It Only Takes Two Questions To Renew Your Marriage

How can you use the New Year’s Eve celebration to revitalize your marriage for the next year?  Early in our marriage we established a tradition of spending some time together that evening answering two questions.

Encourage Your Spouse

Think about it:  Where have you seen God at work in your husband or wife?  Be thankful to God for His powerful grace. We would each answer this question about the other person, speaking encouragement into their soul.

“What have I seen God do in and through you this past year?”

Maybe it was an area of personal growth, or learning more about God in order to know Him better and worship and serve Him better.  Maybe it was suffer through a trial, or an injustice, or supporting someone who did.  Or, it could be that your husband or wife needs to hear just how influential and inspiring they have been to so many people.

There is one rule:  whoever is sharing must not give even a hint of displeasure or correction, or try to change the other.  This is because the Bible is clear in 1 Corinthians 13:7 ESV “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Be Open with Your Spouse

Think about it:  Where has God been working on you?  What part of your life do you need to surrender to Him and His will?  You do know the answers to these questions.  We would each answer this question for ourself and then tell the other person.

“What do I hope and expect God to do in and through me this next year?”

Here again there is one rule:  Be vulnerable before your spouse and humble in front of God.  Also, this is not the time to comment on what is shared with you by your husband or wife in their openness.  Just be willing to pray and support.  There will be faltering progress in the coming year, but it will be forward progress nonetheless.

Pray Together

Do it together:  thank God for His grace in your lives.  Thank Him for His mercy on two sinners in a struggling relationship, as well.  Thank Him for making you patient, forgiving and hopeful toward one another.

Such an activity, whether it occurs on New Year’s Eve or not, is part of the experience of being soul-mates, true soul-mates for life.  Your love for one another, when empowered by God’s love, will give you a most amazing marriage; and it will get better with the years as your commitment to one another and God’s purposes in your lives deepens.  Praise be to Him for His glorious gift of marriage!!!

How To Conduct An Annual Planning Retreat

I recently returned from my annual ministry planning retreat.  It is a highlight of mine every year, to review God’s work, rejoice in His leading and power, and look forward with anticipation to yet another year of service for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Most likely your ministry organization, or your business, goes through some type of an annual strategic planning review process.  But the process I am talking about here is more personal, about God’s calling on your life and ministry, specifically.  

This is how I go about this important time of planning and praying.  Hopefully, it will be helpful to you.

Select the Location

The first priority is seclusion for 2-3 days.  You really need to be by yourself, with God, and no one else.  This also means purposefully cutting yourself off from interruptions from your phone and email. 

Find a relaxing place, relatively low-cost, and where you will have plenty of work space.  You will need to be able to think and pray aloud.  It is also possible you will need access to God’s natural creation to wander about and talk further with Him.

Establish the Theme and Topics

About two weeks beforehand, pay more attention to your life, ministry, hopes and concerns.  Take notice of where you find yourself in God’s Word each days.  Likely the theme for your annual ministry planning retreat will emerge.

Think big picture.  What do you need to pray through?  Talk to the Lord Jesus about?  Or, just spend time thinking through opportunities, challenges and options?  Maybe even research a little further?

Categorize these items into a few broad topics you need to cover.  Bring the necessary documents, goals and files you might need.  But bring only the few you really need, so as not to be over prepared.  

Follow the Schedule

Organize your work time into 2 hour blocks with plenty of rest time in between them.  The schedule needs to be both productive and enjoyable for you.  Prepare yourself to hear from God; be expectant, as He will meet with you and show you His goodness.

Begin each session with singing one hymn or listening to one praise song.  Listen closely to the words and how it might address you and your situation.  Then read those Bible verses that you selected that fits the theme of your planning retreat.  Stop and pray, worship in silence, just be open with your heavenly Father about why you are here and what you need Him to provide.

Then it is time to work.  How is the Holy Spirit directing you at this point?  Maybe you need to pray even more.  Maybe you need to do some research or write up new plans, or sketch out diagrams.  Maybe you need to develop an idea, or even a whole new vision.  Maybe it is as simple as laying out specific goals for the coming year, or filling out annual planning forms.  When the time block is up, close in prayer, take the break, and return refreshed to tackle the next topic.

Capture the Gains

In your closing session, review your progress and transfer ideas and action items to your calendar and wherever else you might need to keep them.  You want to be able to head home with the process completed, not having to do this later.

Take time to thank God for listening and answering your prayers, and giving you direction.  In the coming weeks and months, He most likely will continue to speak to you, refine your plans, and confirm His guidance to you both internally and by granting success.

One of the best rewards from following this annual pattern of strategic planning is seeing how faithful God is year after year.  He is faithful to move His own plans forward by moving you to play a significant part in them.  We learn so much about God, and enjoy Him even more, as we seek to follow His will in our lives and ministries.

Preservation Mode, Expansion Mode

They were good and godly men, but their vision was too small.

Why the Plan Wouldn’t Work

We met with about twenty pastors from this largely unreached city of 3 million.  This country was a difficult place to live and serve as a Christian 10 years ago, and still is today.  Officially it is a secular state, but it has been strongly influenced by Islam and can be politically volatile.

These pastors gathered because they said they wanted to reach more people for Christ.  So, our team met with them to discuss evangelism and church planting.  We were hoping to develop a plan together on how we might all work together to accomplish greater things in that city.

However, at the end of the afternoon, it became clear that their real concern was to fill their largely empty church buildings.  What they wanted were new strategies and techniques, without having to change much from their current methods.  Suddenly, the church building where we were meeting felt cold and empty to me.  

It was sad to hear pastors express skepticism about more direct approaches to evangelism, even when told of other churches in a nearby city their size where this was successful.  It was further disheartening to discover that they saw no need for new churches since there was plenty of room in all of theirs. 

What If the Plan Did Work

These respected Christian leaders had many reasons why many plans would not work to reach their city.  But, what if they could have envisioned something greater for their city and for their churches?  And what if they were willing to create a strategic plan and commit to making it work?

Many of us in our churches make the same kind of mistakes.  We make excuses why people will not believe the Gospel in our communities.  We defend our current approaches to ministry and rest content with our current results, while at the same time wishing for something greater, some ministry miracle in our city.  We can become trapped in preservation mode.

