Evangelism takes time

All of my life, I have never been at peace with myself as an evangelist. I recognize that God has blessed me with some very good experiences and given me some unique gifts; yet, I have never felt comfortable "leading" someone to the Lord. I know I've had a positive influence on some folks who have given their lives to Jesus, however, there is no single Christian for which I could honestly take credit. No one that I could say, "I was key in leading them to Christ."

This is something that bothers me from time to time. Of course, I realize that evangelism is a complicated process-- it's ultimately the work of God to draw a person to faith in Jesus. I'm fully aware that it's not about a special combination of Bible verses and witty arguments that stimulate salvation. Nevertheless, it seems that not much soul-saving goes on in my immediate proximity. Again, I find myself questioning if something's not-just-right in my heart.

Finally, it dawned on me to make this a matter of prayer. I started praying about "soul-saving," asking God to guide my mind and my heart for the purpose of making me, and our congregation, evangelistic.

Here's the greatest insight that I have received thus far: Evangelism is less like selling someone a product; it is more like making a friend.

Selling something to another does not involve any significant emotional attachment. Making a friend is emotionally risky. That's why some folks have such a hard time doing it.

I suppose the baseline medium of any good family is time. Family takes time. Church takes time. Evangelism takes time.

The formula (at least for God and me) goes something like this: I start seriously praying for a great change in my life. As I pray, I'm intuitively aware that something within me needs to change in order for God to carry out this His work. Soon thereafter, some particular aspect of my life starts getting completely screwy. In the past, I would get frustrated and sidetracked; now, I've learned that God is pointing me toward something. At the center of this storm in my life, is the thing that needs to change. (I should mention that it usually is something personal and difficult to accept.) Now, I can pray more specifically about this new discovery. God is good, he'll keep grinding along with me.

Since I started praying for evangelism, the storm has centered around time. I would boil it down to this: If the Sunshine Church of Christ is to become a greater "church"; we, the people of the Sunshine Church, are going to have to make time to be church.

For many of us, definitely including myself here, it will involve a complete paradigm shift in our thinking about time. Growing up on a farm, I understand the mentality of hard work. If I am working- I'm making good use of time. The problem is this: we work and work and work, and though we didn't really waste any time, we eventually realize that our time could have been better spent. Just like the father, who diligently works hard (for his family), but ultimately fails at fatherhood because he was too busy working; we are all, often, too busy to be church (family) for one another.

Our sense of individuality far outweighs our sense of community. We must figure out a way to change this. It will be difficult because the dominant culture, within which we live, highly promotes individualism. We will need to find the a counter-cultural path.

Imagine if for some reason you were forced to part with half of everything you own. Some of the choices would be easy, but eventually it would get very, very hard. It is the same with time. We know God has given us the time we need to do His will. Yet, we can't find time to do it. Something must give! I am convinced, that for you and me, in this day and age, time is our proverbial bull that we must grab by the horns.

I am standing on turtles, I think

Steve started, what he said is to be, a series of sermons on biblical interpretation. Since then, many thoughts have run through my mind. I remember, vividly, taking a class at Harding, Principles of Biblical Interpretation. I remember thinking, "Why are we not discussing these issues openly in every congregation?" All of my life, I had been taught conclusions drawn from the Scriptures-- conclusions about the proper form and structure of a Christian congregation, conclusions about social issues like divorce, premarital sex, and homosexuality, conclusions about what God expects from me regarding church attendance, prayer, and giving, and on and on.

As I sat in that class at Harding, I realized that for the first time, I was being led in a serious analysis of how the Bible student arrives at such conclusions. The class did not begin to answer all the questions I had, but it was refreshing to see the discussion move to a deeper, more promising level. I was enthusiastic, to say the least. Hermeneutics was my new favorite word and I was committed to learning as much as possible.

Quickly, I realized that most folks did not share my interest in the subject. That has always been hard for me to understand. I cannot understand a person who would fight vigoriously for a belief, but have no serious interest in understanding how they came to hold such a belief.

Over the years, I have come to think of this phenomenon, psychologically. Let me explain with a weak reference to Greek mythology:

The Greek man understood that his footing was supported by the earth upon which he was standing. Being the inquisitive type, he wondered what supported the earth. It was eventually common to believe that the earth was upheld by the back of giants called, Titans. The next question is, What supports the Titans? My memory of Greek mythology fails me here, I think it was believed that they stood upon some sort of turtles. I have no idea upon what the turtles were standing. The point is this--Eventually the Greek man who so greatly desires knowledge is forced to admit, "I have no freaking idea what ultimately supports my footing."

