Seeking a life of Peace in a world of conflict

We live in an increasingly fractured world: Divided by politics, race, international conflicts, and personal slights and offenses that become the grounds for division. The sad thing is not that such fracturing is commonplace but that it has become commonplace among God’s people and in our families and congregations. We divide over theological and personal differences; over politics; over offenses that we experience and won’t give up. We are a divided people and relational conflict is commonplace.

And we have our principles, convictions and beliefs and these often cause us to double down, refuse to forgive or to look for ways of relational peace rather than division. Our world has always been divided. But: into that divided world came a Savior whose purpose was to bridge the gap between God and ourselves and between us and those around us.

To be like Jesus is to be a peacemaker. Jesus Himself said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” To follow God is to join Him in bringing peace to our fractured world.

The world of Jesus’ day was a world of conflict and division as well. Jews and Gentiles didn’t get along. Slaves and free did not relate. Men and women were divided by how one treated the other. The differing ethnic groups that made up those ancient cities gave all kinds of reasons to live with division. And finally, the socio economic differences between rich and poor, entitled and those without power all contributed to a world of division and conflict. And into that brew comes Jesus, the One who consistently subverts the status quo and says to them all “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” 

I am sure that many who heard that statement were shocked because they had their convictions and their principles and they were sure they were right and therefore had no obligation to work toward relational peace. Yet, Jesus said, to be like God you must be a peacemaker. That is who He is. 

Jesus was called the Prince of peace. Paul writes this about His death on the cross. “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one spirit.”  Ephesians 2:14-18

The common word in these verses is “peace.” Peace with God and peace with one another based on Christ’s work on the cross. At the cross, says Paul, Jesus destroyed the hostility between us and God and the hostility between us and our neighbor. Jesus came to bring peace and calls us to join Him in seeking peace wherever possible. 

How do we do that in a world that is so divided? Here are some of the principles Paul gives us.

• Be devoted to one another in love.
• Honor one another above yourselves.
• Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.
• Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
• Live in harmony with one another.
• Do not be proud but be willing to associate with people of low position.
• Do not be conceited.
• Do not repay anyone evil for evil.
• Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.
• Do not take revenge.
• Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
• 
  

All of these instructions are found in Romans 12 and Paul sums it all up when he says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

Jesus is calling us to a life of less conflict and more peace. To avoid division wherever possible and to contribute to peaceful relationships, especially among members of God’s family but also beyond.

As we let go of our egos and as we elevate Christ rather than ourselves, we are called here to do all we can to live in harmony, peace, and love with one another. So our question today is twofold: First, who am I divided from or have conflict with? Second, what can I do to seek to bridge that gap, just as Jesus gave His life to bridge the gap between God and us and between us together?

Peacemaking is not an easy task. It may mean that I have to forgive. It may mean that I have to humble myself to have a conversation I don’t really want to have. It may mean that I need to lay aside my pride and find ways to bless others who irritate us or who have offended us. It may mean that I need to be more tolerant of others' political choices and bless them in spite of those differences. It might mean that God is calling me to bury the hatchet of conflict and division and embrace others as Christ went to the cross to embrace me. 

As we follow in the footsteps of Jesus on His way to the cross, let's also follow in His footsteps in making peace where we currently experience conflict. “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.”

Father, help me to become a person who loves peace and who is committed to making peace where there is division. In the words of the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi:

“Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; To be understood, as to understand; To be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” Amen.

The question to consider today: Is there a relationship or situation where I can contribute to peace?

The Ego Challenge

 

Less Ego and More Humility

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” James 4:10

Ego is truly an enemy in our lives. Ego seeks to elevate us above others. Ego convinces us that we need to be right and get our way. Ego keeps us from asking for forgiveness when we have wronged others. Ego keeps us from forgiving those who have hurt us. Ego causes us to compete with those we ought to be cooperating with. Ego drives our need to put others down so that we can be elevated. Ego causes us to project an image to the public that is not the real us. We want to look better than we are so we hide our weaknesses and fears, pretend we are better than we are and present a false self rather than our real self.

We are learning in this series that less can be more. This is very true when it comes to our egos. In fact, a life anchored in Jesus has nothing to prove, nothing to lose and nothing to hide. If I have something to prove I am playing to my ego. If I have something to lose, it is my pride. If I have something to hide it is my desire to look better than I am. In Jesus we don’t have to hide or pretend or compete. We can just be ourselves and live in humility knowing that we are complete and accepted by Him. 