Hopefully we have larger goals than simply filling up our church buildings and running our programs.  People in our churches will get excited about a broad vision for their city that involves cooperation with other churches.  This is because it will be easier for everyone to see how their community might truly be transformed by the Gospel!  All of us are much more willing to try new approaches and live with the messiness of growth when our leaders are in expansion mode. 

What Kingdom purposes might churches in your community accomplish together that not one of them could ever accomplish alone?

The Slaughter Of Innocents In Fulfillment

King Herod was a paranoid and ruthless leader.  So it is no surprise that he slaughtered all the male children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under at the time, about 15-20 of them in total.  

Matthew 2:16–18 ESV “Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.””

This horrible event is part of the history of God’s people, and it fulfilled Jeremiah 31:15.  The original context of this prophecy in Jeremiah is from the Exile period.  We need to apply the redemptive-historical interpretive method in order to grasp Matthew’s meaning and purpose.  This approach was discussed in a previous blog about understanding the Exodus reference used in Matthew 2:13-15, “The Egyptian Flight In Fulfillment.”

The Interpretive Framework

The Exile, like the Exodus, is another significant signpost in the history of redemption.  Matthew is showing us another link by connecting the Patriarchs, the Exodus, and the Exile to the Christ.  Jesus as the Messiah would fulfill the hope of the return from the Exile by establishing the promised New Covenant.

The historical incident about Rachel is less well known, so here is a brief review.  Rachel was one of Jacob’s wives and a mother of the Hebrew people.  In Genesis, we read that Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin while traveling from Bethel to Bethlehem.  She was buried in a tomb in Zelzah, in the region of Ramah.  

In Jeremiah, Rachel is personified as crying out from her grave, weeping over the loss of Israel’s children.  It was in Ramah where the exiles were gathered in 586 BC for their long march to Babylon.  Those gathered at Ramah for Exile were considered as good as dead.  

What Matthew is Saying to the World

In Matthew, Rachel is personified again as crying out from her grave, weeping over the children.  This time the children are in Bethlehem.  But this is not really the point.  Matthew is not simply matching up Biblical references to crying and mourning.  

Matthew is declaring that the weeping of Rachel in Jeremiah’s day, in the time of the Exile, has now been fulfilled.  Look at what is promised in the two verses following that Jeremiah quotation.

Jeremiah 31:16–17 ESV “Thus says the LORD: “Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work, declares the LORD, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. There is hope for your future, declares the LORD, and your children shall come back to their own country.”

The weeping is soon to be over.  Her bereavement now would be replaced with blessing.  Matthew’s point, what he is saying to the world, is that the tears of the Exile are now over and the promised hope has finally come!

Keeping Context and Hope in View

We need to observe the context of Jeremiah’s prophecy.  This is the interpretive key to unlock the meaning and the hope.  Matthew quoted Jeremiah with reference to its wider context.  The passage is located just prior to the promise of the New Covenant, and it rests within an even broader context of Messianic joy.  The ultimate hope of the Exile was not just a return to the land but a New Covenant!

And this New Covenant would be established by the Messiah, namely Jesus.  He has brought the hope promised after the Exile.  Jesus Christ has brought the New Covenant with its promises of full forgiveness, the indwelling of the Spirit of God, and life in true obedience.  

The Exile was the result of the Israelites’ continual disobedience.  The Exile’s fulfillment then is the solution to this problem—the Spirit of obedience.  And so, the Child Messiah under Divine Fatherly protection would eventually grant forgiveness of sin and obedience in the Spirit.

Romans 8:3–4 ESV “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

Have you experienced the joy of returning from the exile of sin by Jesus Christ?  Share your experience with others that they too might walk in a new life in the Spirit of God.

The Egyptian Flight In Fulfillment

It is much more than the story of the Christ Child and His family being protected in the early years from the evil King Herod. 

Matthew 2:13–15 ESV “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.””

The way Matthew interprets and uses Hosea 11:1 is crucial to understand.  He illustrates the predominating approach of the New Testament authors in faithfully interpreting the Old Testament.

Learning How to Read

This is what might be termed a redemptive-historical hermeneutic, or method of interpretation.  It is a way of looking back upon the history of redemption from the point of view of fulfillment.  It is a way of looking upon the Bible as one continuous history of God’s salvation.  

It is a way of looking at the Old Testament and seeing that:  Jesus completes all the promises of salvation, those verbally stated and those more figurative; Jesus re-lives the history of God’s people in an obedience for them that they could not complete; Jesus represents both God and His people, and therefore is our source of salvation; and Jesus completes the whole pattern of the history of salvation.  God’s ultimate purpose is the exaltation of His Eternal Son, Jesus Christ, in all things.  

When the New Testament speaks of fulfillment we must understand what is meant by fulfillment in each passage.  It is not usually a simple literal one-to-one correspondence, a matching game (although sometimes this is the point, or partly so), but it is a more robust understanding of Scriptural revelation within a redemptive-historical scheme or context.  

In order to make the correct interpretations we need to learn from the Apostles of Jesus Christ, and their holy writings of Scripture. 

What Matthew is Saying to the World

In other words, Matthew is not quoting Hosea as fulfilled just because of the appearance of the words “son” and “Egypt,” or because the phrase happens to match Jesus’ experience. This would be taking Hosea out of context, and therefore ultimately would be dishonest and unconvincing.  Rather, Matthew understands this passage as part of the overall Messianic prophetic matrix of the Old Testament.  Matthew is using it to show that Jesus is the Messiah.  

In Hosea 11:1, the obvious reference is the Exodus and the beginning of the nation of Israel.  They were called out as God’s holy nation, they were called by Him:  “His son.”  Yet they were a disobedient people, many of whom died in the desert.  In contrast, Jesus Christ, the truer and truest Son of God, would become the truly obedient Son.

This is precisely Matthew’s point in quoting Hosea.  Israel’s goal of salvation, patterned on the Exodus, has now been reached in Christ Jesus. This is how Hosea 11:1 is fulfilled.  Jesus is declared the true Son and the true salvation.  The Son who was led out has become the Son who leads out.  Jesus is the Son of God who would be the Leader like Moses bringing salvation to His people in fullness.

In using passages like these, we should be able to present Jesus Christ to the world as the powerful Divine Savior, who emerges from the Scripture in rich and satisfying fulfillment.