So it can go with biblical interpretation. We are conveniently nearsighted when it comes to serious inquiry of our beliefs. This, you see, is a psychological defense mechanism employed by our unconscious mind. Because...intuitively, we sense that my our most cherished beliefs might be deconstructed by the harsh tools and techniques of serious biblical interpretation; therefore, I refuse to even go there!

Now, please understand, I am stating this in a tongue-in-cheek manner, but I believe there is a definite element of truth here, as well. I am firmly convinced that the main motivation of folks to be resistance to serious study of disciplines like biblical interpretation or church history is because, intuitively or sub-consciously, they recognize that such knowledge will undermine some of their cherished convictions.

Please Do This With Us

I just received an email from our adoption agency asking if we would fast and pray on specific days. As many of you, who read "Zoe's Adoption" blog, know, Tim and I are caught in the middle of a very long and constantly increasing wait time for a picture (referral) of our baby girl, Zoe. This issue is ever increasingly weighing on our hearts and minds and I have personally felt the desire to fast and pray about this as of recently. I was delighted to get home today and find an email from our agency requesting that we do this together and get the church involved. Tim isn't aware of this information at the moment but I plan to tell him about it in hopes that he will join me for at least one of the days selected by AWAA to fast and pray. Will you join us? All we have to do is ask and I believe He will answer. Please help!


Zoe's Mom, Jennifer


Here is the email contents from our agency:

******
Dear America World Families,

In recent years, our agency has asked our community to fast and pray on certain occasions - in hope and expectation that God would change the hearts of adoption officials for the best interest of orphans. We are writing to ask you to join us again as we fast and pray from April 23 - 25, 2007; if you cannot join us on these dates, please see if another time works with your schedule.

In the past we have seen God work mightily as we have fasted, prayed, and sought His direction and guidance. We greatly appreciate your prayers for our staff, prospective adoptive parents, adoption officials in the U.S. and abroad, and, most importantly, for the many waiting children in need of a family.

Just as Esther and the Jewish people prayed and fasted and had a ruling overturned, our prayer is that the policies preventing orphans from entering families will be changed (Esther 8:5-8).

Another passage that has been an encouragement to our agency is from the prophet Isaiah—showing us the hope that God can do new things—and providing a way through terrain that seems impossible:

"This is what the LORD says—He who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters… See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." -Isaiah 43:16 & 19

Specific Issues in Need of Prayer:

To decrease the wait time for referrals from China and El Salvador;
To allow more orphans in China to be listed and available for adoption;
For paper chasing China adoptive parents who need to reach their May 1st deadline;
For adoption agencies to be accredited in Russia;
For the hearts of leaders in the field of adoption to make decisions in the best interest of children - and not to be motivated by personal greed, ambition, or national pride.

We are praying boldly and in faith—as Jesus taught us in Mark Chapter 11:

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." -Mark 11:22-24

This would also be a great time to ask your church community, fellowship groups and bible studies to pray together for orphans waiting to be adopted. For those who can join us in prayer and fasting from April 23 - 25, we appreciate your support, prayers and faithfulness.

Sincerely,

America World Staff



6723 Whittier Avenue, Suite 202
McLean, VA 22101
Toll Free: 888-ONE-CHILD
Fax: (703) 356-8973
http://www.spirit-of-adoption.org

(KJV) Romans 8:15 For ye have not received
the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have
received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we
cry, Abba, Father.

Follow Up from yesterday's Post

As you will notice, in yesterday's post, someone named Terry commented about what I wrote. At first, I thought it was one of our Terrys from Sunshine, but when I clicked on his name, I found out that this Terry was definately "one of ours" but just doesn't attend church at Sunshine. I went to his blog, listed at the bottom of his profile and read a post that he made the exact same day I wrote my post. It's very much a God thing!

Terry's profile says:

Terry Laudett
I am a Christian, a member of the Contact Church of Christ in Tulsa, a husband, and a father who enjoys writing.


Here is what his post from yesterday says:


Saturday, April 14, 2007

International Orphans

I found the following information on the Christian Relief Fund web site (http://www.christianrelieffund.org):

700,000 children live in Ukraine's orphanages today.

65% to 75% of the children in ophanages are there due to alcoholism in their homes.

15% of the orphans commit suicide within one year of leaving an orphanage.

70% of boys are arrested within 3 years of leaving an orphanage.

60% of girls are involved in prostitution within 2 years of leaving an orphanage. Twenty-thousand prostitutes live in the capitol city (Kiev), and the typical prostitute is a 19 year old orphan.