Humility is understanding who we are, our strengths and our weaknesses and not needing to make ourselves look better or hide the real us. In Romans 12:3, Paul writes this: “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”  

Here is why humility ought to be central in our lives. Our strengths and gifts were given to us by God. We are simply stewards of what He has given. Remember, life is not about us but about Him and the strengths He has given to each of us are designed to be used for His purposes, not to make us look good. Here is the irony of ego in God’s kingdom. Humility is a sign of strength while ego is actually a sign of weakness.  

But there is more. Ego is all about drawing attention to ourselves while humility is about caring about others and their needs. The more pride I live with, the more I will neglect both God and others. After all, ego is all about me. Not Jesus, not others, but me. Humility allows us to place our dependence on Him and serve others because we see them as women and men and children made in God’s image. Seen in this light, ego is the enemy of a life anchored in Jesus which is about Him and others rather than a life that revolves around me.

Solomon spoke to the issue of pride and humility in Proverbs 3:5-8. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your path straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” 

Can you remember a time when you were wise in your own eyes and rather than trusting God, you did your own thing and ended up in the ditch? It can happen in our finances, our marriages, our relationships and in any arena of life. We often spend a great deal of our lives trying to fix what we got wrong because we trusted in our wisdom rather than in God’s. Less ego and more humility, faith, and dependence is a sign of a disciple of Jesus. 

Think about the benefits of humility:

• With humility I can forgive others because I don’t need to hold an offense
• With humility I can reconcile broken relationships rather than live in conflict
• In humility I can choose to follow God’s way rather than my way
• In humility I can live with nothing to prove, nothing to lose and nothing to hide
• With humility I don’t need to get my way
• With humility I don’t need to have all the answers
• With humility I can be far more attentive to the needs of others
• With humility I don’t need to lift myself up by putting others down

You can see how ego and pride are intertwined with our lives, words, motives and decisions. Jesus asks us to lay it all down and to choose a life of humility. As James says, as we humble ourselves before the Lord, He lifts us up. Subversively, the way up is actually the way down. 

Humility is one of the beautiful descriptors of Jesus. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says this: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Did you catch what He said? “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.” Jesus was a subversive force and calls us to the same. One would think that pride, ego and power are the way to significance but Jesus, turning conventional wisdom on its head says no: humility is. Less of us and more of Him leads to less ego and more humility. Again, less is more. A life anchored in Jesus has nothing to prove, nothing to lose and nothing to hide. It is a life of humble dependence on the father with a concern for those around us. That is the way to significance in the Kingdom. That is freedom.

Father, I invite your Holy Spirit to convict me where my ego gets in the way of my followership. Remind me when I choose my way over your way or live with something to prove, something to lose and something to hide. Amen.

The question to consider today: Are there areas where I need to lay down my ego and choose humility and dependence?

Russia, Ukraine and the Thin Veneer of Civilization

 

The world has been watching the face of evil as the Russian army has invaded Ukraine dislocating a million plus individuals to date, killing innocent civilians in a brazen act of violence inflicted by one country (primarily its leaders I suspect) against another. For many of us, words cannot convey our horror at what the Russian army is inflicting on Ukraine. 
Watching world events there is one truth that I see all too often. Riots in our own country, racism that inflicts pain and unfairness, conflicts like we are watching in Europe, ongoing civil wars in places like Congo all point to one truth: The veneer of civilization is very thin and very precious to maintain.

My further observation is that evangelical leaders can be naïve to a fault - thinking of those who have lauded Mr. Putin for his tough stances. Mr. Putin is a corrupt leader who has robbed his nation of its wealth allowing a minimum of 30% of its national wealth to be concentrated in the hands of a few individuals. This was not earned money but stolen money. He kills his enemies, silences his critics, imprisons those who are a threat, oversees a corrupt government and system that cares little for fairness or justice. He is Stalin in a "nicer" form - or was, until Ukraine when his true credentials were on display for the world to see. Just because he lights candles in a Russian Orthodox Church does not a Godly man make. Why anyone would laud him as a good man or a decent leader is a mystery to me. Ice water flows through his evil heart.

I would arrive home after trips to Russia and hand in expense reports with descriptions like "graft" and "corruption." There are many things about Russia and its people I enjoy but its government from the local to the national level is deeply corrupt, anti-Christian (evangelical) and very difficult to deal with. 