Joining the People of God

Throughout his Gospel account, Matthew presents Jesus the Messiah as the One who brings a new clarity of definition of the true People of God.  Who is the true Israel, the true People of God?  It is not based upon ethnic identity with Moses and ancestral relationship to the historic Exodus.  It is those who put their faith in Jesus the Messiah for obtaining the true redemption of the Exodus.

The Exodus has been fulfilled in its Messiah, its Christ.  Jesus is the way of redemption.  This Child Messiah under Divine Fatherly protection would lead us out from slavery to sin, and into the promised land of eternal life.   He would rescue us from its guilt and power by His death upon the Cross.  He would die in our place for our sins and lead us by His Resurrection into life in the glory of God.

Have you experienced the exodus from sin in Jesus Christ?  Share your experience with others that they too might join in the freedom of the People of God.


(See related blog "The Slaughter Of Innocents In Fulfillment.")

Pleasing God Isn’t That Hard

Christian ethics is a large subject.  It includes living out specific practices articulated in the Bible, while at the same time grasping its broader principles of holiness in order to navigate well the complexities of life.

But at its core, its personal meaning is that of simply pleasing God.  We must ask questions like:  “How might I please God?”  “How might I please God more?”  “How might we be even more pleasing to God as His church?

Getting the Attitude Right

The Thessalonian church was full of new Christians, only three months down the road in their walk with God at most.  They were at the very beginnings of their development, but they were eager to please God.  This disposition would put them on the fast track to Christian maturity; and they would soon take the lead as a model church for the world to follow.

The Apostle Paul considered strong ethical instruction part of basic discipleship for new believers.  They are more likely to obey early on than later if they are allowed to continue unchallenged on any immorality or ethical lapses.

1 Thessalonians 4:1 ESV “Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.”

It is not uncommon today to do the opposite, fearing offending or losing new converts.  Perhaps this is one reason why there are so many so-called “Christians” who do not even meet minimum moral standards, who are constantly asking questions about living as undisciplined as possible, and who have such little consideration of, or concern for, what truly pleases God.

Developing Spiritual Instincts

Christian Ethics are all about pleasing God.  The concept of pleasing God is so helpful and so challenging.  It is so much more helpful than a list of rigid rules.  And it is so much more challenging than simply living by a few moral generalizations.

Pleasing God is not about being reactionary against unbiblical standards, nor is it found in self-righteously liking them.  The first leads to confusion and lack of definition.  The second misses out on happiness and depth of understanding.  

It isn’t that hard.  The concept of pleasing God implies that Christians can have their instincts trained by the Holy Spirit.  As maturity is described in Hebrews 5:14 ESV “they have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”

Move Out, Move Ahead

It requires true spirituality to move beyond rules and regulations, and relying on a Christian culture of policing one another’s lives.  Likewise, it requires true spirituality to leave the realm of culture-bound human reasonings and personal preferences on morality and honestly submit to God.

These are big questions to be asked in prayer, while simultaneously meditating upon the the Word of God and assessing our own lives:  “How might I please God?” and “How might I please God more?”  Embracing this larger concept is part of embracing the onward and upward call. 

Philippians 3:12–14 ESV “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Four Lackluster Church People

Romans 6 is one of the most common passages of Scripture used in teaching about Christian baptism.  These verses reach far beyond baptism and teach about our new life in Christ.

Romans 6:4–7 ESV “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.”

Our union with Christ is a mysterious and powerful personal relationship.  And it is through this union that we receive all the benefits of our salvation and new life.  

Difficult Spiritual Counseling

After reading Romans 6 it is puzzling to find church people lacking in spiritual vitality.  How would you counsel each of the following friends of yours?  What questions might you ask to lead them to consider their relationship with Jesus Christ?

1. A professing believer for 30 years, who is a pleasant and morally good person, but one without much visible Christian growth.  What is going on here?
2. A professing believer who continues to live in certain sins, and appears unconcerned about this, or only mildly bothered.  Why should they be concerned?
3. A person who wants to believe in Jesus Christ, but doesn't want too much of a changed life.  What are they missing?
4. A person who wants a changed life, but does not want to believe in Jesus Christ.  How much change can they expect?

Don’t Inspire Them, Rather Instruct Them

It is a mistake to attempt to inspire these people to perform like better Christians.  But this is often the approach taken in preaching at them and counseling with them.  They themselves often expect to hear this, and may even comply in hope that something good may happen.

We can’t counsel or convince people into union with Christ.  God alone does this.  And this teaching is exactly what we need to make known to them.  1 Corinthians 1:30 ESV “And because of him you are in [have a relationship with, united with] Christ Jesus.”

We don’t want to frustrate and confuse people about their relationship with Christ.  We want them to make their own comparison of their lives with the experience Scripture describes for a true Christian.  Let them think and wrestle with their souls before God.

While we wait, and probably have many more Gospel conversations with them, we pray for God to give His grace.  As it has been our experience described in 2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

O Lord, Smite My Enemies, But In A Loving Sort Of Way

Many of the Psalms contain imprecations, that is requests for God to bring judgment upon one’s enemies.  There are over a dozen Psalms with this as a major theme; and many others that contain such requests somewhere in the Psalm.

The first occurrence is in Psalm 3, and it is a strong statement.  Notice the certain confidence in the request in verse 7, “Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.”

What place do these Psalms have in our lives and ministries today?  We need to resist our urge to be repulsed and reject them as expressions of an outdated Old Testament religion.  Rather, how do we honor the Word of God, and value and use these passages of Scripture?

It is by considering the larger story of redemption that such prayers can become our prayers.

The Progress of the History of Redemption

We need to recognize the historical development in God’s plans which modifies our use of the imprecatory Psalms a bit.  For example, though we might experience similar situations as David, we still are not completely like David.  He was a directly anointed King over God’s people and had the ark of God’s presence in his midst.  We live at a different point in redemptive history.

Our Lord Jesus Christ came and established the New Covenant, inaugurated the Kingdom of God, and has given the Holy Spirit to His Church to preach His Gospel to the world in power.  We have a different task to perform, and different interests to protect, and different methodologies to employ.  The People of God today are a spiritual people united to Christ, and not embodying a political state; not until Christ returns.

We know we are to “love our enemies” and speak the Gospel of Christ to them, and so it doesn’t seem right to pray for opportunity to slaughter them with a sword.

