller’s wife, family, and friends. Sadly, Dr. Tiller now must stand before the Judge of all the earth and account for his misdeeds without having, at least to my knowledge, repented of his actions.
The second reason I am saddened is because when some idiot goes off half-cocked in the “name of Jesus” and kills an abortion doctor, the media and pro-abortion politicians have a field day trying to tie this action to pro-life protesters or preachers who proclaim abortion is a tragedy. They will say, See what happens when you say things like, “Abortion is murder. Abortion is wrong”? The truth of the matter is that this one murderer’s actions clearly do not reflect the values of the pro-life movement or God’s value system. If anything, it lies in stark contrast to the values of life and peace espoused by the movement.
Before we leave this subject, however, let us also make clear that what Dr. Tiller was doing in killing babies who were “viable” (i.e., capable of living outside the womb) was deplorable. Sadly the twisted value system that led him to believe that he was doing a service to women is but a reflection of the broken world in which we live. A world in which good is evil, and evil is good. Dr. Tiller’s life, work and death are just another reminder for the Christian why Jesus’ taught His disciples to pray, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Let this be our prayer as we seek to live out Jesus’ kingdom principles in a world that is badly in need of a Savior. We will be faithful to preach and to live out these principles, and we will allow Jesus to sort out the rest. That’s His job no ours.
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I just heard a statistic that grabbed my attention. Did you know that 82% of people who are invited to church say they would accept the invitation? That blows my mind! It says a couple of things to me. First of all, people are open to the idea of church. Of course, not all people are interested, and even some of those in a survey who answer yes to this question may not actually show up. However, even if the number is only 50-60%, that is still a huge response!
Second of all, I sure miss a lot of opportunities! Think about it. How many people do you and I pass by during a week who may just be waiting for an invite to BCC? But because of fear or busyness or laziness, we never quite get around to asking.
With Easter coming up April 12, why not take this opportunity to invite that person you have been wanting to reach out to? Who knows, it might just be your willingness to ask them to join you that Sunday that God uses to bring them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Take a step out of your comfort zone this Easter, and let me know how it goes.
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This is my inaugural blog! I am glad to finally be part of the blogosphere. I don’t know how often I will update this blog. We’ll have see how things develop. However, let me welcome you to our new web site and this opportunity to expand our community in new ways. I realize the term community has taken on a number of forms in recent years. With the advent of blogs, web sites and social networking online, community has begun to include this format as well. Of course, there are limits to what words on a page (screen) can do for community building. Real community, Christian community, involves far more than words. It involves us, heart, body and soul. As Scripture tells us, “let us not love in word only but in deed,” in action. Real community takes time. It involves pain and conflict. It means serving side by side and sharing loss as well as victory. True community includes the “least of these,” the broken and the hard-to-love. It is not neat. In fact, it can be quite messy at times.
Welcome to the church! It’s God’s (messy) idea of how we are to do this thing called the Christian life. It is to be done in community, stumbling and tripping all the way, but hopefully falling forward, leaning into His grace when we don’t have a leg to stand on. And realizing that, at times, He has asked you and I to be those legs (and feet and hands, etc.) for the one who have none.
Feel free to let me know what you think of this and future blogs as well as how we can improve this site.
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