The world's children are crying out for Christians who will care for them. God wants his people to help these children and others like them (James 1:27).

Jason and Erin Carley are preparing to adopt a little boy from Vietnam soon. (Erin is Gary and Mary Lasarsky's daughter, and George Sly's granddaughter---see yesterday's post.) The Carleys are doing something special in providing a home for their son. I know that they will be incredibly blessed by his presence, just as he will be by their's.

It is not possible for everyone to adopt, but everyone can encourage those who do. Perhaps we can support organizations like the Christian Relief Fund or an adoption agency (like Christian Services of Oklahoma) with money, prayer, and volunteering. The world is full of needs and opportunities to meet them (and the blessings of meeting those needs are indescribable).





An earlier post I found on his website was very intriguing to me. Here it is:




Thursday, April 05, 2007

Cousins in Haiti

"Whoever heard me spoke well of me,and those who saw me commended me,because I rescued the poor who cried for help,and the fatherless who had none to assist him" (Job 29:11-12, NIV).

While we were in the process of adopting our son, we were unaware that Janet's cousin, Sherry Watson, was adopting her son, Joshua, from Haiti.

Four years have passed.

Now Sherry and Joshua are preparing to return to Haiti in 2 months, where Sherry will serve as a missionary and a house mom for several children in an orphanage. Janet and I are impressed with their faith and willingness to help the orphans of the Western hemisphere's poorest country. Their trust in Christ has led them to take risks so that others may know him.

Sherry's blog is http://watsonhaiti.blogspot.com. We plan on checking it out frequently.

If you would like to read more posts from Terry's blog, here is his blog address:

http://adisciplesthoughts.blogspot.com/

China and Jesus

I just visited one of my adoption friends' website where she was giving updates on how her 9 year old daughter from China is doing. They adopted her just a few months ago and there has been a language barrier and a few other issues to go through, but things are moving along beautifully. The little girl's name is Kaia and is being homeschooled in order to get her caught up to her grade level. She's doing so very well and her parents are very proud. She has been experiencing so many things (we Americans take for granted) for the first time.

She just experienced her first birthday party at the age of 9! One of her gifts was an english/chinese bible. When Kaia came home to America, she had never heard the name of Jesus. She had never been told ANYTHING about any of the things we as American's "get tired of hearing". In bold print, below, is what her mother wrote about Kaia and Jesus. Prepare yourself. It's pretty powerful!


"Kaia has almost completed the new bible she received for her birthday, I think this is one of her favorite gifts, she loves learning about Jesus. Kaia is so full of questions, 'If I go to hell and then I am good, can I go to Heaven?" When I die, will the Devil wake me up?" after reading about Adam and Eve "Why did God not want the people to be smart and eat from the tree?" I love her questions, I never know what is going to come next, she keeps me on my toes. She witnessed a baptism at our church, I made sure she had a good view - it was neat that each person gave a testimony before being baptized and Kaia was able to hear that, she thought it was neat and quick. I can't wait for the day she is baptized,that will be so amazing just knowing how far she has come and what could have been. We talked about going back to China and working with orphans, Kaia says we can tell them about Jesus, I've tried to explain to her that this has to be done in secret - she says "Everybody knows about God" to this I said "did you know about God when you were in China?" No she did not, and she doesn't understand why she was not allowed to know of such things, she cannot comprehend this - as she sees it, everyone should know about Jesus and no one should keep this from them, isn't it funny how much she understands in such a short time."


Now, tell me something. Are you ready to go on a mission trip?

Identifying Problems in the ‘Emerging Church’

FALWELL CONFIDENTIAL
Insider weekly newsletter to The Moral Majority Coalition and
The Liberty Alliance http://www.moralmajority.com

From: Jerry Falwell
Date: April 13, 2007




Identifying Problems in the ‘Emerging Church’

The late economist Peter Drucker said a few years ago: “Every few hundred years in Western history there occurs a sharp transformation ... Fifty years later, there is a new world. And the people born then cannot even imagine the world in which their grandparents lived.”

I believe we are witnessing a modern effort to transform the church into an institution that experiences broad cultural acceptance. This effort, known as the Emerging Church , is a much-talked about movement that has brought new challenges into the Church of Jesus Christ.

The so-called Emerging Church movement was formed out of frustration with dead and irrelevant evangelicalism. The problem is that it has decided to modernize and re-create the church so as not to offend sinners. This renders virtually meaningless the life-changing message of the Gospel.

John 8:32 tells us: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” This is not truth that can be modified to fit cultural whims; it is as relevant today as it was when John was inspired by God to write those words around AD 170.