Three Prayer Modulations for Moderation

We have to learn to pray the imprecations in a New Covenant manner, such as “Smite them on the jaw, and shatter their wicked teeth . . . but in a loving way, O Lord.”  This may sound strange, but it is not too poor of a way to express the change of tone required in our prayers.

First, we are not to give up on righteousness being upheld, but to pray and work for it earnestly.  Justice is a good thing.  We certainly must not take our own vengeance, but do pray that God will uphold His glory whatever it takes.  And a good test of our own heart is that we must be willing to see this glory and righteousness displayed even in our suffering and growth.

Second, we should enter humble self-examination before, and every time, we pray imprecations; and yet we can and should rejoice at God’s vindication of His holiness and our righteous cause when it comes.  Ultimately, we should desire our enemies’ salvation and even relational reconciliation as the best outcome.

Third, sometimes it is best that we pray our imprecation in a more general and eschatological sense, and less specifically upon individuals for the here and now.  This lifts our thoughts and sets our minds on the glory of God, and can be a safeguard against thoughts for personal vengeance.

2 Thessalonians 1:6–10 ESV “since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.”

These Psalms Address Our Experiences

Undoubtedly there are many times in our lives when concerns for justice and righteousness overwhelm us, whether it is a personal situation of ours, or it is the general condition of a society, or it is the suffering of the weak, or often most painfully when it is someone we know.

And the spectrum of injustice in the world is wide, from daily wrongs we endure all the way to the most infamous crimes of humanity.  These seemingly uncommon type of  Psalms actually address our common concerns in this world.

So, go ahead and use these imprecatory Psalms to pray for glorious victories and blessings from the Lord.  Look to God for more than just refuge, but for full deliverance, in such a way that you wake up each morning with confidence, joy, and song in your heart for the Lord’s new day!

(See related blog:  When Your Enemy Falls.)

Give It Time, Give It Effort

What do we as a church bring to the table?  What can we contribute that will be significant in His Mission?

Give It Time

Such questions about adding value in doing the mission are asked by many church leaders eager to make a focused impact for Christ in a specific part of the world. This might be in reference to a geographical area, people group, or partnering with an ongoing ministry or ministries.

Most likely, none of the potential partners will know the answers for a while.  So don’t be in a hurry.  Begin by focusing on relationships and doing a few small projects together.  Commit some time to encourage and develop leaders among all partners, praying for them and with them.

These value-added questions should be asked at the beginning when considering levels and types of ministry engagement.  But, the answers will not be readily apparent until some level of engagement begins.  

As things start moving forward and more definition is needed, the questions need to be asked again.  Answers to the questions will start emerging at this stage, and it will become much clearer whether God is putting together a partnership.  

Be prayerful, patient and active in trusting the Lord.  Give it time.  And if He keeps building a valuable partnership it becomes even more important to ask these value-added questions often to keep increasing ministry effectiveness together.

Give It Effort

Mission partnerships are not easy to start or sustain, and they rarely follow a straight path.  Finding and developing quality partnerships requires patience and perseverance.  The uncertainties will be demanding, and demanding of much prayer effort.

Don’t be cheap by trying to save money or find shortcuts; many churches hurt themselves and their potential partners and their ministries by doing such things.  Be faithful and make the investment of energy, people, and resources that is necessary.  It will be worth it in the end, whether a partnership forms or not.

Enjoy the on-site visits and the process of learning and doing ministry together.  Schedule plenty of down time to get to know one another well, and of course debrief the work, but especially to dream big and pray larger together.  This will help answer the value-added questions and help to better plan for the future.  It really does change all our lives and ministries to think bigger and think cooperation.

Not All Have What It Takes

Ultimately, we have to ask whether can we truly add value to the on-site ministry and do more together than we could separately, or whether it would be best not to partner but simply bless one another.  Regardless of the outcome, all the time and effort will have been valuable in the process for everyone.  And the relationships themselves may still continue. 

Many churches need to give more time and more effort to the process.  I have seen some churches jump in too early only to become discouraged.  I have seen other churches jump out too early only to become disheartened.  

We can’t “bottom-line” it so quickly.  And our congregations need help understanding this, and they need to be given opportunities to get further involved in the process. 

Does your church have what it takes to get to a focused mission partnership?

On To Better Boasting

Do mission reports ever seem too impressive?  

This is because it is hard to understand what is going on in a place one has never been or never lived.  Then it becomes even harder to comprehend what roles various people and ministries play in those Gospel accomplishments.

Boasting and Ministry Overlap

One of our problems is we think too individualistically about our own and each others’ contributions, and the accomplishments of our church’s missionaries.  Maybe if we recognized that teamwork is the way God designed His mission to advance, we could relax about ourselves, others’ claims, the assigning of credit, and more readily glorify God for what He is doing.

Recently I rediscovered this passage of Scripture which speaks to us about this matter.

2 Corinthians 10:13–18 ESV “But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you. For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s area of influence. “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”

There is plenty of affirmation to go around to all who labor in the forward movement of the Gospel.  God gives us areas of influence as He determines, and would have us rejoice greatly both in our work and in the work of others.  We should speak plainly and clearly about this, and appreciate the synergy of combined efforts that God empowers. 

Boasting about Our Work

Many times missionaries, ministries, and other Gospel workers, wrestle with reporting.  What is honest, and not overstatement?  How can this story of success be told with humility?  On the other hand, will people be able to handle hearing about what is not going well?  

They yearn to tell the larger story of what God is truly doing on a much larger scale, even beyond their own ministries, and yet through their ministries, as they envision and describe the future God might create.

Sometimes there is too much pride, but other times there is too much humility.  Both are unhelpful.  The report and the vision we all need to hear contains reasonable judgment with a strong emphasis upon the power of Christ.

Romans 15:17–18a ESV “In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me . . .”

It is good to boast, and to boast well.  This is done by claiming one’s own work and not the work of others as one’s own.  Be honest and clear and give recognition to the significant work of others.  This better boasting exalts the power and glory of Jesus Christ before all the Church.

Reading Well and Rejoicing Well

We should expect impressive reports.  But we should also expect these reports will include stories of many servants of Christ working together.  