On just one trip I was charged $25.00 for a two kilometer taxi ride (they wanted $50), charged extra bribe money to board two flights, had $200 stolen, was extorted at the train station, was searched by police on the street, had a dinner in a private residence interrupted by police who then demanded that I show up at the police station in the morning (I agreed to since I was leaving by train that night at midnight - they are probably still waiting for me). Oh, at breakfast, lunch and dinner, the car you might be driving is pulled over because the traffic cop needs money for food and the standard fine for anything car related will conveniently purchase said meal. Those were just the highlights not counting the mafia characters who tried to extort me. 

Events at our capital last year would indicate that the veneer of American civilization is also thin and getting thinner. All of which begs for the transformation of the human heart through the rebirth Jesus offers. There is no other ultimate solution to the problem of sin and evil and our world specializes in both.

The Intentional Act of Lessening

The Intentional Act of Lessening

He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30

Who does your world revolve around? For most, the world revolves around me. Life is about us. We count the responses we get on Facebook, love to be recognized and want to be somebody. Often we are unconsciously in competition for position, maybe power, affirmation from others, and often recognition. When we don’t get our way we can feel robbed and diminished. 

This is not a new issue. In fact, there was a brief overlap in the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus. Both were calling people to repentance and baptizing those who answered the call. After Jesus was baptized, many people gravitated away from John and toward Jesus and this became a source of consternation for John’s disciples who thought that John was not getting the recognition he deserved. They brought their concerns to John but his answer surprised them.

John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.”

John perfectly captures the relationship between us and God when He said “He must become greater; I must become less.” Not only that, but John says this brings him joy. In that one sentence, John captures the essence of the Christian life. Life is not about us but about Him. That is a radical statement in a world that seeks to focus all of life around us as the center of the universe. In a world where nearly everyone believes that life revolves around them, John says, Jesus must become greater and I must become less.

John is saying that his job is not to lift himself up but to lift up the name and reputation of Jesus. Life is not about me but about Him. He is God. He is my creator. He is the one who redeemed me. He died to bring me into His eternal family. He holds my life in His hand. 

Here is one of the ironies of life. When we try to make life about us we diminish God and our lives become poorer and less fulfilling. But when we choose to make God the center of our lives, we experience life as we have never known it. Life centered on us is a diminished life but life centered on God is fullness of life.

There is a reason for this. When God created mankind he made him for fellowship with Him. But when Adam and Eve sinned, there was something great that was lost. This is why their sin is called “the fall.” We all suffer from that fall. Mankind fell out of relationship with God and lost the most meaningful part of life. 

Solomon spoke of this in Ecclesiastes 3:9-11. “What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

Here is our dilemma. There is a hole in our hearts because we were made for God. He planted the seed of eternity in our heart and until we fill that place with Him, we live a diminished life. The more of Him we put into our lives and hearts, the more contentment and happiness we experience. Because life is really about Him and not us. In lessening our need to be at the center and placing Him at the center of our lives we experience true life. 

Here is how the Apostle Paul talks about the blessings we have in Christ. As you listen to this, think of the amazing gifts we have in Christ. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3-10).

These are just a few of the amazing gifts we have as children of God. As we make life about Him we experience a whole new life and find the satisfaction and meaning we desire in the deepest places of our heart.

How do we become less so that He can become greater in our lives? It is a matter of focus and intention. Do we give Him time in our day so that we find ways to connect with Him? Do we conform our lives to His teachings so that we are following Him rather than ourselves? For many of us, the problem is that we are too busy to connect with Him. Personal busyness is a symptom that life revolves around us. Carving out quality time with Him is a sign that we want our lives to revolve around Him.

As you walk through the 40 days of Lent, consider finding some extra time each day to spend with God.  Maybe reading a few verses each day and then applying them to your life. Extra time to spend in prayer with Him. The more we focus on Him rather than on ourselves, the more we experience true life. 

Father, I pray with John today that my life would become less so that you become greater. And in that counterintuitive equation I thank you that you will bring me the most satisfying life I could ever have. Amen.

The question to consider today: How can I make more room for Jesus in my day?

The Lent Series: Less can equal more

March 2, 2022

The Lent Series

Day 1: Less can equal more

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5

Lent is a powerful time in the church calendar that can deeply impact our walk with God. For  many years of church history, believers have used the forty days of Lent from Ash Wednesday to the Death and Resurrection of Christ to go deeper with God and contemplate what it meant for Jesus to redeem His people. 