However, the website of The Leadership Network, the headquarters of the Emerging (or sometimes Emergent) Church movement, states that their outlook on “truth” offers a “flexible approach to theology whereby individual differences in belief and morality are accepted within reason.”

The site further states that members wish to “reanalyze the Bible against the context into which it was written.”

This is very dangerous territory.

Such a view opens perilous avenues that enable suggestions that Jesus is not the Christ, that the Bible is not inspired by God Himself and that there are ways to heaven other than through Jesus. Such notions counter the very fabric of the Gospel.

In this era of diversity and political correctness, we can ill afford to weaken the very foundations of the Gospel.

But the Emerging Church has determined that core doctrine and theology are sometimes roadblocks to converting the lost.

This is the epitome of contradiction.

Further, Emerging Church groups have decided that profanity and vulgar talk from the pulpit and elsewhere is acceptable because it is relevant to the culture. Such teachings counter the biblical teachings that Christians are “new creatures in Christ.”

Another problem of the Emerging Church is that its leaders, who no doubt started out with good intentions, have very little theological training. Their emphasis has been on appearances. Many of its leaders have been to “conferences” that tell them how to do things, but they don’t know why they are doing them. Thus, they have a little bit of knowledge, but no wisdom.

Dr. James McDonald spoke my feelings when he said: “I resonate deeply with much of the criticism flowing from the Emerging Church against current Western Christianity, but I am deeply grieved to see the emergent remedies accepted so uncritically by those who feel gratified by the accuracy of their critiques.”

While I have no problem with the church adapting to the culture, we must ensure that we remain painstakingly true to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that we remain obedient servants to His truths.

As Jesus stated: “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me …” (John 14:21).

How to Raise an AMERICAN

I was just sent a few words about this book in an email from the Family Research Council. I clicked on the link they gave me and read what the book was about and thought that it sounded like a worth while book.

Here is the link:

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307339218

Knowing God through His Word

I was reading an article in US News yesterday that was discussing religious illiteracy in America - particularly in the under 30 population. For a magazine that tends to be "left-leaning," I was impressed with the tone of the article. The author went on to recommend that 2 classes be taught in public schools - one broad course that surveyed the world's religions, and one more specific course on the Bible. His rationale was that religion is such a key factor in how this world works, that an understanding of it is an important characteristic of a well-trained citizen. The author goes on to describe a lack of biblical understanding in America - which (as we all know) owes much of its heritage to Christian principles.

The most interesting point of this article correlated the rise of evangelicalism in America with a lessening knowledge of the Bible. He contrasted the Puritan's emphasis on "head & heart" which focused learning God's word and applying it with the modern evangelical concern with emotions. Below is an exerpt from that article.

"Another change was in the churches themselves, when they started focusing on loving Jesus rather than on listening to him. The Bible slowly became a kind of ornament and a source of authority rather than a book you actually read. Sermons became more about ordinary life and less about biblical narratives, while Sunday schools focused more on morality than on learning about your own particular denomination."

How can we love Jesus without knowing His word? John 14:21 says "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me." How do we have His commands? We read His word. More and more, I am convinced that regardless of what I "feel," the more of the word I ingest, the more my feelings match. So, if we're really concerned with "feeling" love toward Jesus, the best thing we can do is to learn His word. This notion is supported by Romans 12:2 -- " Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." How do we renew our mind? Perhaps it's as simple as changing what we focus on. We start reading more of the Bible and trying to think about what we read. We know that the word of God is alive and powerful - for years I've wanted change in my relationship with God, I've waited for a lightening bolt to make my feelings what I thought they should be, tried to just change my behavior -- all while my Bible collected dust and was opened occasionally. The real mystery to me is that if I know the word is alive and can create great changes in me and in others, why is it so hard to put forth the effort to read it? My feelings fight me in my efforts to read God's word, but when I read His word, those feelings change and begin to honor God a little more. Is this the case for anyone else?

I am so thankful that Sunshine is concerned with the whole word of God - that our classes, and preaching is grounded not only in one or two verses - but it harmonizes the entire scripture. What a blessing!!

Dying before you die

I have for a long time been fascinated with the Gospel accounts of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, just hours prior to the trial and crucifixion. Jesus expresses a tremendous amount of "negative" emotion. He is fearful, anxious, and is momentarily searching for a way out. Yet, in the end, he finds/receives monumental strength expressed in his words, "Not my will, but yours, be done." As the account of the trial and crucifixion unfolds, we see that those were not just words, but a declaration of tremendous resolve. Jesus died in the garden.