There will be overlap because God has called us to partnership in the Gospel.  So don’t think too small or be too skeptical of those impressive reports.  Instead, pay closer attention to them.

May we become better at reading and listening more carefully, reporting more carefully and more exuberantly giving glory to God for His work through all of us individually and together as His team!

The Other Man Who Never Sinned

Who is this man?  He is the 22 year old I met on a community college campus.

Sinlessness is Not Common

I was training a friend in evangelism and we sat down to talk with this guy in the cafeteria.  He was friendly enough, but fairly cool toward religion.  This would be a good tough case most likely.

After the typical college small talk we presented the Gospel and asked him what he thought.  Surprisingly, he said it didn’t really apply to him since he never sinned.  Ok, that was a response I hadn’t heard before.  Was he joking?  Being obnoxious?  Or for real?

Maybe we weren’t clear about our need for a savior from our sins, forgiveness before God, and the rest of it.  Perhaps we should return to the topic of sin and lay out the universal human condition again, and in greater detail.

No, he understood perfectly what we were stating about humanity and about Jesus Christ, the Lord.  He was serious in his protest that he was not a sinner, and not just not a heinous sinner like Hitler and his kind, but not a sinner in the least--wild!

I am thinking this guy is an idiot, so I congratulated him, “Wow, sinlessness is just not that common.  The only other guy I know who is sinless is Jesus Christ.”  He smiled in self-satisfaction.

Sometimes it Takes a Mother

It wasn’t Mother Theresa that did it, but his own mother.  He likely would have thought he was as good as Mother Theresa since he was so close to being as good as Jesus, so we skipped over her example.  

We asked him the obvious questions about the Ten Commandments and such, including Jesus’ incisive application of them in His Sermon on the Mount and other places in the Gospel accounts.  

The guy was good, and didn’t flinch but maintained his position of angelic purity, though surely he knew he was lying to us, and guilty and ashamed, perhaps that he was even enslaved to sin.

Time to go for it.  How would we break him?  His mother!  We didn’t know his family situation in the least, but bringing in one’s mother almost never fails.  

So, we asked him, “What would your mother say?  Would she testify that you never ever lied, cheated, stole, or committed anything deserving of punishment?  This time, tell us the truth.”

Cracked and Wandering

The short version is that he cracked without too much mental torture.  But, that was as far as we got with him that day.  God is gracious with us all, often bringing us to Himself in stages.  Truly, we enjoyed our 30 minute conversation with this young man.

Maybe it was a good day for him, with some new realizations about himself and what we told him about God’s righteousness and His graciousness.  It was certainly a challenging day for me and my friend trying to share the good news of eternal hope!

We spent a lot of time that afternoon discussing Romans 5:1–2 ESV “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”  

But such things only finally make sense when sin recognition takes place first.  So take all the time necessary to thoroughly discuss this with people, and then make them own it!

The Lawyer Who Converted Himself

Tired from a good day of ministry, I was ready to return to my hotel room. “But we have one more meeting,” my national partner protested.  It was past midnight and I was wondering why this couldn’t wait until tomorrow when everyone would be more alert for the conversation.

Coffee at 1:00 AM, Really!?

She informed me that this man just finished his work and had been anticipating a meeting with someone that night who might know the answers to his questions about Christianity.  He had already asked many people many questions in his quest and was close to believing she said.

My friend prevailed upon me and I went to this coffee shop in Asia about 1:00 a.m. to meet with David, a lawyer.  There ended up being four of us--two women (national partners) and two men (a lawyer friend of theirs and me).

Keep the Coffee Coming

He spoke no English, and I didn’t speak his language.  Translation in the middle of the night is no easy task for anyone involved, especially translators.  Coffee helps everyone.  This translation barrier seemed to disappear quickly as he was so excited to meet and talk, and he was used to translation in his line of work.  

It wasn’t long before I found myself enjoying this new friendship.  We had a lot in common being about the same age, having children similar ages and both challenged by our life-stage issues, though from different cultural perspectives.

Well into the second pot of coffee, David shared some of his marriage problems with me and how they had led him to ask questions regarding the ultimate meaning of life.  We talked some about the practicalities of marriage and family.  But it was obvious he wanted to talk more about God, the universal human condition and the value of religion and philosophy.

Coffee as a Gospel Partner 

It was time for a third pot of the strong black coffee.  God was working on his mind and pushing him to consider the claims of Jesus Christ.  He had been in a few conversations earlier with my national ministry partner and her newly believing friend, who was the one who had originally shared with this man and set up this meeting.

David and I also found out we shared similar academic interests.  We talked about a few classical philosophical questions from Plato and the Western tradition.  We talked about Nietzsche’s theories and some from other atheists.  

Don’t be impressed, in reality, we talked about what each of us could remember from our college days, nothing too deep and academic; but it was no less real and practical for our lives.  And I shared my story of coming to Christ out of atheism and self-righteousness, how I used to believe Christianity was for the weak and how I was that “superman” of Nietzsche’s. 

Then, I introduced him to a few of my favorite quotations from Augustine and the Bible.  These seemed to hold special meaning to him, though I was honestly getting very tired and sharing only what came to mind, mostly by the Holy Spirit I believe.  

Coffee and Prayer to the End 

During the quotation and question exchanges I realized my role was to ask good questions and throw out good ideas.  I couldn’t do too much more because of the language barrier.  My Christian partners knew what to do and eagerly used everything I gave them, and probably took the conversation much deeper than I could.  Honestly, I felt like all I did was drink coffee and pray a lot.

Many times during the evening my ministry partners themselves were amazed at what God was doing upon this man’s mind and soul.  We would talk on the side, smile and pray silently with delight.  David was basically answering all his own questions, reasoning from the Scripture and apologetics we gave him, to convert himself!

We all turned down the fourth pot of coffee.  At this time David announced to us that he believed in Jesus Christ.  It was that simple for him.  He got his questions answered and it all made sense to him, that this was the true revelation from heaven, salvation for him and the hope of the whole human race.  He looked satisfied and at soul-rest.

Two Lives Changed

My friend David grew in his faith and became active in his house-church community.  Last I heard, about four years ago, his wife is yet to believe and he is doing his best to love and serve her as a Christian husband.  He wants her to experience the same forgiveness of sins and hope of eternal life.  