It is normal for individuals to choose to give something up in their lives during Lent. This is not to earn favor from God but to focus our minds on what is most important. It follows in the footsteps of Jesus who gave up His very life on a Roman cross. The creator became one of the created in the incarnation in order to reconcile the created with the creator at the cross. 

Think of what Jesus gave up in order to give us life. He emptied Himself so that we could be filled. He died so that we could live. He left heaven for squalid Bethlehem so that we could be redeemed from our sinful and broken places and experience healing, wholeness, and life. He was crucified so that we could be justified. He gave His life at Golgotha so we could receive life for eternity.

Paul describes this act of Christ as a great lessening. “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross!”

In a radical act of lessening, Jesus subverted the status quo in our world, just as He does in our lives if we know Him personally. In emptying Himself he made it possible for us to be filled.

As we walk through the forty days of Lent we want to explore the possibility that less can be more. We believe that there is a principle of lessening in how we live that can revolutionize our lives and the lives of those around us. In a world that is always about more there is something deeply subversive about less.

Can we live a life of subtraction in order to live a life of abundance? Can we empty our lives of our busyness and activity and find ourselves more fulfilled and satisfied? Can we do less and accomplish more for God’s Kingdom? Can we let go of those things that we medicate with and find ourselves more alive than before? 

Our world thinks in terms of addition. The more we add to our lives, to our possessions, to our calendar and to our sense of self-importance, the happier we will be. Is it possible that the world's definition of satisfaction by addition is upside down and that real satisfaction comes from subtraction rather than addition? It is in including the right things in our lives rather than the multiplicity of things that makes life meaningful. Central to this is making Jesus and His values the core of our lives at all times. Life is not about us. It is about Him and us living in Him.

This is a subversive idea. Wikipedia says that “Subversion refers to a process by which the values and principles of a system in place are contradicted or reversed in an attempt to transform the established social order and its structures of power, authority, hierarchy, and social norms.”

Isn't that exactly what Jesus did in the incarnation? The author of creation and the king of the universe came to earth as one of the created. A baby instead of a king. Into poverty instead of grandeur. A carpenter instead of a VIP. An itinerant rather than a settler. And then, a crucifixion rather than a coronation. He became disgraced so we could experience amazing grace. At every turn: how He lived; what He taught; His dependence on the Father, the death He died, He was subverting the status quo and the religious practices of the day.

Think of His upside down teaching

• To live you have to die
• To be first you must be last
• To become rich you must give it away
• To be joyful you need to mourn
• To be strong you must be humble
• To be a leader you must be a servant

And the largest subversive act in history was a dead Christ raised to life after three days, defeating the power of death and sin. Jesus was the most subversive force the world has ever encountered and the most subversive relationship we will ever encounter. He changed and changes everything. But, just as He chose to give up His prerogatives for us, there are things we are called to give up to join Him in His subversive work in this world. He is turning the world on its head and He invites us to join Him in that work.

Over the next forty days we will consider how we can experience the less is more life. It is often in the subtraction that we experience more. 

Our choosing to give up something for Lent can lay the foundation for us to better experience the spiritual realities we will be studying. Less can be more in almost all of life. In fact, our journey will be about less of us and more of Christ. And that is the most important equation. The more of Jesus in our lives, and the less of us, the more subversive we become. 

Would you join us on this journey? We invite you to start by considering what it is that you are going to give up for Lent. That small decision can be a reminder throughout the next 40 days that less can be more. What we give up in our physical world can remind us of what God desires to do in our spiritual lives. 

Father. I want to join you in your subversive work in this world. Give me some ideas of those things I can give up in the next forty days of Lent. Help this be a reminder that less can be more and that subversive subtraction can empower me as I join you in your work.

The question to consider today: Should I give something up for Lent to remind me that He is the center of my life and my greatest focus?

 

When the Man Meets the Moment: Why Zelensky matters, in Ukraine and the world - David French

THE FRENCH PRESS

When the Man Meets the Moment

Why Zelensky matters, in Ukraine and the world.