Though on a lesser scale, I see a similar principle at work in Hospice patients. Many of the folks with whom I work, have a deep faith. They handle death, even their own, with poise and class. I think it has something to do with having died already. Physical death is only a real problem if you have something at stake, something in this life of which you cannot let go. Paul said, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." It is a privilege to be around people who truly get that!

Life is easier, more fulfilling, more meaningful, when you're dead. Talk about a change of perspective!

Galatians 2:20--I was put to death on the cross with Christ, and I do not live anymore- it is Christ who lives in me. I still live in my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself to save me.

Two Boxes

In essentials, unity;
in non-essentials, liberty;
and in all things charity.

This phrase has been oft-quoted by our Stone-Campbell predecessors and also appears in the historical literature of various other religious affiliations. It is a beautiful expression of what a religious movement would seek to accomplish. In matters of utmost important, we are uncompromising and we stand together. In matters that are not critical to our integrity as a people of Christ, we welcome diversity and embrace freedom. And finally, we are to be, all in all, characterized by love.

However, in the face of the complexities of life, this phrase proves too shallow to be helpful. Why, because religious-minded people have a great deal of difficulty agreeing on what qualifies as essential versus non-essential.

Some folks, in an effort to realize the unity of Christianity, place very little in the essential category, allowing tremendous flexibility with regard to how various teachings of the Bible are interpreted and put into practice. Others, place nearly everything in the essential category allowing for little diversity and flexibility.

Imagine yourself sitting at the end of a conveyor belt. Your job is to sort the religious convictions coming down the line into one of two boxes- the first box is Essential and the second, Non Essential. First thing down the line: The Bible is God's Word and the sole guide for life and religion. OK, that is easy - Essential. Second: Jesus is the only One through whom salvation can be found. Good-another easy one. Third: Church buildings should not have attached kitchens. Ah! Finally, one for the Non Essential box.

I hope you can see that this job would quickly become increasingly difficult. Soon, we would get to those convictions that separate the Church of Christ from the Baptists as opposed to the Presbyterians, etc, etc.

This image of two boxes describes me very well. At this point in my life, most of the convictions have come down the conveyor belt, although, every now and again, a new one comes. My relationships with people outside of C'sofC constantly challenge my boxes. I find myself, occasionally, moving a conviction from one box to the other. For example, at one point in my life, I considered singing a Capella during worship as Essential. Now days, I consider it a wonderful heritage, but Non Essential. I find myself eyeing something way down in the bottom of the Non Essential box: Fasting should be a regular exercise in the Christian's life. I wonder if I should give that one a second thought.

I wonder if others can relate to this analogy?

Mission Trip Meeting

Don't forget to come to the meeting tonight at 6:30pm if you are interested in going on these 2 upcoming trips or if you are just interested in developing a more mission-minded environment at Sunshine.

If you can't make it to the meeting tonight, talk to Jamie later on.

Need-meeting, an illustration

I had a wonderful experience yesterday evening. I went to mow grass for a guy who cannot do it himself. I have developed a good relationship with this man through the regular visits that came by way of mowing his grass last year. Last night, when I was there, he had several visitors. Long story-short... One of the visitors came out to give me a break. He went ahead and mowed the remainder of the lawn, allowing me to weed-eat. The end result was that I accomplished far more than I had hoped. That is good, given this week is too busy.

Meanwhile, during my initial break, I found myself sitting in the living room with folks I had never met. My friend began to express his impression of Sunshine to me, in front of his guests. He said that he has never seen a church where people seem so genuinely happy. He said that he felt accepted and put at-ease. He described us as laid-back. "They don't even pass a collection plate, they have some boxes in the back somewhere," he exclaimed.

I felt a tremendous sense of satisfaction in hearing him talk of us in that manner for it confirms that he has experienced something of Jesus through us.

Later in the conversation, I was asked questions like, "Is there really an unforgivable sin?" and "Does God really not hear the prayer of sinners?" An opportunity born out of meeting a simple need.

I am posting this because it serves as a practical illustration of the previous post regarding "need-meeting". We are a family of faith through whom God is reaching the community. It is easier than we often realize. The power is God's, we are simply instruments in His hands.

Again, the battle is TIME! The hardest part of mowing this lawn is finding the time to do it. Practical wisdom says, "Be careful of getting caught-up in long-term commitments" and, "Guard your time." Yet, Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me- The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

As American, middle-class Christians--our challenge (generally stated) is to release our death grip on our time and money so to be free to embrace the life Christ is offering us. I say this humbly because I am far better at talking this talk, than walking this walk.