It is hard to convey the impact of that evening on all four of us.  For me personally, I have never seen the Holy Spirit so powerfully do His work on a person with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

I am convinced that I was there to just watch, wonder and delight at God’s power actively saving a person.  What was obviously true that early morning is true every time we share the Gospel, even when we are given a more instrumental role in brining people to salvation in Christ.  

1 Corinthians 3:5–9 ESV “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.”

Bless Your Predecessor, Bless Your Successor

A colleague of mine has a saying:  “it is all about who you follow.” This is very true; because comparisons are inevitable.

My Predecessor

When I arrived as the new pastor it wasn’t too long before I heard the comparisons.  To some I was all the previous pastor was not, and all they ever hoped I would be.  To others I was greatly lacking compared to the skills of my predecessor. 

It didn’t take long to hear contradictory testimony, however.  To some I was more personable than the last pastor.  While to others I was less personable than the last pastor.  I am still trying to figure that one out.  

I guess it is a little like making a call as a soccer referee, to one sideline you made a great call and to the other sideline you are an idiot.  And of course, the parents may change their minds when you make the next call; and most likely they will change their minds many times throughout the match.  

None of the pastoral comparisons were mean or unkind in anyway, at least the ones I heard.  I enjoyed listening because the comments revealed far more about the people making them and their desires than the pastors under scrutiny.  And it is good and helpful to get to know such things about the people you want to serve.

Besides, it is only natural for people to make such comparisons, and to base them on their own experiences.  People have different perspectives and commitments.  And most people don’t mean any harm.  

A Strategy for Comparisons 

I knew this would happen so my approach going into the position was to only make positive comments about my predecessor.  After all, we pastors need to stick together.  I am so glad I made this commitment as it kept me thinking clearly and honoring God in my thoughts of him.  And whenever he and I spoke I was able to bless him. 

Whenever I heard a negative comment I would defend him, offer an alternative view, and redirect the conversation.  Whenever I heard a positive comment I would reinforce it and share in the goodness that person felt.  Regardless, I would pray for these dear people in the pastoral transition, as it is a challenge for everyone.  

Even pastors have to admit that we do the same comparing quite often.  Truth be told, we might even be less charitable toward others, while at the same time harsher on ourselves, failing to see the grace and gifts of God given uniquely to each servant of the Lord.  Let us remember Ephesians 4:7 ESV “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”

My Successor

This past week my successor arrived, and I am now his predecessor.  He will likely have to find his own approach to dealing with the pastoral comparisons sure to come his way. 

A few months ago after he accepted the call I was thinking how I might bless him before he even arrived.  So I wrote him a short email, “I can hardly wait to see what God does through you at the church!  You are the right man chosen for the right time.  You have all my support and prayers in advance for whatever you set out to accomplish.”  I will be praying for him and the people we both love and serve.  

The installation service a few days ago filled everyone’s hearts with joy and hope.  My predecessor, my successor and myself were all present and we all spoke to encourage the dear people of God.  We all viewed this as one grand partnership in God carrying out His purposes in and through this particular church of His.

Transitions are Blessings

Transitions are exciting, promising, and unsettling times.  Many people think that success can be seen in a church maintaining the vision of its previous pastor.  I disagree.  I believe that it is more often God’s design to give new direction through a new leader.

By recognizing this we can more thoroughly rejoice in the past, and in the new present, and be ready for a different future.  It has been my experience that when a pastor blesses his predecessor and his successor, he blesses the congregation more than he can imagine.  And I believe God is blessed.

It is unwise to compare pastors to pastors, for too long or too closely.  Even we as the pastors need to guard our minds and not get sucked in, for we are often even more vulnerable than the congregations we serve.  Consider 2 Corinthians 10:12b ESV “But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.”

Pastors Daniel, Tim and Bob

Vicki Burris, Lisa Etherington, Linda Holmquist

Stay On Track When Preaching Daniel

The book of Daniel is a popular book, often because of its well-known heroic stories of Daniel and his friends, and because of the eschatological visions which are often the subject of speculative inquiry concerning future events.  

While the stories are inspiring, motivational, and filled with moral instruction, and while the eschatology fulfills and enhances our curiosity and hope, we must not forget to understand these sets of observations within the overall purpose of the book.  

The purpose of the Book of Daniel is not to relate messages of how to live wisely nor to unfold a detailed chart of the end times; but, it is to relate the Divine view of history, that God makes the kingdoms of men rise and fall in accordance with His holy and wise will.  

Where to Focus when Preaching History

Biblical history was not written simply and primarily to provide us with moral instruction by example.  Unfortunately, this is all too common an approach to the historical books of the Old Testament--to extract principles for living.  

The Bible should not be denigrated to the status of a manual on moral instruction and principles for Christian living.  If the same lessons can be learned apart from Scripture then why would we need God’s special revelation of Scripture?

It is severely disappointing to hear sermons spent expounding on the moral character of Daniel and exhorting us to boldness and ever more powerful levels of prayer and holiness.  Worse yet is watching people being force-fed one particular Christian view of the end of the world with a zeal that should be reserved for the Gospel itself.  

Both of these are examples of weak preaching thinking it is strong.  They are approaches that will not carry the Mission forward, they do a disservice to the people of God, and they are not faithful to the Biblical text.

Don’t misunderstand me, I am simply pleading that we stay on track.  Surely, there are moral examples given to us in these historical passages which should be mentioned, but the focus of the Scripture is not typically on the example, but on the larger story of the History of Redemption.  It is within this grand story where the main point, and so main application, of each historical narrative will be found. 

Biblical history has been given to us by God for a greater understanding of His purposes in the world and the unfolding of His Story of Redemption.  And so, when preaching it, the preacher and people need to keep in mind where they are in the story of God’s revelation and redemption.

Each Chapter Tells the Same Story

Through the Book of Daniel the world learns that the One True God rules over all.  Every single chapter and episode throughout the book makes this point:  The Kingdom of God triumphs over the kingdoms of men.  

Daniel’s role in the Exile was to declare God’s sovereignty over the nations and revitalize hope in the people of God to persevere, because God would again glorify Himself as their God and as the God of all the earth.  

Daniel finished his book in about 530 BC and complied it for the purpose of encouraging the people of God to live in anticipation of the Kingdom of God; and this remains the message for today.  It is to inspire hope in the people of God that God Himself will establish His Kingdom over all the kingdoms of men.  