David French

Signs of Humility and Arrogance in leaders

 

Indicators of Humility

• I have a proper view of who I am and who I am not and know the source of my strengths

• I am a secure individual and, therefore, unthreatened

• I know that I need others and treat them with honor and respect

• As a rule, I am non-defensive

• I listen carefully to others and display flexibility

• I do not need to have my own way on most things

• I am willing to share authority and decision-making with others

• I intentionally solicit feedback and am open to critique

• I pay great attention to my shadow side and manage it

• I give credit away for success and take responsibility for failure

• I surround myself with people who will tell me the truth

• I live under authority and accountability

• I realize that my leadership is not about me but about the mission

Indicators of Arrogance

• I am self-involved and have an inflated view of my own importance

• I live with insecurity, which impacts my actions

• I use others for my purposes and marginalize them if they disagree with me

• I display defensiveness and do not want to hear contrary opinions

• I do not listen carefully to others and am inflexible when others suggest modifications to my plans

• I am unwilling to share decision-making with others

• I resist feedback or critique that is not in agreement with me

• I pay little attention to my shadow side and rarely, if ever, acknowledge it

• I take credit for success and blame others for failures

• I surround myself with “yes” people

• I resist accountability and chafe under authority

• The ministry is more about me than the mission

Beware of your personal convictions becoming your theology

 

I have many convictions based on my reading of God's word but my convictions are not theology - only what is explicitly taught in the Scriptures can be theology. But too often, our convictions become theology for us and we then believe others should abide by our theology.

For instance, there are many public battles being fought on social media over elements of orthodoxy and the gospel that would not be found in the Nicene Creed or the Apostles Creed, both of which are bedrocks of Biblical orthodoxy. But the personal beliefs of many over non-essentials of the faith have become core battlegrounds that not only define the individual who believes them but the orthodoxy or non-orthodoxy of those who don't.

One example is that of whether women should pastor or preach. The voices around this conviction are vociferous, often crude and unkind. One wonders where the Fruit of the Holy Spirit factors into the conversation but that is an aside. This is an issue that different people have different convictions about but for many their conviction has become unyielding theology and if you don't agree with me you are a heretic. 

It also raises the question as to what is American theology and what is non-American theology as questions like this or like dispensational theology are very much an American preoccupation. To the church in the rest of the world these are often irrelevant debates.  Because they are not seen as core to the Gospel or core theology. Yes they are personal convictions one way or another but they are not core tenants of the faith.

Convictions are those issues where the Holy Spirit speaks to us about our lives as to how we apply Scripture in our context. For instance, I have a conviction regarding certain lifestyle issues that Scripture does not directly speak to. It is my understanding of what God want's for my life based on the application of His truth to my life. But that does not mean that I can insist that others live by those same convictions for they are mine and not Scripture's. My convictions do not equate to theology. Thus we cannot impose them on others.

One of the great freedom's about following Jesus is that He gives us freedom in those areas where Scripture does not speak clearly to follow our own consciences. The good news is a Gospel of freedom rather than a system of legalism. We can choose to freely follow certain practices and we can choose to allow other to do the same - as Jesus gives all of us freedom to make those choices. I do make certain lifestyle choices were God gives freedom but I will not impose those choices on others because they are my choices and are not theology. I will also resist any attempts by others to impose on me their choices or convictions that are not theology.

Freedom is a wonderful thing. Lets use it carefully and joyfully and not allow convictions to become theology. When our convictions become theology that others must agree with we fall into the error of the Galatians rather than living in the freedom of Jesus.

Come to the Feast!

 

In the wake of Covid, many people have left the church and decided that they don’t need it anymore. Not because of their fear of Covid but because they figure that it doesn’t matter. They will do their spirituality on their own. In their way. On their terms. I suspect that it will result in a diminished personal and spiritual life but we are a nation that does it's own thing.

What they don’t know is that they are missing the party. You heard me right. The party. In Nehemiah 7 and 8, after the completion of the wall that Nehemiah helped organize, we read this: “When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

They built him a platform and “on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law."

Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground….They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

As the people heard the Word of God they were sad and grieved because they realized they were not following God as they should. But the Levites calmed the people down and said “Be still for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve.” Instead they threw a party. We read, “Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.”

I know a group called the Light of Jesus Family that has a weekly meeting called the Feast. They feast on God’s word, on worship, prayer, and food together each week. Feasts are times of joy and fellowship and that is how they see their worship and how we ought to see our worship as well. This is how we ought to view our weekly worship. A feast around God's word with people we love to give us what we need for the upcoming week. Worship and fellowship go together. And so does rejoicing and music and laughter. Oh, food helps as well!

We ought to throw more parties around God’s word, good food, laughter, and joy. They all go together and they feed the mind, body, and soul. Worship should be seen not as an obligation but as a feast, each time you meet and open the Word. Next week, come to the feast!