Our Sovereign God is moving world history toward its appointed conclusion, toward His final goal of the universal reign of His Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.  This is when the Kingdom of God will extend throughout the whole earth under the powerful rule of His Son and His Church.  

Daniel 7:27 ESV “And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’”

Our Kingdom Task:  Missions

Daniel’s stage in Redemptive History speaks to our stage in Redemptive History.  God is sovereign over the kingdoms of this world.  Eventually, He will crush them all with His Kingdom and His Messiah; and so, in the meantime, we as His people are to trust, serve, and hope in Him to accomplish all that He has promised.

God has given His people different tasks at different points in Redemptive History.  They all work together in the progress of the Kingdom of God.  The focal task of Daniel and the post-exilic remnant was the rebuilding of the Temple. 

Our task is the greatest task of all--to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom!  It is the greatest task of all because Jesus Christ the Son of God Himself came to earth preaching it.  He inaugurated the final form of the Kingdom, and we are to preach this inaugurated Kingdom until He returns in the final glories of the Kingdom.

The Book of Daniel is ultimately about the Mission of God, and this why I love to preach and teach it!

Three Maneuvers When Suffering Unjustly

Our Apostle Peter throughout his letters teaches us that our God with all wisdom and power is exploiting suffering and evil to gain a glorious future.  It is our privilege to fight in this spiritual battle for the glory of Christ and the advance of the Gospel. 

Let’s all learn to do battle better.  Making these three maneuvers while suffering will make all the difference:  (1) free ourselves from self-concern; (2) resist the devil with faith; and (3) anticipate God’s restoration.

Free Ourselves from Self-Concern

1 Peter 5:6–7 ESV “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

There are many anxieties that result from living and believing and proclaiming in a hostile world.  Promoting the exclusivity of Gospel leads to loss of status, respect, standing, friends, job, even life itself.  We are to accept such things from God, from His wise counsel and trust Him in His purposes.  

The basic urge is to exalt ourselves, to fight back when undergoing humiliation in this world.  In His time, God will fight for us; and in His manner and place, He will exalt us both here and later.  There will always be spiritual blessing for us along way; and real reward and honor coming too!


We are commanded, and invited to, cast our burdens, anxieties and fears upon Him who cares for us specially.  This in itself is an expression of humility before God--to stop bearing our own burdens as if we can carry or handle them better, as if we can deal with them better than God.

Have you ever had to learn this?  Wasn’t it a relief to learn this?  Do you need to re-learn this?  We can’t do a better job than God with our trials, burdens, sufferings.  We don’t want to end up embittered or confused, saying “Where is God?!” or “What did I do to deserve this?!”  We humble ourselves by exalting God.

Resist the Devil with Faith

1 Peter 5:8–9 ESV “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”

It begins with maintaining spiritual concentration, controlling our thinking and keeping a  disciplined mental state.  This clear-minded serious spirituality is very important in dealing with unjust suffering as Christians.

We will have to keep our heads clear from all sorts of worldly affections, passions, and reasonings in order to deal with the threats upon our lives and the good things God has provided us.  We must be prepared to respond differently than the world expects, that is, with humility before God not fearing events, life, or people.

Our adversary, the devil, will try to take an advantage of such situations.  He is like a prowling lion that is hungry and will suddenly attack and gulp down his victim.  He is cunning and vicious to kill Christians, make them ineffective, lead them into worldliness, sow discord among them, plant false Christians, incite strange and wrong emotions, push to apostasy, use slander, advance false doctrine, and much more.


Have you witnessed his successes with devouring others?  Have you ever felt his stalking, and hidden yourself in faith in Christ?  Have you ever been attacked, and cried out to Christ to deliver you?

By remaining firm in our faith we fight him with our faith in Christ.  This is a strenuous activity as we battle fear, doubt, temptations to evil, confronting his ways determined not to give in, not to compromise the Gospel in any way.

We have the resources and the means, and we will win by faith.  We have Christ Himself and the indwelling Holy Spirit, of course.  We have our life of worship, fellowship, and holiness.  We have prayer and Scripture; and the authority to rebuke in His Name.

We also can draw strength from our camaraderie of the worldwide fellowship of Christians.  We are all experiencing the same things--suffering from world, then exacerbations from devil.  We are all “accomplishing” what is required through us in God’s plans (1 Peter 4:12-19).  We are not isolated, but bound together, drawing strength and encouragement from one another.  Staying current in the Mission of God around the world is a great resistance method to use!

What might be the devil’s designs upon you?  Where has he succeeded in the past?  How would he hope to use you to injure the interests of Christ and the Gospel?  How might Satan’s hostilities, even with human intermediaries, be turned and instead be used stunningly for God’s glory?  Think and pray about it.

Anticipate God’s Restoration

1 Peter 5:10–11 ESV “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

It is a matter of perspective.  After we have suffered “a little while,” is taking the long view from eternity.  This is not always “a little while” in our experience, but quite often lengthy, involved, and can even last a lifetime.  All the more reason why we need to take this eternal perspective now, for it will really help in our present suffering from a hostile society and demonic opportunists behind the scenes.

He is the God of all grace, that is the One who has called us “into His eternal glory in Christ,” in His choice in election, in bringing our hearing of Gospel, in regenerating us by His Spirit and giving us true life now and glory forever!

That being true, He will most certainly Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us.  Restore emphasizes putting our losses right.  Confirm emphasizes the firming up of our faith.  Strengthen emphasizes the granting of power in weakness and inadequacy.  Establish emphasizes the placing of us in security.

These are things God does through our suffering now, and at end of each season of suffering, and will do in the very End.  Make this your prayer list when you go through those difficult times!


God is the One who rules the world in absolute power.  We praise Him for doing those four things:  graciously restoring, confirming, strengthening, establishing.  We are confident that He will deliver us from all evil.  We pray for the bringing to completion of His purposes with all the present suffering and evil in the world to rule in open glory and with His glorified and perfected people!

Where The Battle Rages

Suffering is always present; and it comes and goes in our lives. Where are you in this raging battle?  Or, maybe better put for you, where is the battle raging for you?  

In the midst of God’s working in suffering, we still need to watch ourselves and watch the devil.  Which of the three tactical maneuvers might you need to employ with greater spiritual skill?  