It is not enough to be an Acts 2 church

 

We often turn to Acts chapter two to look for clues as to what our congregations should look like. The passage we often turn to is Acts 2:42-47. "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

It is a wonderful picture but it misses one very important factor. It is not the picture of what the church will look like in heaven. This was still a church that reflected one group of people - Jews who now followed Jesus. Their practices were notable and revolutionary for that day. But missing were the people from many tribes, nations, colors and backgrounds that will make up the church in heaven.

Consider the congregation we will be a part of in heaven: "After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:9).

This is not only the picture of our future congregation but it is proof of the power of God. Where else could people from every nation, tribe language, social group, find unity together except at the foot of the cross and the family of God? Paul wrote this in Galatians 3:26-28: "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Their is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Now think for a moment of our society which is becoming more and more divided around politics, beliefs, practices and ethnic groups. There is only one place where all those divisions can exist together in peace. It is in the family of God where each of us, regardless of who we are have been clothed with Christ and are one in Christ Jesus. One!

Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4 of the unity we should have in the body of Christ regardless of our differences. "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:1-6).

In all the bickering among Christians over politics, theology, practice and racial issues we forget one core principle: There is one body and one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God and Father who (and hear this) is Over all that other stuff, who is through all and in all of us. The Father and the gospel transcend our differences so that we can be one family in Him.

Then why all of our divisions? Because we don't understand that it is in Jesus that we are made one. In fact, Paul says in Ephesians 2:14 that "he himself is our peace (in spite of our differences), who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility" between Jews and Gentiles (and all those things that could divide us), because "His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." And so we are no longer disparate and divided people but "fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household."

Which leads me back to Acts, but this time to Acts 13 where you see the church moving from a mono cultural place to a multi cultural place. In fact, as a result of Paul and Barnabas's ministry, gentiles were brought into God's family and "The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. This set the stage for the council at Jerusalem in Acts 15 where the leaders of the church endorsed the fact that the church was to be made up of Jews and Gentiles and all who responded to the Gospel setting the stage for major multiethnic congregations throughout Asia Minor.

All of this reflects God's intent for the church. We come to the foot of the cross and into the family of God as equals. We come to Him despite our differences and He knits us together into living stones of His household. We come from disparate backgrounds but have one faith, one hope, one baptism, one Spirit within us and one Lord of all.

Therefore, the picture of the church in Revelation is to be the picture for our congregations today. In a day of division we ought to be a people who come together under His banner. Multi ethnic, different social classes, political rivals - it does not matter because Jesus brings peace between God and us and between us with each other. The more our congregations look like the congregation in heaven the closer we come to the reality of who God is and who is family is and how He makes peace between people who otherwise would not have peace. He is our Peace!

Sadly, the typical evangelical church is not living in that peace. We have become more tribal than ever. We are moving away from unity toward disunity. We need to reclaim Christ's vision for the church.

The Acts two church is beautiful. The Acts 13 church is amazing! When the Spirit of God and our love for one another come together, our differences fade compared to our commitment to Jesus and His family. In a day when there is so much division, He is our Peace!

The Dissenters Trying to Save Evangelicalism From Itself - David Brooks in the New York Times

OPINION

DAVID BROOKS

The Dissenters Trying to Save Evangelicalism From Itself

Feb. 4, 2022

Leaders, focus and notice but don't necessarily do many things now

 Good leaders are always focused - on a few critical areas that if they do not drive themselves the organization will not thrive and move forward. This is not as easy as it sounds. First one has to determine what those few critical areas are. Second, it takes a great deal of discipline for leaders to focus and not be distracted by many lesser things that need to wait so that the critical issues are addressed. It is their job to determine what those issues are and then to focus on two to three at a time.

The discipline of focus is a critical component of a leader's skill set. They naturally see many things that need to be addressed and the temptation is to do many things at once. Not only does it not work but it drives staff crazy who need to deal with the many things a leader might want to fix or do differently.

This does not mean that leaders do not pay attention to many things. They are constantly paying attention to what they see, hear or discover. They are naturally curious and asking questions. They have many conversations with staff to discern what is happening. But - and this is critical - they are able to assimilate a lot of information without automatically trying to fix what they find. 

Why? Because it is not their job to fix everything but to focus on a few key things. Second, they bide their time until they have a chance to explore their findings or observations with the appropriate individual without being controlling or micro managing. It means they are willing to think grey on some issues until the time is right to address it in a way that does not violate others or take on their responsibility. 

Good leaders:

• Focus on a few critical things
• Notice what goes on around them
• Think grey on lesser problems
• Wait for an appropriate time to address lesser problems with those who are ultimately responsible

For most this will be a skill that is learned and not innate. But it is a critical skill if the organization is going to grow.

Ironically, the more a leader tries to change at any one time, the less effective they will be. Why? Because many changes simultaneously cause a loss of focus for both leaders and the organization. The more critical the issue, the more focus it takes from leadership, staff and the organization as a whole. 

A tale of the dwindling population of Christians in the Middle East (From The New York Times)

‘Now There Is No One’: The Lament of One of the Last Christians in a Syrian City

Michel Butros al-Jisri is among the few Christians left from a once-vibrant community in Idlib on the brink of disappearing. The city, in the only territory in Syria still controlled by rebels, is ruled by Islamists.

Fifteen behaviors that contribute to good leadership

 

There are some life-giving behaviors that good leaders engage in and live by. It sets them apart from other leaders, gives them great credibility, and earns them the loyalty of their staff. It is also what makes their ministry or team successful. I say life-giving because they give life to people and to the mission of the team or organization.

One: Good leaders never make it about themselves. They have the humility to understand that their leadership is about the mission they have been given and that they are stewards of that mission. Healthy leaders keep the focus on the mission rather than on themselves. While relationships are critical, the best glue is missional glue.

Two: Good leaders build a great team. Many leaders hire people who will do what they tell them. The best leaders hire people who they can empower within boundaries and release them. They empower instead of control and are not afraid of staff whose skills exceed their own. In fact, they intentionally look for better people than they are in the areas they lead.

Three: Good leaders do not take credit for success. They give it to the whole team rather than take it themselves. They know that without God's empowerment and the team they work with, success would not happen. It is not about me but about us together. Staff are not always out front; they appreciate it when their leader platforms them.

Four: Good leaders don't blame others for failures. Bad things happen, and leaders know that they need to take responsibility if it happens on their watch. This sends a strong message that "my leader has my back." There may be private conversations, but there is no blame in public.

Five: Good leaders don't fail to address known issues. One of the things that gives leaders credibility with their staff is that they deal with issues even when they are hard. Issues not dealt with hurt staff, and the ministry and staff need their leader to step into the challenging places.

Six: Good leaders build a healthy life-giving staff culture. Healthy cultures have an ethos of candid conversation, collegial relationships, trust, lack of turf wars, shared mission, cooperation, and humility. 

Seven: Good leaders don't ask others to do what they don't do. They model the values and commitments of the organization, don't take advantage of their position, and lead the way by example.

Eight: Good leaders pay significant attention to their staff. Making time for staff, being available to them, removing barriers they face, and staying relationally connected are all factors in a healthy staff culture.

Nine: Good leaders keep the mission central all the time. Few things are more demoralizing than mission drift because it robs the organization and staff of a cause worth giving their lives for. One of the first jobs of all leaders is to keep the mission front and central with great clarity.'

Ten: Good leaders continually clarify what is essential. There is nothing more helpful to any team or organization than clarity. Ambiguity creates all kinds of questions, while clarity answers those questions. Leaders clarify all the time.

Eleven: Good leaders foster candid dialogue and a non-defensive spirit. It is wonderfully refreshing to meet leaders who encourage honest dialogue and are non-defensive when their ideas are challenged.

Twelve: Good leaders lead collaboratively rather than autocratically. Collaborative leadership beats autocratic leadership every time because there is greater intellectual capital at the table and greater buy-in. Few truly good staff will stay long-term without having a voice at the table.

Thirteen: Good leaders require high accountability but exercise low control. They set appropriate boundaries but give a great deal of empowerment. Nor do they insist that staff do things their way but encourage them to use their creativity and gifts.

Fourteen: Good leaders develop their staff and the next generation of leaders. It is life-giving when leaders are proactive in helping their staff grow. The ministry must develop the next generation of leaders.

Fifteen: Good leaders don't stay beyond their usefulness. There comes a time for leaders to move on, and it is better to move on when people want you to stay than leave when people want you to go.

Top global countries for Christian persecution

 

Afghanistan tops Open Doors watch list of worst countries for Christians

Across the globe, Open Doors found that there has been a 24% increase in Christians killed because of their faith.