A Mission Agency That Didn't Share The Gospel

While in college many Christian students enjoy serving in high school ministry.  My experience was short-lived since I had to quit within the year before I got fired.

The Arrangement Seemed a Win-Win

It was a partnership between a mainline church and an evangelical parachurch youth ministry.  This particular church was welcoming to evangelicals and taught the Bible well.  However, the Gospel took on a intellectually refined quality so as not to offend people in this highly affluent community.

Their youth ministry was struggling.  Along came an opportunity to partner with an evangelical group that had a good reputation, and seemed to be good at attracting and engaging teenagers.  By allowing them space to meet at the church it could be a win-win for both ministries.

Warning Signs Started to Show

I was recruited to the parachurch ministry by an outgoing volunteer.  Having passed the hasty interview and listening to a brief review of ministry philosophy I was on my way to ministering the Gospel to hundreds of high school students!  So I thought.

The leader of this ministry did a good job of gathering the students for the weekly meetings held at the church.  We had a lot of fun together, and we enjoyed small group discussions about various topics, from life challenges, to contemporary controversies, to simple Bible application.

After observing his upfront teaching for many months it become clear that this leader was not communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a clear and compelling manner, on purpose.  We talked about this a few times and the reasons given were not to upset the host church, to keep up attendance and believing that God would somehow save some of them anyway.

The Home Visit

Part of the student ministry involved one-on-one time together outside of the weekly meetings.  I followed the philosophy of ministry and just befriended this one young man, hung out with him, even tutored him in geometry a little.  My goal was to keep him active in our weekly ministry, but I was not supposed to share God’s plan of salvation with him or try to disciple him.  The leader and the church would take care of these things I was told.

One day after we finished geometry early, he started asking me questions about Jesus Christ.  He heard about Jesus from our ministry and wanted direct and honest answers.  He said he couldn’t quite piece it all together from the large group meetings.  It was obvious that the Holy Spirit was working on this boy’s heart as he talked in wonder about Jesus Christ the Son of God become Man, and expressed hope that he had for relief from his sin and struggles if he could just figure it out.  

At first, I followed the party line, but he saw through it and kept pushing me to answer his questions.  He really did want to know, so I shared the Gospel with him fully and clearly.  After answering a few more questions, then with understanding and delight in his eyes he received the forgiveness of sins and free gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ.  This was an awesome afternoon!  I could hardly wait to tell my supervisor!

Quit This Philosophy

Soon I found myself in a meeting with the parachurch youth ministry leader.  I thought I followed the rules.  But, apparently not closely enough.  I explained everything to him, about how the conversation progressed, but to no avail.  He wasn’t even happy that this boy become a Christian, seriously.

He was fearful of offending the parents, even though this particular boy’s parents were fine with their son’s decision and themselves didn’t believe the Gospel.  In fact, they were thrilled at the changes they noticed in their son right away--his respectful attitude, outlook on life and helpfulness around the house.  He grew quickly in the short while longer that I was still allowed to be a part of his life.  

I was emboldened and shared more openly with more of the students, even in the weekly meetings.  It was well received, even by some of the official church youth leaders.  My sense of the silliness and stupidity of this parachurch ministry’s philosophy grew stronger.  It was time for me to leave.

Everyone should have asked more questions.  The church should have asked more questions of the actual ministry leader, and vice versa, before making their ministry arrangement.  The leader should have asked me more questions initially, and I should have asked him more questions.  

A few years later I was able to catch up with the leader.  We had a friendly conversation, but it was one that added to my sadness over this whole matter.  He had decided to leave the evangelical church for something he considered more traditional and mystical.  This was more than style preference for him, it was the result of his personal lack of clarity about the Gospel.  It all made sense now.

A Decided Bias for Evangelism

Why would a mission agency not want to share the Gospel?!  This makes no sense.  Our responsibility is clear.

2 Corinthians 5:20–21 ESV “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

The messenger is supposed to communicate the message clearly and compellingly!

Ever since that early ministry experience I have committed myself to hold a bias for evangelism.  I will always be partial to those ministries and people who actually do evangelism rather than those who simply talk about it, or criticize others for doing it or for how they are doing it. 

Many years later I came across this quotation from Dwight L. Moody.  When scrutinized on his methods of evangelism, he replied, "I like the way I do evangelism much better than the way you don't."

Who Else Is In The Room?

Spiritual warfare is a reality in the midst of personal conflict. So, recognizing that warfare is an initial step toward conflict resolution. Bring all the realities to the table: It is not just people themselves who are involved; Satan and his horde of demons take advantage of our many weaknesses and brokenness and will often use specific individuals to work up and sustain conflict within congregations.

If we recognize the existence of spiritual warfare . . .

1.  We will resort to prayer more quickly and with greater faith, because we realize that more is at stake than our relationships. Satan and his demons are after the larger prize of crippling the gospel witness of each church. Capturing a congregation with internal conflict is effective and lasting. “Be sober-minded; be watchful,” Peter warned. “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world” (1 Peter 5:8-9, ESV). 

2.  We will feel a freedom, or a relief, that there is more involved than just people. It is true that someone is to blame for conflict. However, if we just look to people to find out who is wrong, we are not taking into account the full reality. Demons can be blamed and should be blamed—they often play a major role in our conflicts. Just acknowledging this releases some of the pressure. 

3.  We will see the limitation of our own resourcefulness to bring resolution and will turn to God (James 4:7). If spiritual powers are involved, then we need more than our tools and training in conflict resolution. Yes, we should use them. But we must not depend too much on our effectiveness in doing so, so that we are not “outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs” (2 Corinthians 2:11, ESV). 

4.  We will deal with one another with greater humility, care and respect. All of us are susceptible to the powers of demons—their playing with our thoughts, attitudes and lives. We must rely upon God’s power and wisdom to bring solutions, not ourselves.

The challenge is making this known to people in the midst of their conflict and then dealing with it together. We’re not trying to avoid responsibility by saying, “The devil made me do it.” Rather, we’re recognizing the unseen spiritual realities of our conflicts and going on the offensive. When we recognize conflict, we might start by praying through these four points.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, 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. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:10–13, ESV).


(This blog entry of mine was originally published as an article in the December 2010 issue of EFCA Today, copyright Evangelical Free Church of America.)